Glossary / Lexicon

Carl George Lange (1834 - 1900) was a Danish physician and psychologist who made significant contributions to the field of psychology, particularly in the area of emotion and its physiological underpinnings. He proposed the theory, along with James that a person's emotional experience follows his/her behavior.

Here are some examples of Lange's contributions to psychology:

1. The James-Lange theory of emotion: Lange is best known for his collaboration with American psychologist William James on the James-Lange theory of emotion. This theory suggests that emotions are a result of physiological changes in the body, rather than being purely cognitive or psychological in nature.

2. The autonomic nervous system: Lange's research on emotion led him to study the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. He recognized that emotions are associated with changes in autonomic function, and that these changes can have significant effects on physical and mental health.

3. Psychophysical parallelism: Lange also contributed to the development of the concept of psychophysical parallelism, which suggests that mental and physical events occur in parallel but do not interact with each other directly.

4. Experimental psychology: Lange was one of the early pioneers of experimental psychology, and he conducted a number of studies on perception and attention. He also developed new techniques for measuring physiological responses to stimuli, which helped to lay the groundwork for modern psychophysiology.

5. Mental illness: Lange was interested in the causes and treatment of mental illness, and he argued that many mental disorders are a result of disturbances in bodily functions. He advocated for a holistic approach to mental health, which takes into account both physical and psychological factors.

Overall, Carl George Lange's contributions to psychology helped to advance our understanding of the relationship between the body and the mind, particularly in the area of emotion and its physiological underpinnings. His work has had a lasting impact on the field of psychology and continues to influence research and theory development today.