The Story of Psychology

Book excerpt: A distinguished psychological researcher, Bolles tells an intriguing story of the history of psychology in a casual and relaxed fashion. Written with the senior psychology student in mind, he conveys an understanding of the present state of psychology and the direction that cognitive psychology is headed. Bolles carefully structures the text to help readers understand what science is, the contribution by gestaltists, and the value of applied psychology. Emphasizing key participants such as Wundt, James, Hall, and Watson, Bolles also presents certain key themes--philosophical principles such as atomism, mechanism, empiricism, and associationism; and shows students that these themes have come and gone over the years. Bolles also mentions psychologists in a context of famous historical personalities, helping readers get a sense of the everyday world of each psychologist.