University of Michigan. Department of Psychology

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Psychology as a separate course of study was not recognized in the United States until the last quarter of the nineteenth century. At the University of Michigan, the Department of Psychology was officially formed in 1929, but instruction in psychology or "Mental Philosophy" as it was called, was available from the Department of Philosophy from 1852. Many prominent figures in early American psychology taught at the University of Michigan. President Tappan, who was professor of mental philosophy as well as president of the university, taught courses in mental philosophy from 1852 to 1863. Other important figures included John Dewey who established the first psychological laboratory, George Herbert Mead and James H. Tufts, who each briefly held positions at the school in the 1890s. Walter Pillsbury, the first professor to be appointed to the newly separated Department of Psychology, revived laboratory psychology in 1898 and headed the department from 1929 to 1942. He built its reputation as an excellent teaching department with a research emphasis on experimental psychology.

The department boomed after the Second World War as it began to take on its modern attributes: a large staff, many professors engaged in interdisciplinary research, a large number of graduate students, and a nationally ranked program. Much of the credit for this growth and diversification is laid to the work of Donald G. Marquis, department chairman from 1945 to 1957.

In the early 1960s the department introduced subdisciplines to facilitate communication between faculty and students in the huge department. These subdisciplines also allowed students to specialize within a field of study that was growing more and more diverse. The subdisciplines as they stand today include experimental, clinical, community, physiological, mathematical, personality, social, psychobiology (neuroscience), developmental, industrial, and general psychology.

In recent years the growth has slowed, but the national reputation and solid work done in clinical, social, and mathematical psychology endure. The Department of Psychology at this time is one of the largest departments of the university and boasts some of the highest class enrollments at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

From the guide to the Dept. of Psychology (University of Michigan) records, 1926-1989, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Olmsted, Martha. Martha Olmsted papers, ca. 1972-1976. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn University of Michigan. Dept. of Sociology. Dept. of Sociology (University of Michigan) records, 1929-1987. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Riegel, Klaus F., 1925-1977. Klaus F. Riegel papers, 1955-1977. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Kelly, E. Lowell (Everett Lowell), 1905-1986. Everett L. Kelly papers, 1926-1986. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Everett L. Kelly Papers, 1926-1986 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Martin Mayman papers, 1945-1997 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Donald R. Brown Papers, 1949-1996 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Raphelson, Alfred C. Alfred C. Raphelson papers, [ca. 1890]-1967 (scattered dates). Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Klaus F. Riegel Papers, 1955-1977 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Mayman, Martin. Martin Mayman papers, ca. 1947-ca. 1996. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Daniel Katz papers, 1925-1997 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Shepard family. Shepard family papers, 1807-1934. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Dept. of Sociology (University of Michigan) records, 1929-1987 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Theodore Mead Newcomb Papers, 1906-1984, 1936-1983 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Young, Leigh Jarvis, 1883-1960. Leigh Jarvis Young papers, 1908-1960. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Katz, Daniel, 1903-1998. Daniel Katz papers, 1947-1973. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Olson, Willard C. (Willard Clifford), 1899-1978. Willard C. Olson papers, 1924-1973. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Clyde H. Coombs Papers, 1932-1988, 1964-1987 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Martha Louise Kinsey Olmsted papers, 1972-1976 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Richard D. Mann papers, 1965-1984 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Coombs, Clyde Hamilton, 1912-1989. Clyde Hamilton Coombs papers, 1932-1988, (bulk 1964-1987). Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Dept. of Psychology (University of Michigan) records, 1926-1989 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Shepard family papers, 1807-1934 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Newcomb, Theodore Mead, 1903-1984. Theodore M. Newcomb papers, 1906-1984. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Pillsbury, W. B. (Walter Bowers), 1872-1960. Walter Bowers Pillsbury papers, 1858-1960 (bulk 1890-1942). Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Mann, Richard D. (Richard Dewey), 1933-. Richard D. Mann papers, 1965-1984. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Olson, Willard Clifford, 1899-. Willard C. Olson papers, 1920-1973. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Pillsbury, W. B. (Walter Bowers), 1872-1960. Walter Bowers Pillsbury papers, 1893-1960. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn W. B. Pillsbury papers, 1858-1960, 1890-1942 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Brown, Donald R., 1925-. Donald R. Brown papers, 1949-1996. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Wilbert J. McKeachie papers, 1941-1991, 1960-1991 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Katz, Daniel, 1903-1998. Daniel Katz papers, 1925-1997. Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf University of Michigan. Dept. of Psychology. Dept. of Psychology (University of Michigan) records, 1926-1989. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Katz, Daniel, 1903-1998. Daniel Katz papers, 1925-1997. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Willard Clifford Olson papers, 1920-1973 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn McKeachie, Wilbert James, 1921-. Wilbert J. McKeachie papers, 1941-1991 (bulk 1960-1991). Bentley Historical Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Brown, Donald R., 1925- person
associatedWith Coombs, Clyde Hamilton, 1912- person
associatedWith Coombs, Clyde Hamilton, 1912-1989. person
associatedWith Katz, Daniel, 1903- person
associatedWith Katz, Daniel, 1903-1998. person
associatedWith Katz, Daniel, 1903-1998. person
associatedWith Katz, Daniel, 1903-1998. person
associatedWith Kelly, E. Lowell (Everett Lowell), 1905-1986. person
associatedWith Kelly, Everett Lowell, 1905- person
associatedWith Mann, Richard D. (Richard Dewey), 1933- person
associatedWith Mann, Richard D. (Richard Dewey), 1933- person
associatedWith Mayman, Martin. person
associatedWith Mayman, Martin. person
associatedWith McKeachie, Wilbert James, 1921- person
associatedWith McKeachie, Wilbert James, 1921- person
associatedWith Newcomb, Theodore Mead, 1903-1984 person
associatedWith Newcomb, Theodore Mead, 1903-1984. person
associatedWith Olmsted, Martha. person
associatedWith Olmsted, Martha Louise Kinsey person
associatedWith Olson, Willard Clifford, 1899- person
associatedWith Olson, Willard Clifford, 1899- person
associatedWith Olson, Willard C. (Willard Clifford), 1899-1978. person
associatedWith Pillsbury, W. B. 1872-1960. person
associatedWith Pillsbury, W. B. (Walter Bowers), 1872-1960 person
associatedWith Pillsbury, W. B. (Walter Bowers), 1872-1960. person
associatedWith Pillsbury, W. B. (Walter Bowers), 1872-1960. person
associatedWith Psychology Laboratory (University of Michigan) corporateBody
associatedWith Raphelson, Alfred C. person
associatedWith Riegel, Klaus F. person
associatedWith Riegel, Klaus F., 1925-1977. person
associatedWith Shepard family. family
associatedWith Shepard family. family
associatedWith University of Michigan. Dept. of Sociology corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Dept. of Sociology. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan. Homoeopathic Hospital. corporateBody
associatedWith Young, Leigh Jarvis, 1883-1960. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Graduate students
Psychology
Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1926

Active 1989

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