Phrenology
History
Phrenology is a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits. It is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules.[1] Although both of those ideas have a basis in reality, phrenology extrapolated beyond empirical knowledge in a way that departed from science. Developed by German physician Franz Joseph Gall in 1796, the discipline was very popular in the 19th century, especially from about 1810 until 1840. The principal British centre for phrenology was Edinburgh, where the Edinburgh Phrenological Society was established in 1820.
Principles
Phrenology is a process that involves observing and/or feeling the skull to determine an individual's psychological attributes. Franz Joseph Gall believed that the brain was made up of 27 individual organs that determined personality, the first 19 of these 'organs' he believed to exist in other animal species.[1] Phrenologists would run their fingertips and palms over the skulls of their patients to feel for enlargements or indentations. The phrenologist would often take measurements with a tape measure of the overall head size and more rarely employ a craniometer, a special version of a caliper. In general, instruments to measure sizes of cranium continued to be used after the mainstream phrenology had ended. The phrenologists put emphasis on using drawings of individuals with particular traits, to determine the character of the person and thus many phrenology books show pictures of subjects.
Reception and impact
During the first half of the 19th century, phrenology was the object of intense interest and was widely accepted, especially in the English-speaking world. It was frequently applied in the fields of education, law, and mental health. It also played a significant role in the anti-slavery movement and the push for women's rights.[2] However, during the second half of the century, its status rapidly declined and it was increasingly associated with quackery. The main reason for this was that the promoters of phrenology often over-promised on its predictive abilities and were unable to deliver on these promises. Despite this, phrenology was influential in 19th-century psychiatry and modern neuroscience.
Criticism and legacy
Phrenology was one of the first attempts to bring a scientific approach to human behaviour, and despite its lack of accuracy, it can be seen as a precursor to modern neuroscience. However, it has been universally dismissed by modern scientists. The main criticism of phrenology is that it was based on the erroneous assumption that character, thoughts, and emotions are localized in specific parts of the brain.[3] Despite its historical significance, phrenology is now mostly regarded as a discredited pseudoscience.
See Also
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Van Wyhe, John (2004). Phrenology and the Origins of Victorian Scientific Naturalism. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7546-3528-3.
- ↑ Davies, John D. (1955). Phrenology, Fad and Science: A 19th-Century American Crusade. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-00022-1.
- ↑ Finger, Stanley (1994). Origins of Neuroscience: A History of Explorations into Brain Function. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-514694-3.