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Who were some of the leaders of functionalism in American psychology? Which one do you think had the largest impact on furthering functionalism in American psychology? Why? 

Prior to and during the Renaissance, a wide variety of treatment methods were employed to handle those people that were presumably suffering from mental illnesses. These individuals were often subjected to heinous practices. Societal views held that those who exhibited symptoms of mental illness were, in fact, possessed by demons or the devil. They were often held up as witches and sometimes thought to be contagious to others. Therefore, physicians did not treat these people. They were instead subjected to religious barbarities and other horrible treatments. Historians find evidence that people with mental illness during this time were treated on the basis of the theories of the four bodily humors, grief and poor diet. The four humors are called blood, black bile, yellow bile and phlegm. Greeks, as stated by the physician Hippocrates, thought that all illness, including mental disease, were of natural rather than divine origin. Hippocrates rejected the then popular concept that epilepsy was of divine origin. He felt that epilepsy was a brain disease. He actually categorized all mental illnesses into classes. These involved mania, phlebitis or brain fever and melancholia or depression. He recommended humane treatments for these sufferers. Such treatments included exercise, proper diet and rest and bathing. During the later European era an example of the horrific treatments inflicted upon these sufferers are evidenced at the Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem in London. This hospital first treated patients presenting with mental illness around1402. Torture was used there as a means of evicting the evil spirits.

What are the major movements that led to the growth of psychology as a discipline? In your opinion, which movement had the most impact on the growth of psychology? 

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