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Psychology as a Historical Science
Michael Muthukrishna1, Joseph Henrich2, Edward Slingerland3
1Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom;
Annual Review of Psychology
|October 13, 2020
Summary
Understanding cross-cultural psychological variation requires examining historical data. Incorporating historical psychology deepens our comprehension of human cognition and behavior across time.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Historical Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Psychology traditionally focused on universal cognition, neglecting cross-cultural variations.
- Recent efforts to address cross-cultural differences highlight the need for deeper historical context.
Purpose of the Study:
- To argue for the integration of historical analysis into psychological research.
- To demonstrate how cross-temporal variation explains cross-cultural psychological differences.
- To establish historical psychology as a vital component of a universal science.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing historical texts and artifacts as sources of psychological data.
- Analyzing historical data to understand past human cognition.
- Reviewing existing research in historical psychology.
Main Results:
- Historical data offer an untapped and diverse subject pool for psychological study.
- Past human cognition, accessed through historical sources, illuminates current psychological variations.
- Historical depth provides crucial context for understanding psychological phenomena.
Conclusions:
- Psychology must embrace historical methods to become a truly universal science.
- Understanding cross-temporal variation is key to explaining cross-cultural psychological differences.
- Historical psychology offers a pathway to a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of human behavior.
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