An Introduction to the History of Psychology (with InfoTrac )

I think this book does a great job of presenting the history of Psychology while also explaining where flaws may be in the book. It is a bit dry but well written.

:)

Not a bad read of a dry subject. Very well assembled with great attention.

I read this book for a senior undergrad level History of Psychology course. The book begins by explaining with excellent clarity the definitions and importance of the -isms (eg. dualism, monism, determinism) and uses these basic characteristics to categorize the various approaches to Psychology described throughout the text.

I also appreciate that the text frames the history of Psychology in terms of a bigger scientific picture by discussing in Ch 1 Kuhn and Popper and the idea of paradigmatic shifts and then by showing how Psychology is subject to the same cycles and biases as any other scientific discipline. The book does go into great detail about the more influential persons in Psychology's history, but I found that this really reinforces their human-ness and serves as evidence for the basis for the shifts between dominant philosophies. In my opinion, Hergenhahn does not describe Psychology's personalities to the point of neglecting of their ideas. He seems to me to do a wonderful and readable job of integrating the two.

Yes, there are an incredible number of details thoughout the text. These details served to enhance my appreciation of both persons and their ideas. The details also served to greatly enhance my GRE scores, thank Goodness! The details follow each other well and do serve to give a broader picture of the history of Psychology.

This text is one of the best I've read because it both gives an overall picture AND includes the details to back up and reinforce this picture. I enjoyed reading this text and found it fascinating as well as educational.

This is an clearly written and informative textbook with excellent coverage and depth. Although this book was generally fair in its treatment of various viewpoints, its discussion of clinical psychology (one chapter) was terribly misrepresented and biased. Other than that, this is one of the best psychology textbooks I've encountered and I thoroughly recommend it.

Tedious and verbose, this text is - frankly - not a worthwhile introduction into the field of Psychology. I have always been of the mindset that the theory is far more important than the theorist, especially given the necessary evolution of the theory as it passes from the "original" theorist (and history shows that most "original" proponents of a theory, in fact weren't). Tying a theory to a theorist limits it uselessly and teaching a theorist rather than a theory wastes the student's time. IMHO.

The only real reason I held onto this book is as a handy reference to some of the more sordid details of Freud's early practice. I find that some Freudians tend to hold a dangerously worshipful view of their theory-pater, and I like to have my sources ready when an argument crops up.