5. APPROACHES (Origins Of Psychology: Wundt, Introspection And The Emergence Of Psychology As A Science) Flashcards
Who is known as the ‘father of psychology’ and why?
Wundt is known as the ‘father of psychology’ because he moved psychology from philosophical roots to controlled research and established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany in the 1870s.
What was Wundt’s main contribution to the field of psychology?
Wundt promoted the use of introspection to study mental processes, focusing on the systematic analysis of conscious experiences, feelings, and sensations.
What is introspection?
Introspection is the systematic analysis of one’s own conscious experience, where individuals report their inner thoughts, feelings, and sensations in response to stimuli.
How was introspection used in Wundt’s research?
Wundt’s researchers were trained to describe their conscious experiences when presented with controlled stimuli, like visual images or auditory tones, breaking down the experience into its component parts.
What were the main features of Wundt’s introspection method?
- Participants were presented with controlled stimuli (e.g., visual images, auditory tones).
- They reported their conscious experiences under controlled conditions.
- Standardised instructions were used, and the same stimuli were presented each time to ensure replicability.
Why was introspection criticized by John Watson and behaviourists?
Watson and behaviourists criticized introspection for being subjective, unobservable, and inconsistent, arguing that a truly scientific psychology should focus only on observable phenomena.
What did Watson propose as the solution to the limitations of introspection?
Watson proposed that psychology should be empirical, focusing on observable behaviour, which led to the development of the behaviourist approach.
What are some key features of science in psychology?
- Empirical method: Based on observable, measurable evidence.
- Objectivity: Free from bias or personal influence.
- Replicability: Studies can be repeated to verify results.
- Falsifiability: The ability to prove a theory or hypothesis wrong.
What is a paradigm shift in science?
A paradigm shift occurs when a prevailing theory or approach is proven wrong, leading to the establishment of a new paradigm or set of ideas in the discipline.
How did Wundt’s work pave the way for modern psychology?
Wundt’s use of controlled laboratory research and introspection marked the beginning of the scientific approach in psychology, separating it from philosophy and biology.
What is a limitation of Wundt’s introspection method?
A limitation is that introspection was subjective and non-empirical, making it difficult to establish reliable general principles or replicate the results across studies.
How can Wundt’s methods still be seen as valuable today?
Wundt’s methods were systematic, controlled, and standardized, providing a foundation for later scientific methods in psychology, even though introspection alone is no longer widely used.
What is the criticism of the scientific method in psychology related to ecological validity?
Critics argue that scientific methods, particularly controlled lab experiments, have low ecological validity because they don’t reflect real-world behavior, which is often unobservable and complex.
What is “triangulation” in psychological research?
Triangulation is the use of multiple methods (e.g., lab experiments, case studies, observations) to gather reliable and valid data to test a hypothesis or theory.
How is introspection still relevant in modern psychology?
Introspection is still used in some research, such as Hunter et al.’s (2003) study, where participants recorded their thoughts and feelings at random times, providing insights into emotions like happiness.
