The Handbook of Forensic Psychology
Chapter One
History of Forensic Psychology
CURT R. BARTOL and ANNE M. BARTOL
In his presidential address to the American Psychological Association (APA)
in 1898, Hugo Münsterberg remarked "Peoples [sic] never learn from history"
(Münsterberg, 1899/1994, p. 234). In similar fashion, in the introductory paragraph
to this chapter in the first edition of this Handbook, we asserted that psychologists
do not care about the history of their profession. Instead, we said,
they are drawn to contemporary issues and theories, even fads. In the second
edition, we acknowledged that our initial statement had been somewhat rash.
Indeed, we reassert now that psychologists do indeed care, as is apparent from
numerous articles published in professional journals reviewing historical
trends, as well as the continuing publication of a journal exclusively devoted to
the history of psychology. Nevertheless, many psychologists today doubtlessly
would still share the sentiments of Stanley Brodsky, who candidly began an article
with the comment, "I am a dreadful historian" (1996, p. 5). Brodsky proceeded
to demonstrate, however, through his insights into earlier events, that
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