Essay Database

History of Psychology The Age of Rationalism Plato's (c. 428-347 B.C.) emphasis on individual differences is evidenced in his belief that humans differ in the powers they possess. Some are notable for intellectual abilities, others for their courage, and others for their motivation. Plato, who devoted his life to the study of ideas, argued that reason is the highest of human powers and that individuals so possessed should be the leaders of society. On …

…at specific regions of the brain have specific functions. Paul Broca (1824-1880) used the clinical autopsy method to examine the brains of individuals who had lost the ability to speak. Broca found localized damage, lesions, in the third convolution of the frontal lobes, an area believed to be responsible for production of speech. Later, researchers demonstrated that certain motor and perceptual functions could be produced from mild electrical stimulation to particular areas of animal brains.