1- origins of psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

who was Wilhelm Wundt

A
  • ‘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
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2
Q

what is introspection

A
  • 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
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3
Q

negative evaluation of introspection (3)

A
  • 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
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4
Q

describe the emergence of psychology as a science

A
  • 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)
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5
Q

describe the scientific method

A
  • 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
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6
Q

define objective

A

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

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7
Q

define systematic

A

observations and experiments are carried out in an orderly way

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8
Q

define replicable

A
  • other researchers can determine if the same results are obtained when the study is repeated
  • if not replicable then they aren’t reliable
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9
Q

positive evaluation of the scientific approach (2)

A

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

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10
Q

negative evaluation of the scientific approach (1)

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