Patient talking with his therapist

The History of Psychology and Its Major Theorists

The history of psychology is filled with fascinating discoveries and stories about the people and events that shaped the modern mental health landscape.
Alfred Binet
Alfred Binet and the History of IQ Testing
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Psychologist Gordon Allport
Gordon Allport's Impact on the Field of Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Alfred Binet portrait
Alfred Binet and the Simon-Binet Intelligence Scale
Fact checked by Amanda Tust
Sigmund Freud in his office
Sigmund Freud's Life and Contributions to Psychology
By Kendra Cherry
Mary Whiton Calkins history
Mary Whiton Calkins' Influence on Psychology
Fact checked by James Lacy
Scientists Edward Thorndike and Karl T. Compton
Edward Thorndike's Contribution to Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
G. Stanley Hall center
Biography of Psychologist G. Stanley Hall
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Mary Ainsworth working with a child
Why Mary Ainsworth Is Important in Child Psychology
Fact checked by James Lacy
Sigmund Freud reading at his desk
Religion According to Sigmund Freud
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Crowd walking on a city street
Kurt Lewin Is the Father of Modern Social Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
The original shock box used in Milgram's obedience experiments
Milgram's Experiments and the Perils of Obedience
By Kendra Cherry
Sigmund Freud in his office
Sigmund Freud Terms and Concepts
Fact checked by Cara Lustik
Robert Yerkes in his office at Harvard
Robert Yerkes Was Influential in Comparative Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Person in front of TV
Psychology Experiments That Will Surprise You
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6 Classic Psychology Experiments
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B.F. Skinner in 1948
10 Most Influential Psychologists
Fact checked by James Lacy
scared child hugging her knees next to a wall
The Story of Feral Child Genie Wiley
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Inside of womans head improving and becoming brighter
Biography of Psychologist John B. Watson
Fact checked by James Lacy
psychologist Albert Bandura sitting in offie
Biography of Psychologist Albert Bandura
Fact checked by Amanda Tust
An image of William James
William James Psychologist Biography
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Sigmund Freud
The Life, Work, and Theories of Sigmund Freud
By Kendra Cherry
Sigmund Freud
An Overview of Sigmund Freud's Theories
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Erik Erikson
Biography of Psychologist Erik Erikson
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Abraham Harold Maslow, Psychologist
Abraham Maslow's Life and Legacy
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Jean Piaget recieving a science award
Jean Piaget: Life and Theory of Cognitive Development
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
What should psychology majors minor in?
Structuralism and Functionalism Schools of Thought
Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
Portrait of Howard Gardner, April 20, 2011
Howard Gardner Biography and Theories
Fact checked by James Lacy
psychology schools of thought
The 7 Psychology Schools of Thought
Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
mother smiling while holding infant child outdoors
The Biography of the Psychologist John Bowlby
Fact checked by James Lacy
Carl Rogers
Carl Rogers Psychologist Biography
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Psychologist Lev Vygotsky
Biography of Psychologist Lev Vygotsky
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Seligman speaking at the 2016 Novus Summit
Martin Seligman Biography and Psychological Theories
Fact checked by James Lacy
embarrassed woman covering her mouth
What's Really Happening When You Have a Freudian Slip
By Kendra Cherry
Portrait of Sigmund Freud sitting at his desk
Freud's Theories of Life and Death Instincts
Fact checked by James Lacy
Drawn portrait of Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler Biography: Career and Life
Fact checked by Amanda Tust
H J Eysenck
Psychologist Hans Eysenck Biography
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Wilhelm Wundt founded the first psychology lab
The First Experimental Psychology Lab
Fact checked by James Lacy
Anna Freud
Anna Freud Biography and Contributions to Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Humanistic Psychologist Carl Ransom Rogers
Psychology and Life Quotes From Carl Rogers
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Anna O.
Anna O's Life and Impact on Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
The cathexis and anticathexis
Understanding Cathexis and Anticathexis
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Therapy session.
Biography of Edward C. Tolman
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Young creative business people brainstorming on white board
Biography of Psychologist David Kolb
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Portrait of Anna Freud
The Women Who Changed Psychology
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Smiling young man at home looking sideways
Quotes About Emotional Intelligence
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Asch's conformity experiments graphic
Famous Social Psychology Experiments
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
A photograph of psychologist Lewis Terman
Lewis Terman Biography
Fact checked by James Lacy
freud at desk
Little Known Facts About Famous Psychologists
Fact checked by James Lacy
The origins of psychology
The Origins of Psychology: History Through the Years
Fact checked by Adah Chung
Sigmund Freud and Martha Freud
How Sigmund Freud Viewed Women
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
B. F. Skinner, February 26, 1968
B. F. Skinner: Biography of the Behaviorist Thinker
Fact checked by Amanda Tust
blonde woman looking at herself in a mirror
What Is Self-Concept and How Does It Form?
Reviewed by Rachel Goldman, PhD, FTOS
Ivan Pavlov stamp
Ivan Pavlov's Influence on Psychology
Fact checked by James Lacy
Edward Bradford Titchener portrait
Edward B. Titchener Biography
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
Karen Horney portrait
Contributions of Karen Horney to Psychology
Fact checked by James Lacy
Philip Zimbardo
The Influence of Philip Zimbardo on Psychology
By Kendra Cherry
Milgram's shock box
Stanley Milgram Biography: His Influence on Psychology
Fact checked by Emily Swaim
What Is Humanism?
Fact checked by James Lacy
Psychologist Max Wertheimer
Max Wertheimer Biography (1880-1943)
Fact checked by James Lacy
Rhesus monkeys
Biography of Psychologist Harry Harlow
Fact checked by Emily Swaim