Definitions for Phrenology
frɪˈnɒl ə dʒi, frɛ-phrenol·o·gy

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. phrenologynoun

   a now abandoned study of the shape of skull as indicative of the strengths of different faculties

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. phrenologynoun

   The science, now generally discredited, which studies the relationships between a person's character and the morphology (structure) of the skull.

   Phrenology involves feeling the bumps in the skull to determine an individual's psychological attributes.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Phrenology

   Phrenology (from Ancient Greek φρήν (phrēn) 'mind', and λόγος (logos) 'knowledge') is a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits. It is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules. It was said that the brain was composed of different muscles, so those that were used more often were bigger, resulting in the different skull shapes. This led to the reasoning behind why everyone had bumps on the skull in different locations. The brain "muscles" not being used as frequently remained small and were therefore not present on the exterior of the skull. Although both of those ideas have a basis in reality, phrenology generalized beyond empirical knowledge in a way that departed from science. The central phrenological notion that measuring the contour of the skull can predict personality traits is discredited by empirical research. Developed by German physician Franz Joseph Gall in 1796, the discipline was influential in the 19th century, especially from about 1810 until 1840. The principal British centre for phrenology was Edinburgh, where the Edinburgh Phrenological Society was established in 1820. Phrenology is today recognized as pseudoscience. The methodological rigor of phrenology was doubtful even for the standards of its time, since many authors already regarded phrenology as pseudoscience in the 19th century. There have been various studies conducted that discredited phrenology, most of which were done with ablation techniques. Marie-Jean-Pierre Flourens demonstrated through ablation that the cerebrum and cerebellum accomplish different functions. He found that the impacted areas never carried out the functions that were proposed through the pseudoscience, phrenology. However, Paul Broca was the one who demolished the idea that phrenology was a science when he discovered and named the "Broca's area". The patient's ability to produce language was lost while their ability to understand language remained intact. Through an autopsy examining their brains, he found that there was damage to the left frontal lobe. He concluded that this area of the brain was responsible for language production. Between Flourens and Broca, the claims to support phrenology were dismantled. Phrenological thinking was influential in the psychiatry and psychology of the 19th century. Gall's assumption that character, thoughts, and emotions are located in specific areas of the brain is considered an important historical advance toward neuropsychology. He contributed to the idea that the brain is spatially organized, but not in the way he proposed. There is a clear division of labor in the brain but none of which even remotely correlates to the size of the head or the structure of the skull. While it contributed to some advancements in understanding the brain and its functions, skepticism of phrenology developed over time. Phrenology was argued to be a science, when in fact it is a pseudoscience. While phrenology itself has long been discredited, the study of the inner surface of the skulls of archaic human species allows modern researchers to obtain information about the development of various areas of the brains of those species, and thereby infer something about their cognitive and communicative abilities, and possibly even something about their social life. Due to its limitations, this technique is sometimes criticized as "paleo-phrenology".

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. phrenology

   Phrenology is a pseudoscientific theory that suggests the physical shape and size of various parts of the brain, as indicated by the contours of a person's skull, can determine character traits, intellectual capabilities, and personality. This theory, which was developed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, has since been debunked by modern neuroscience.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Phrenologynoun

   the science of the special functions of the several parts of the brain, or of the supposed connection between the various faculties of the mind and particular organs in the brain

2. Phrenologynoun

   in popular usage, the physiological hypothesis of Gall, that the mental faculties, and traits of character, are shown on the surface of the head or skull; craniology

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Phrenology

   Phrenology is a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules. The distinguishing feature of phrenology is the idea that the sizes of brain areas were meaningful and could be inferred by examining the skull of an individual. Following the materialist notions of mental functions originating in the brain, phrenologists believed that human conduct could best be understood in neurological rather than philosophical or religious terms. Developed by German physician Franz Joseph Gall in 1796, the discipline was very popular in the 19th century, especially from about 1810 until 1840. The principal British centre for phrenology was Edinburgh, where the Edinburgh Phrenological Society was established in 1820. In 1843, François Magendie referred to phrenology as "a pseudo-science of the present day." Phrenological thinking was, however, influential in 19th-century psychiatry and modern neuroscience. Gall's assumption that character, thoughts, and emotions are located in localized parts of the brain is considered an important historical advance toward neuropsychology.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. Phrenology

   frē-nol′ō-ji, n. the theory that the various faculties and powers of the mind are connected with certain parts of the brain, and can be known by an examination of the outer surface of the skull: the science by which character can be read by examining the skull.—adjs. Phrenolog′ic, -al.—adv. Phrenolog′ically.—n. Phrenol′ogist, one who believes or is versed in phrenology. [Gr. phrēn, phrenos, mind, logos, science.]

The Nuttall EncyclopediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Phrenology

   claims to be a science in which the relation of the functions of mind to the material of the brain substance is observed. It asserts that just as speech, taste, touch, &c., have their centres in certain convolutions of the brain, so have benevolence, firmness, conscientiousness, &c., and that by studying the configuration of the brain, as indicated by that of the skull, a man's character may be approximately discovered. As a science it is usually discredited, and held to be unsupported by physiology, anatomy, and pathology. It is held as strongly militating against its claims that it takes no account of the convolutions of the brain that lie on the base of the skull. Its originators were Gall, Spurzheim, and Andrew and George Combe.

U.S. National Library of MedicineRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Phrenology

   The study of the conformation of the skull as indicative of mental faculties and traits of character, especially according to the hypothesis of F. J. Gall (1758-1828). (Webster 3d ed)

Matched Categories

1. • Craniology

Anagrams for Phrenology »

1. nephrology

How to pronounce Phrenology?

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Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of Phrenology in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of Phrenology in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=Phrenology
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Phrenology
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Phrenology
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=Phrenology
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=Phrenology
8. ^ The Nuttall Encyclopedia
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12342/pg12342-images.html#Phrenology