Final answer:
Prior to 1920, psychology was defined as the science of consciousness, highlighting its early focus on the study of the mind. The definition of psychology evolved over time through paradigm shifts such as behaviorism and the cognitive revolution, reflecting the dynamic nature of the field.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you were taking psychology prior to 1920, psychology was defined as "the science of consciousness." This definition reflects psychology's initial focus on the study of the mind, and by "mind," most early psychologists referred to something akin to the Cartesian concept of the soul. Over time, the definition of psychology has evolved.
Before psychology was recognized as an academic discipline, inquiries into matters of the mind were conducted by those in philosophical settings. As the science of psychology developed, it went through several paradigm shifts. Pioneers like Wilhelm Wundt founded psychology as a distinct science from philosophy, centering it around the study of mental processes.
An early science incorrectly attempting to link personality traits with skull features is known as phrenology. This pseudoscience forms part of psychology's eclectic history even though it is not considered a scientific method today. When behaviorism was prominent in psychological research, the focus was on observable behavior as opposed to internal mental states. However, the cognitive revolution, which began in the 1950s, shifted the attention back to the study of the mind and introduced cognitive psychology as a branch focusing on the study of human thinking.