Customer Reviews

An Introduction to the History of Psychology

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am finding more and more that text books give the worst account of history. This book proved that point. For an overview of the history of psychology, the book was okay. However, I found many times that the theories of the psychologists were so watered down, one can hardly get a good idea of their original studies and propositions. I know it is difficult to read each and every work of each and every psychologist, but this text book is a waste of time for anyone who really wants to understand how ideas developed. In addition, I get really annoyed when writers do not quote the original author. Most of the quotes in this book were taken from other text books or biographers.

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.

Text books are by no means expected to be thorough and exhaustive of their subject. However, Hergenhan's garbage brings this incompleteness to a new and frustrating level. As stated by several other reviewers, the profiles of the individuals covered in this book are so vague and watered down that they border complete inaccuracy. In many cases, Hergenhan has completely missed an individual's point and this is especially prevalent in his treatment of pre-Enlightenment philosophers. And the bias! In covering the Classical Greek and neo-Platonic philosophers, he draws almost exclusively from Whitehead and Russel! These two logical positivists most definitely have an agenda in their analysis of these earlier philosophers, and Hergenhan offers no alternative sources. Furthermore, there are wide swaths of his book where citations are scarce or nonexistent. Jesus, St. Paul, St. Augustine and Averroes receive one citation each. His section on the "Dark Ages" is completely false and offers zero citations, and he fabricates historical claims in order to support his own post-Enlightenment bias. For instance, claiming the high middle ages were known for the abuse and execution of the mentally ill, when in fact medieval standards of mental healthcare exceeded those of the modern world until the late 19th century. (Monks and nuns often ran what we would call group or community homes for the mentally ill). Aquinas also receives no citations, even though his philosophical thought was the spring board for almost all later philosophical endeavors. Finally, even when citations are found, Hergenhan almost never cites the writing of the actual person he's covering. All in all, he deigns to speak as an authoritative expert on all topics, without having the decency to utilize or even read the individuals he covers.

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.

The textbook was in fairly good condition. The book cover was fairly banged up. That might
be due to less than careful handling by the postal people and not necessarily the person sending the book.

Delivery was really fast and book was in great condition. Price was also very good! i would recommend.

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.

The first time I read this book I was so delighted. I had borrowed it from the Public Library to help me with writing a paper. Never did I think I would find everything I needed to know about why and how psychology was developed,and the men that advanced science into the various systems/theories of psychology!

I am so pleased that I can now own my own copy, through Amazon.com.

Hergenhahn's third edition serves as an excellent text for an undergraduate course in History of Psychology. It reads well and is actually interesting. Psychology is populated with some very interesting characters. This text does a fine job of presenting the significant historical details as well as the ideosyncracies of the characters. Anyone interested in historical foundations of psychology will find this a good pick.