Development: The History of a Psychological Concept - Softcover

Goodey, Christopher

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1108970508 ISBN 13: 9781108970501

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2023

Synopsis

This book details the history of the idea of psychological development over the past two millennia. The developmental idea played a major part in the shift from religious ways of explaining human nature to secular, modern ones. In this shift, the 'elect' (chosen by God) became the 'normal' and grace was replaced by cognitive ability as the essentially human quality. A theory of psychological development was derived from theories of bodily development, leading scholars describe human beings as passing through necessary 'stages of development' over the lifespan. By exploring the historical and religious roots of modern psychological concepts and theories, this book demonstrates that history is a method for standing outside psychology and thereby evaluating its fundamental premises. It will spark new interest in the history, sociology and philosophy of the mind sciences, as well as in the rights of children and developmentally disabled people.

About this title

About the Author

Christopher Goodey is a former lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Social Science at the Open University and the author of A History of Intelligence and 'Intellectual Disability': The Shaping of Psychology in Early Modern Europe (2011).

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1108970508
• ISBN 13: 9781108970501
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 218