Discuss how scientists in the 19th and early 20th pursued the neuroscience approach to normal and disordered mental function. Make explicit reference to at least two of the following individuals: Broca, Wundt, and Jung. How might these scientists’ work be seen as limited in comparison to contemporary neuroscientific research?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: Scientists in the 19th and early 20th century attempted to make inferences about the brain activity underlying thought by studying animals and people who had suffered brain damage. Broca studied the brains of his patients who had died. In addition, psychologists such as Jung and Wundt sought a window into cognition in the form of simple behaviors like word associations and reaction time. Finally, Jung tried to relate thought to the body’s physiological responses by measuring the electrical conductivity of the skin. These techniques are limited because they are indirect; they do not image brain activity directly, as current techniques do.
Learning Objective: 2.1 Explain why neuroscience, genetics, and an evolutionary perspective are increasingly important in understanding psychopathology.
Cognitive Domain: Analysis
Answer Location: The Growing Importance of Neuroscience, Genetics, and an Evolutionary Perspective
Difficulty Level: Hard