PHRENOLOGY Meaning and
Definition
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Phrenology is a pseudoscience that involves the study and interpretation of the bumps and contours on the surface of the skull to determine a person's personality traits, mental faculties, and character. Based on the belief that the brain is divided into separate organs, each responsible for a particular function, phrenology proposes that the shape and size of different regions of the brain can be assessed through the examination of the skull's surface.
According to phrenology, these variations in the shape and size of the skull are indicative of the strength or weakness of the corresponding mental attribute or personality trait. Practitioners of phrenology would feel and measure the skull, noting the areas that were elevated or depressed, to make predictions about an individual's disposition, talents, and behaviors.
Although phrenology gained some popularity in the 19th century, it has since been largely discredited and dismissed by the scientific community. It is widely considered to be pseudoscience due to its lack of empirical evidence and the flaw in its basic premise that the brain's functions are localized to specific regions.
Despite its scientific invalidity, phrenology had a significant cultural impact and influenced various fields, including psychiatry, anthropology, and even the justice system. Today, however, it is regarded as an antiquated and discredited approach to understanding the complexities of the human mind and behavior.
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The doctrine that each of the mental faculties is located in a definite part of the cerebral cortex, the size of which part varies in a direct ratio with the development of the corresponding faculty, this size being indicated by the external configuration of the skull. On this theory it would be possible to determine one's mental characteristics by an examination of the prominences on the skull.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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That science which teaches that the nature and character of the faculties of the human mind may be ascertained from the development of the different parts of the brains, as exhibited in the external form of the upper part of the skull.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for PHRENOLOGY
Etymology of PHRENOLOGY
The word "phrenology" derives from the Greek roots "phrēn" (meaning "mind, diaphragm, soul") and "logos" (meaning "knowledge, study"). It was coined by German physician Franz Joseph Gall in the late 18th century to describe his theory and practice of studying the shape and size of the cranium as an indicator of psychological traits and abilities.
Similar spelling words for PHRENOLOGY
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