preview

How Did William James Contribute To Psychology

Decent Essays

William James was born in New York, New York on January 11, 1842. His parents were
Mary and Henry James Sr. His father was a well-known and wealthy Swedenborgian theologian.
His childhood led to an interest in art but was overcome by an intrigue in science soon after his teen years. James had great interest and enthusiasm in the field of psychology which was then becoming a new focus in the science world. William James received a trans-Atlantic education therefore he developed fluent speech in both German and French. He was accepted to Lawrence
Scientific School where he gained knowledge on subjects including chemistry and physiology.
Soon he went on to Harvard Medical School. In 1865, a year later, he takes a break and joins the …show more content…

According to James, “happiness is created by being active participants in the game of life.” He also believes that happiness is created, not destroyed. His belief after drawing from education and personal experience is happiness as a choice regardless of any biological or social obstacles.
The theory of Attention and Consciousness is the study of Functionalism, which he founded.
Functionalism focused on the event as a whole while considering the impact of environment on behavior. Said theory was another innovative idea of William James. William James was the first to teach a Psychology course in the United States, he is often remembered as the “Father of
Psychology.” William James suffered cardiac trauma and unfortunately treatment was not successful. In 1907, James retired from Harvard University after a productive career. He passed away in August 1910 from heart failure. James was laid to rest after sixty-eight years of life in Cambridge Cemetery Massachusetts on the family plot. The legacy of William James would be the field of experimentation. Psychologists past, present and future will forever learn from James’ life, milestones, works and key

Get Access