Pat Cabe wrote: "I think it is very easy to overlook the incredibly short history of psychology as a science. The 150 years of so that we acknowledge is so very brief compared to the depth of history behind essentially all the other "traditional" sciences." I've got to strenuously disagree with you on this, Pat. Biology hasn't been truly "experimental" for much more than 150 years. Until then it was largely descriptive. Folks have been describing behavior and personality for thousands of years.....at least as long as they've been describing biological phenomena. What we lack is not a history. What we lack is a comprehensive theory to draw it all together (such as the evolutionary psychologists are trying to develop) and the ability to relate behavioral processes to biological process (which the various subtypes of physiological psychologists are attempting to do). The physiological research has only started to mushroom with the advent of techniques (like PET scanners, microdialysis, etc.) so I would argue that the lack of tools, rather than the lack of years, is what has held us back. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Edward I. Pollak, Ph.D. Office (610)436-2945 Professor and Chairperson Home (610)363-1939 Department of Psychology FAX (610)436-2846 West Chester University [EMAIL PROTECTED] West Chester, PA 19383 www.wcupa.ed ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Husband, father, biopsychologist and bluegrass fiddler........... not necessarily in order of importance. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
