Introduction

This chapter provides an introduction and overview of the historical development of the science and application of psychology with an emphasis on events that have been particularly influential for the field of Cognitive Psychology.

Psychology is an exciting field and the history of psychology offers the opportunity to make sense of how it has grown and developed. The history of psychology also provides perspective. Rather than a dry collection of names and dates, the history of psychology tells us about the important intersection of time and place that defines who we are. Consider what happens when you meet someone for the first time. The conversation usually begins with a series of questions such as, “Where did you grow up?” “How long have you lived here?” “Where did you go to school?” The importance of history in defining who we are cannot be overstated, and the establishment of context and shared knowledge aids in communication and discourse. The same is true for studying the history of psychology; getting a history of the field helps to make sense of where we are and how we got here.