Modern Clinical Neuropsychology in Historical Perspective

The emergence of clinical neuropsychology as a specialized area of knowledge and application has resulted from a convergence of interests and activities in a number of developmental domains. These include basic experimental research in physiological, comparative, and cognitive psychology; the development of quantitative and qualitative neuropsychological principles and procedures for clinical application; and the syndromal analysis of the behavioral consequences of central nervous system lesions. Seen in broad historical perspective, these developmental directions appear to account for the increased socialization of this specialty in education, program accreditation, and individual competency credentialing. This process is seen as a natural and productive professionalization of the specialty, based on the considerable expansion of interdisciplinary as well as disciplinary knowledge and practices during the past half century.