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Brain Created Skull Explain Phrenology System Derive Personality

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A system to derive personality created by Franz Joseph Gall in Vienna, by inferring qualities from the shape of a person’s skill.  Personality & intelligence had 27 functions, each localized to one area of the brain – development created protrusions on the skull.  Under Spurzheim, it became less scientific and more cult-like.  Was well respected in academic communities.

Failed due to circular logic (not testable), inability to explain human behavior, exploited people, could not explain contradictions, physiology showed that contours of brain do not match skull.

Positive aspects: emphasized the brain as the organ of the mind & localization of fx in the brain, support idea of measurable individual differences.

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