Physiological psychology / by W. McDougall.

  • William McDougall
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Physiological psychology / by W. McDougall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the attempt to combine the two kinds of research* the physiological and the psychological. Accepting the conclu- sions of physiologists and anatomists as to the functions and structure of the nervous system on the one hand, and those of the introspective psychologists as to the laws of psychical processes on the other hand, they sought to discover the relations of the two kinds of processes, the nervous and the psychical, and to lay the foundations of physiological psychol- ogy, the psychology that strives to render a complete account of the laws that govern conduct. Since that time introspective psychologists have carried the analysis of mental process to a pitch of refinement greatly surpassing that of the psychologists of the association-school, and in this work they have been greatly aided by the recently- introduced experimental methods, i. e. the methods of making introspective observations under conditions accurately con- trolled and simplified as far as possible. On the other hand, hundreds of ardent workers, under the stimulus of the ambition fully to explain the behaviour of men and animals, and more or less neglecting the subjective or in- trospective psychology, have devoted their lives to the elucida- tion of the structure and functions of the nervous system, and, in spite of very great difficulties, a considerable insight has been obtained. This ardent and successful study of the nervous system, coinciding in time with the rapid and triumph- ant progress of physical and biological science, has given rise to the prevalence of a very curious opinion as to the true aims of psychological study, an opinion which, if well founded, must completely revolutionize the old ideas as to the aims and methods of psychology, must lead to the supplanting of psy- chology by the study of the nervous system, and would make the positive science of conduct a branch of physical science. Since this opinion is still widely current we must briefly examine its foundations. Among the most striking of physiological discoveries are those relating to the reflex actions of the spinal cord. It has been shown that, when the brain of certain animals has
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