Phrenology, a theory linking skull shape to personality traits, was a pseudoscience developed in the 19th century. It was the first theory to recognize the importance of the brain and its different functions, but was met with skepticism. Today, it is recognized as a precursor to modern brain theories.
Phrenology is a theory, popularized in the early 19th century, that links the shape and size of the skull to personality traits. Phrenology was met with skepticism from its inception and is now considered a pseudoscience, developed through an improper application of the scientific method. However, modern scientists recognize phrenology as a precursor to more widely accepted theories about the brain.
Phrenology was the first major theory to recognize the importance of the brain and to postulate that different areas of the brain regulate different functions. Similar ideas were already discussed in classical times, for example in the writings of Aristotle, but Franz Joseph Gall, the founder of phrenology, was the first to use head measurements to predict personality traits. Gall, who called his theory craniology, divided the brain into 27 different areas, each with a specific function, such as affection, pride, religious sentiment, poetic ability and the tendency to murder. In the first half of the 19th century, phrenology’s heyday, the theory was used to predict children’s futures and to screen job candidates, just as personality tests are sometimes used today.
To conduct a phrenological analysis, the scientist measured the patient’s head with a caliper, then felt the surface for raised and depressed areas. Raised areas were thought to indicate that the part of the brain located below that point was well developed, while depressed areas indicated the opposite. Unfortunately, phrenology has sometimes been used to promote racism, particularly by the Nazis.
Although phrenology has been superseded by neuroscience, psychology, and other modern scientific work on the brain, it is still well known and frequently referenced in popular culture, usually in a joking context. Many people are familiar with what a phrenological chart looks like, which typically shows a head in profile with outlined areas denoting some aspect of the personality. The commonly heard phrase, “You should have your head examined,” is actually a reference to phrenology, not psychology, as is often assumed.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
