A History of Psychology in Western Civilization

This book is a re-introduction to psychology. It focuses on great scholarly thinkers, beginning with Plato, Marcus Aurelius and St Augustine, who gave the field its foundational ideas long before better known 'founders', such as Galton, Fechner, Wundt and Watson, appeared on the scene. Psychology can only achieve its full breadth and potential when we fully appreciate its scholarly legacy. Bruce Alexander and Curtis Shelton also argue that the fundamental contradictions built into psychology's history have never been resolved, and that a truly pragmatic approach, as defined by William James, can produce a 'layered' psychology that will enable psychologists to face the fearsome challenges of the twenty-first century. A History of Psychology in Western Civilization claims that contemporary psychology has overemphasized the methods of physical science and that psychology will need a broader scientific orientation alongside a scholarly focus in order to fully engage the future.

Author: Bruce K. Alexander, Curtis P. Shelton
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 07/03/2014
Pages: 559
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.80lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780521189309

Review Citation(s):
Choice 01/01/2015 pg. 895

About the Author
Alexander, Bruce K.: - Bruce K. Alexander is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University.Shelton, Curtis P.: - Curt P. Shelton is a Clinical Counselor at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.