| Abstract: | "Psychology and History" was H. Münsterberg's presidential address at the 1898 American Psychological Association conference (see also PA, Vol 81:27847). After a short academic career in Germany, Münsterberg had accepted a chair at Harvard University. In his address, he presented to his American colleagues his conception of psychology as unitary science of the individual human mind. However, this conception that endeavored to import idealistic philosophy from Germany was skeptically received in America where pragmatism prevailed. Münsterberg adapted to his new environment. During the following decade, he incorporated into his theory what he had objected to before: purposive, social, and applied psychology. Yet, Münsterberg's initial conception was a sophisticated design for psychology as a cognitive science. In retrospect, it can be evaluated as a road taken much later. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
