Psychology is a comparatively young science. From its origins in the psychophysics laboratories of late-19th-century Germany, it made great strides throughout the 20th century, and can now be considered one of the most rapidly growing of the sciences, as evidenced by the enormous growth at both undergraduate and research level. This book takes a step back to consider just how we got to where we are in psychology. It brings together some of the leading figures from the past fifty years, covering neuropsychology, social psychology, experimental psychology, perception, physiology, and many others ... More

Psychology is a comparatively young science. From its origins in the psychophysics laboratories of late-19th-century Germany, it made great strides throughout the 20th century, and can now be considered one of the most rapidly growing of the sciences, as evidenced by the enormous growth at both undergraduate and research level. This book takes a step back to consider just how we got to where we are in psychology. It brings together some of the leading figures from the past fifty years, covering neuropsychology, social psychology, experimental psychology, perception, physiology, and many others. Each chapter considers the path each field has taken — both the advances, and the setbacks. They look at how each area has changed — how it might have been ‘in vogue’ one day, and out of fashion the next. The accounts provide a stock-take of just where psychology stands at the start of the 21st century, and where it might be heading in the coming years.