Who Is The Father Of Modern Psychology, And Why Does It Matter?

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By Julia Thomas

You might have heard or assumed that Sigmund Freud is the Father of Modern Psychology. Freud was certainly one of the driving forces in the field. Others can be reasonably considered, too. If you ask someone in the field, they might choose Wilhelm Wundt for that title. There are also other psychologists who are associated with the beginnings of modern psychology. So, who is it, and what's the point of referring to someone in this way?

Sigmund Freud: The Father of Modern Psychology?

Sigmund Freud is a very well-known name. Freud developed theories about the mind and its functioning and founded psychoanalytical treatment for psychological problems based on those theories. He devoted his life to learning, helping patients, and developing theories to further the understanding of the human psyche. He is rightly considered the father of psychoanalysis.

While Freud took copious notes on his sessions with clients, his observations were mostly his interpretations of one person's problems at a time. His theories were largely extrapolations of very limited data. Freud's theory of the mind and problems his patients experienced were based largely on the idea of unconscious motivations or thoughts and motivations outside the awareness of the person.

Many psychologists and others in the field continue to research and learn Freud's theories. While Freud worked, he had no means of studying and quantifying the mind or his theories by the scientific method. Since modern psychology is a scientific field, it might be best to look for another person to fill the role of father of modern psychology.

Wilhelm Wundt - The Father of Modern Psychology as a Science

Wilhelm Wundt rightfully holds the title as the father of modern psychology as a scientific pursuit. Wundt approached the study of the mind from a scientific perspective from the beginning of his work in the field.

Distinguished Psychology as a Unique Science

Before Wilhelm Wundt, there was no science known as psychology. People who studied the mind did so by learning about biology and philosophy. Wundt also started with these two subject areas, but he melded them together to create a distinct science that was more complete than the sum of its parts.

Wundt called the science psychology and was the first person label himself a psychologist.