1- origins of psychology

Question 1

who was Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 1

• ‘father of psychology’
• approach made psychology get accepted as a distinct science
• made experimental psychology preferred method to study behaviour
• originally studied aspects which could be strictly controlled (e.g. reaction time)
• aim: study structure of human mind (thought best way was to analyse experiences in terms of component parts = structuralism)
• eventually realised higher mental processes could not be studied in a strict, controlled manner = Volklerpsychologie

Question 2

what is introspection

Answer 2

• process by which person gains knowledge of their own mental processes/ emotional states
• Wundt thought with enough training, mental processes could be objectively and systematically reported
• information could be used to gain insight into processes involved in perception

Question 3

negative evaluation of introspection (3)

Answer 3

• processes are considered to be non-observable even if they can be reported
• lack of reliability as results can’t easily be replicated
• we have little knowledge of causes/processes underlying our behaviour so it is ineffective

Question 4

describe the emergence of psychology as a science

Answer 4

• holds to empiricism (knowledge comes from observation and experience alone)
• scientific approach is based on determinism (behaviour is caused) and predictability (if behaviour is determined it can be used to predict behaviour in other situs)

Question 5

describe the scientific method

Answer 5

• investigative methods are objective, systematic and replicable
• measurement and recording empirical data are carried out accurately with consideration of extraneous variables
• development of theories, constant testing and refining through further observation completes scientific cycle

Question 6

define objective

Answer 6

researchers do not let their preconceived ideas or biases influence the collection of their data

Question 7

define systematic

Answer 7

observations and experiments are carried out in an orderly way

Question 8

define replicable

Answer 8

• other researchers can determine if the same results are obtained when the study is repeated
• if not replicable then they aren’t reliable

Question 9

positive evaluation of the scientific approach (2)

Answer 9

+ establish cause of behaviour through empirical and replicable methods
+ scientific knowledge is self-corrective as theories that no longer fit facts are refined/abandoned

Question 10

negative evaluation of the scientific approach (1)

Answer 10

• studies lack mundane realism and ecological validity as scientific psychologists concentrate on objectivity and control