Abstract

This research paper discusses the contributions of early school of thoughts from ancient times, middle period, renaissance, and enlightenment period to the school of psychology. Contributers discusses consist of scholars such as Ernest Weber, Gustav Theodor Fechner, Hermann von Hemholtz, and Wilhelm Wundt. After summarizing the main contributions, this paper goes in more depth and detail on the contributions and life of Wilhelm Wundt.

Before the upbringing of psychology, the intellects of many helped to pave the way of this new era of study. Psychology was often looked down upon. In the past when measuring mental processes, many scholars believed that we were unable to. With the help of scholars such as Weber, Fechner, Helmholtz, Wundt, and many more, our understanding of psychology has broadened greatly. Ernest Weber contributed to the foundations of psychology through his works such as The Sense of Touch, Weber’s illusion, and just noticeable differences (jnds). He emphasized that although we are unable to directly measure psychological events, we can do so by determining evident perceived differences. He conducted studies like these “in order to understand the field's potential” (Gokani, 2017). Some of the greatest scholars like, Immanuel Kant, a german philosopher, disagreed with Weber’s way of thinking. Weber did not stand alone though. Scholars such as Gustav Theodor Fechner attained a similar way of thinking. Fechner was fascinated with topics that discussed the relationship between the body and the mind.

Fechner paved the way for theories named method of limits, method of constant stimuli, and method of average error. In his contribution for the upbringing of psychology, Fechner provides us with Fechner’s law. Fechner’s law is expressed as S = k log R. S represents mental sensations, while R represents the stimulus magnitude. While Fechner focused on the relationship of mental and biological processes, Hermann von Helmholtz went into greater detail of studying sense perception. Helmholtz had a great impact on psychology. He resolved that plain muscular movements create a minimal increase in body temperature. Hermann also created the first instrument to view the retina, progressing the movement and study of senses. Through each of these scholars, psychology continued to grow. Under Wilhelm Wundt, psychology was finally recognized as a separate discipline in learning. “Educational psychology [is] interdisciplinary...” but later stood as a school of study of its own (Alexander, 2018). He often was shot down with certain thought processes of his own but many of his projects began and led to the start of intentional experimental psychology.

“[E]ducational psychology has been built, and has continued to evolve…” especially under Wilhelm Wundt (MacKay, 2002). Wundt was to be considered as the father of experimental psychology. Wundt first studied medicine in his early years. After, Wundt took the occupation of a physiologist at a university where he later wrote the first book of psychology titled Principles of Physiological Psychology. During 1875, Wundt dedicated a lab specifically for experimental psychology which assisted the development of psychology. Through much trial and error, Wundt detached psychology from physiology and biology. He focused on the concept of structuralism, discovering the basic building blocks of thought.

When discussing the subject of Christianity, psychology is understood to be a science, opposing the christian worldview. It is often asked if psychology and christian religion can exist in harmony. Since psychology has many different aspects to it, such as social, experimental, and mental, there are endless way where Christianity can be integrated with psychology to understand people. As people of society, we should make efforts in treating people the way that God commanded us to. This includes the outcasts of society, such as people with mental illnesses. In the past, people with mental illness would receive harsh treatments because they were not seen as the average person. Rather this view would understand people in the eyes of the Lord, with psychology’s social and mental aspect. Ultimately, psychology comes from God.

Since the Lord is the creator of all, He grants these intellectual scholars the wisdom that they have.

Without the contributions of these many great thinkers, the upbringing of the study of psychology within institutions would be delayed. We should also come to understand that the real upbringing of psychology roots from God. The actions of each have helped psychology to expand, showing the significance of its implementation. Although psychology struggled to stand as a study of its own, today we can see that it is often integrated with other schools of study.

Psychology continues to advance data in present day experiments through providing another perspective of thought. As the field of psychology remains its growth, it is often considered respectably as opposed to the past.