Problem of the psychology of nations as science from the second half of 19-th century to the beginning of 20-th century

The history of research into the psychology of nations/ethnopsychology may be divided into two great periods: the empiric period, a period for collection of facts, which started at the dawn of civilization and lasted until the middle of the 19-th century, and the systematic period, a period of scientific theoretical research commenced since the 6-th decade of the 19-th century. In the middle of the 19-th century much knowledge was already accumulated in the field of individual psychology, ethnology, linguistics. Noteworthy are the historical-philosophical studies of Herder, Fichte, Hegel. Namely the above mentioned sciences mostly influenced formation of the psychology of nations as science. The shifting point in formation of the psychology of nations as science was the newspaper "Zeitschrift für Völkerpsychologie und Sprachwissenschaft", firstly published in 1859 by H. Steinthal, the German linguist, andM. Lazarus, the German philosopher. In the first issue they set out the subject, objectives, tasks and methods of this science. In addition to these authors, the paper deals with the studies in the psychology of nations by W. Wundt, G. Le Bon, G. Tarde, A. Fouillėe,С Bouglee, Z. Balicki,L Krzywicki,О. Bauer. It could be maintained that from the second half of the 19-th century to the beginning of the 20-th century the fundamentals for the psychology of nations/etnopsychology as a branch of science were laid: the subject and methods of its research were identified, its relation with other sciences was being made clear. The conditions and factors for formation of the psychology of nations were investigated, the main structural elements singled out, the functions shown. The authors of the psychology of nations as science began to perceive better not only the essence and sense of peoples and nations which entered the historic arena as collective subjects of historical and social life, but also the specific character of their culture. They developed and deepened the understanding about the spiritual of the peoples