PSY100H1 Lecture Notes - Pineal Gland, Cognitive Revolution, Spurious Relationship
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PSY100H1 Full Course Notes
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Science has always been contextualized in a larger set of societal/historical/political/ideological/economic processes. Ex. theological/religious barriers impeded the progress of physiological sciences (and therefore psychology): Direct study of human body was forbidden. Doctrines regarding human exemptionalism (i. e. , therefore, impossible to learn about human biology through animal studies) However, what set humans apart from animals was the mind, which was non- physical but able (somehow) to interact with the body. Descartes believed the mind-body nexus was the pineal gland. The turning point that lead to the scientific study of mind really came from studies of physiology, using reaction times to measure nerve conduction (helmholtz, 1800s) People started realizing you can study nervous system processes via objective measures such as time. Carefully calculated the distance traveled by the pendulum, and the time as 1/10th of a second. Reasoned that it took humans 1/10th of a second to reorient their attention. Possibly the biggest influence on subsequent psychology was darwin"s theory of evolution.
