Psychology

This collection contains a wide range of materials that focus on mainstream psychology from its origins in the late 19th century to the present day.

What's in the Psychology Collection?

Centered around the scientific study of human mental processes and behaviour, the Psychology Collection includes professional journals, key reference works, publications that explore the major theories and principles of psychology, various histories of psychology, and materials which deal with the problems of everyday life.

What's special about this collection?

Towards the end of the 19th century, the Library began collecting published works in psychology from around the world. The purchase of publications by the founding fathers of modern psychology, including Wilhelm Wundt and Gustav Fechner, and subscriptions to periodicals such as Mind and the Journal of Mental Science has resulted in an outstanding collection of late 19th and early 20th century works.

Today, the increasing interest in psychology and its related disciplines, and the proliferation of publications in this area is reflected in the Library's collection. While the main focus is on humanistic, developmental and social psychology, the Library generally avoids collecting self-help books and highly technical monographs.

How can I access material in this collection?

A selection of items from the Psychology Collection is available for browsing and reading in the Redmond Barry Reading Room.