Authors of a new history of psychology promise to take readers beyond the point where earlier studies usually end--50 years ago--and into the 21st century.
"Connections in the History and Systems of Psychology" by B. Michael Thorne and Tracy B. Henley is published by Houghton Mifflin Co. of New York. The authors are Mississippi State University psychology department faculty members.
The 624-page textbook is being marketed nationwide by the publishing giant. Students in Henley's undergraduate history of psychology course already are using it.
Thorne and Henley began discussing the book's concept about seven years ago. Once they began writing, it took nearly five years to complete.
"Most of the histories of psychology end right after the Second World War, but, clearly, there have been accomplishments since," Henley explained. The new book devotes four or five chapters to the recent history of psychology "instead of the one chapter found in most of these other books."
Beginning with examinations of philosophies and physiologies in vogue until 1879--the year psychology became a separate scientific discipline--the book describes modern advances and ends with the authors' thoughts on the future.
Thorne said, "We wanted to write the first of a new generation of history books that would employ pictures and pedagogical devices."
Also, most of the photos are not the often-published ones, Thorne said. Featured instead are "unusual pictures" and, when possible, lesser known photographs of the fathers and mothers of psychology.
In another major departure from other works, the text gives much more attention to the contributions of minorities and women than previously was done.
"Connections" is the first collaboration between Thorne and Henley. Thorne, who holds a doctorate from Louisiana State University, joined the Mississippi State faculty in 1970. Henley, a faculty member since 1991, completed his doctoral studies at the University of Tennessee.