I have heard that in the 1800's pyschologist and psychiatrists were reffered to by a different heading. What was that? thanks!!!

-- Heather Hounchell (hhounhell524@aol.com), July 14, 2004

Answers

The way you've framed the question is a little anachronistic. It is not so much that psychologists and psychiatrists were called by different names, as it is that there were no such things as psychologists and psychiatrists but people who did some things we, *today*, consider to be akin to psychological and psychiatric activites had different professions.

Early examples of what we now regard as experimental psychology (mainly psychophysics and some neuropsychology) were carried out by physicists, physiologists, and medical researchers (such as Johannes Müller, Weber, Fechner, and Helmholtz). "Psychology" was regarded as a branch of metaphysics (in turn, a branch of philosophy). It was generally (though not universally) accepted that psychology could not become an experimental science (following the relevant passages in the opening of Kant's _Metaphysical Foundation of Natural Science_), though their could be an "empirical" psychology (see Kant's _Anthopology_). There were some notable exceptions. Herbart attempted to outline a mathematical psychology. Helmholtz and and the group of mechanists around him too -- though their emphasis was on physiology and the question of "life" more than on psychology and the question of "mind". By the 1870s, the question of the possibility of experimental psychology had come to a head with the publication of Wundt's early researches and textbook, and the opening of his laboratory. William James also openned a "demonstration" lab for experimental psychology in the 1870s. There continued to be doubters, however, well into the 20th century. (See e.g., Abbott, Albert H. (1900). Experimental psychology and the laboratory in Toronto. University of Toronto Monthly, 1, 85-98, 106-112 at http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Abbott/), a defense of the viability of experimental psychology against its 19th-century opponents, followed by description of the expanded Toronto laboratory, first established by J.M. Baldwin in 1891.)

A range of professionals from physicians to priests attempted to address "madness" (including, though not limited to, what we would now call "mental illness"). There was a particular group of physicians called "alineists" who specialized in this area. I do not know much about them. There is a recent novel that might interest you by Caleb Carr called _The Alientist_ about such individuals in New York around the turn of the 20th century, though I do not know how historically accurate it is.

-- Christopher Green (christo@yorku.ca), July 14, 2004.

Hello Heather.

The descriptive (occupational) terms you may be looking for are “Mental Physiology” (e.g., William Carpenter) and “Moral Philosophy” (e.g., Henry Sidgwich ). Wundt (in Germany) and James (in America) were the ones who broke the standard occupational molds in this respect becoming known officially as “professors of psychology.” Incidentally, in England, it was G.H. Lewes who broke the mold (intellectually) without ever receiving any official academic position.

The following texts are helpful in describing this transition:

Fancher, R. (1979). Pioneers of Psychology. [1990, 1996]. New York: Norton.

Watson, R.I. & Evans, R.B. (1991). The Great Psychologists: A history of psychological thought. (5th ed.). [Expanded and improved in most respects]. New York: Harper Collins.

Benjamin, L. (1991). Harry Kirke Wolfe: Pioneer in psychology. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.

Ashton, R. (1991). G.H. Lewes: A life. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Cheers,

Paul F. Ballantyne

-- Paul F. Ballantyne (pballan@comnet.ca), July 14, 2004.

What became the American Journal of Psychiatry was at one time THE ALIENIST. Caleb Carr's The Alienist is a very accurate historical detective novel featuring the NYC police force under Theodore Roosevelt after he had just reformed it. The "alienist" in the book follows William James's Principles of Psychology as opposed to psychiatric theories. Carr wrote a second novel featuring essentially the same cast of characters. You might also find Henri Ellenberger's A History of the Unconscious to be helpful, and Gregory Zilboorg's History of Medical Psychology--for good histories of the psychiatry and clinical psychology background.

-- Hendrika Vande Kemp (hendrika@cox.net), July 14, 2004.