The Story of Psychology [Paperback]

Morton Hunt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1994 | ISBN-10: 0385471491 | ISBN-13: 978-0385471497

The engrossing, definitive saga of the great thinkers and scientists who for twenty-five hundred years have been investigating the mysteries of the human mind and human behavior.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Tracing the history of psychology from its earliest beginnings as a branch of philosophy to modern - day trends, Hunt ( The Compassionate Beast , LJ 3/1/90) covers a vast amount of ground. He not only describes the historic Greek philosophers but takes the reader through Sigmund Freud, William James, B.F. Skinner, and a host of lesser - known psychologists throughout history. The scope ranges from the 1800s, when psychology broke from philosophy to become a field of its own, to the present. Separate schools of thought are clearly traced in an interesting, readable, but scholarly fashion. The material is appropriate for readers with more than a passing curiosity about the subject. More than 80 pages of footnotes testify to the author's exhaustive research. For academic and large public libraries.
- Marguerite Mroz, Baltimore Cty.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

“A magnificent traversal of an infinitely fascinating landscape by one of the great science writers of our time.”—Chicago Tribune

“The definitive guide to those wishing to grasp man’s search to understand the mind.”—The Chattanooga News-Free Press

“Masterful. . . . A story of psychology that is deep, wide, and, by turns, flowing, curious, familiar, surprising, intriguing.”—Contemporary Psychology

“A tour de force of popular exposition.”—Publishers Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 784 pages
• Publisher: Anchor (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385471491
• ISBN-13: 978-0385471497
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #950,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just What Students Like!, July 28, 2001

By 

B. West Ph.D. (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of Psychology (Paperback)

I teach psychology and one of the areas I emphasize is bringing people "alive" from the history of psych. This book does it! I now have even more background info. The students remember the theorist if they can attach him/her to events and historical data. They can also can see the theorist in relationship to their "life and times", the "Zeitgeist", and how that interacts with theory. An excellent reference book for those of us who teach, and a wonderful resource for good lecture naterial!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful survey, with some in-depth analysis thrown in, March 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Story of Psychology (Paperback)

As a high school student in the International Baccalaureate Program, I took a psychology course. After a situation out of my hands resulted in our teacher's leaving us for five months, I went to the library looking for psych books. I found this one and checked it out. The next week, I purchased the same book. Hunt discusses in great detail the historical conditions leading to the prevalance of Freud, then of Watson and Skinner, then of Rogers, and discusses modern cognitivism, social psychology, and neurobiology. He draws on hundreds of published and reputed studies, particularly in his chapters on more recent advances in the field of psychology, which are of course referenced. I am using a study which I learned of from his book for my Internal Assessment in this class, which now has the original teacher (for better or for worse). Had I outlined our syllabus, I would have used this book, as it has been my source for all of the information I have amassed to study for my IB test in May. Anyone with even a passing interest in psychology should purchase Hunt's work, which will not only pique their interest, it will become the foundation upon which so much more can be added.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hunt presents an excellent, very readable summary., September 22, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Story of Psychology (Paperback)

As a historical work, this is the most readable, entertaining, and interesting book I can recall. Hunt includes lively, animating biographies of each historical figure, giving them a personality beyond the ordinary dry treatments of these great people. Besides making for entertaining reading, The Story of Psychology is easily more informative than any book on the subject that I have seen. The reader can choose any section of the book, divided neatly by fundamental psychological camps (the Behaviorists, the Personality Psychologists, etc.) and become aptly informed on the focus of that group, its leaders, and its place in the history of Psychology. This book is highly recommended.