The psychology of science and the origins of the scientific mind
Gregory J. Feist (Author)
In this book, Gregory Feist reviews and consolidates the scattered literatures on the psychology of science, then calls for the establishment of the field as a unique discipline. He offers the most comprehensive perspective yet on how science came to be possible in our species and on the important role of psychological forces in an individual's development of scientific interest, talent and creativity. Without a psychological perspective, Feist argues, we cannot fully understand the development of scientific thinking or scientific genius. The author explores the major subdisciplines within psychology as well as allied areas, including biological neuroscience and developmental, cognitive, personality and social psychology, to show how each sheds light on how scientific thinking, interest and talent arise. He assesses which elements of scientific thinking have their origin in evolved mental mechanisms and considers how humans may have developed the highly sophisticated scientific fields we know today. In his fascinating and authoritative book, Feist deals thoughtfully with the mysteries of the human mind and convincingly argues that the creation of the psychology of science as a distinct discipline is essential to deeper understanding of human thought processes
1 online resource (xix, 316 pages) : illustrations
9780300133486, 9786611722647, 0300133480, 6611722645
123221724
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part One. Psychology of Science
1 Psychology of Science and the Studies of Science
2 Biological Psychology of Science
3 Developmental Psychology of Science
4 Cognitive Psychology of Science
5 Personality Psychology of Science
6 Social Psychology of Science
7 The Applications and Future of Psychology of Science
Part Two. Origins and Future of the Scientific Mind
8 Evolution of the Human Mind
9 Origins of the Scientific Thinking
10 Science, Pseudoscience, and Antiscience
Notes
English