I.   Modern Psychology: What It Is and How It Originated

What is the definition of psychology as it exists today?
Psychology is the science of behavior and cognitive processes.

What ideas in philosophy and findings in natural science contributed to the establishment of psychology as an independent field?
Philosophy supplied the ideas that knowledge can be gathered through careful observation (empiricism) and through careful reasoning (rationalism). Natural science provided new information suggesting that human behavior could be studied through scientific means.

According to structuralism, functionalism, and behaviorism, what should psychology study?
These three early schools of psychology suggested that it should study the structure of consciousness, the functions of consciousness, or observable behavior, respectively

	1.1	Today in the History of Psychology Today in the History of Psychology is a collection of dates and brief descriptions of over 3100 events in the history of psychology.

	1.2	APA Division 26 – History of Psychology Homepage This site provides access to numerous links pertaining to many aspects of the history of psychology.

	1.3	American Psychological Association Homepage The American Psychological Association is located in Washington, DC and is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. If you have any interests in a career in psychology, try APA Education Directorate: Frequently Asked Questions about Education and Training in Psychology

	1.4	American Psychological Society Homepage Founded in 1988, APS is the nation's leading society dedicated solely to scientific psychology. APS's mission is to promote, protect, and advance the interests of scientifically oriented psychology in research, application, and the improvement of human welfare.

	1.1	Review of Key Terms Check your knowledge of key terms and concepts from this section.