Feb 26 • 04:30 UTC 🇪🇸 Spain El País

The Psychology Museum Opens: 'With a drawer and a rat, transcendental phenomena of human behavior have been observed'

The new Psychology Museum at the Complutense University of Madrid showcases various historical objects related to psychological experiments and theories.

The newly opened Psychology Museum at Complutense University in Madrid features an eclectic collection of historical psychological instruments, including eerie 19th-century tools and fascinating optical illusions. Professor Javier Bandrés guides visitors through the exhibits, emphasizing the significance and context of each item. Among them is an ancient box that once held monkey cerebellum slices and an archaic device used to measure human skulls to infer personality traits, which reflect the bizarre and often unsettling history of psychological experimentation.

One notable aspect of the museum is its focus on famous psychological experiments, including one conducted in 1942 by American psychologist Leo Crespi at Princeton University. Bandrés highlights Crespi's experiment that utilized a simple box and a rat, demonstrating how fundamental questions about human and animal behavior can emerge from seemingly straightforward experiments. The museum aims to illuminate not just the evolution of psychological study but also the ethical implications that have arisen over time.

Overall, this exhibition showcases the rich and sometimes controversial history of psychology, inviting visitors to reflect on how far the field has come and the lessons it carries forward. As psychology continues to play a crucial role in understanding human behavior, the museum serves as a significant cultural and educational resource in Spain and beyond, engaging both students and the general public in the wonders of psychological inquiry.

📡 Similar Coverage