Approaches - Emergence of Psychology as a Science Flashcards
Who set up the first psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany? When?
Wilhelm Wundt - 1879
What method did Wundt use?
Introspection
Define introspection
Who is the father of psychodynamics ?
Sigmund Freud
Who are the main behaviourists?
Watson, Pavlov, Skinner (learning theorists)
Why didn’t behaviourists like introspection?
They didn’t feel it was scientific enough. They argued reporting on your own mental processes in an objective way was not possible.
Who developed social learning theory?
Bandura
What do humanists argue?
Argued humans are not like other physical objects (plants and rocks) . Studying humans scientifically will reduce us down to something we are not and miss some fundamental aspects of humanity.
How do cognitive psychologists view the mind?
Like how a computer works, the processes of the mind can be simplified down to a set of models or processes.
How did the biological psychology approach come about?
Due to the development and advancement of scientific technology which allows us to view the workings of the brain in a completely new way as well as development of genetic techniques which shows us how genes guide our behaviour.
What is cognitive neuroscience
A blend of biological psychology and cognitive psychology
What is science?
Finding out systematically and objectively about the physical and natural world using observation and experimentation
Define systematic
Working according to a fixed/controlled, standardised plan or system
Define objectivity
Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering facts
Define empiricism
Based on tested experimentation, not theory or logical argument
Define Scientific Methodology
Systematic observation, measurement, and experience and the formulation, testing and modification of hypotheses.
What is replicability?
Finding the same results when the same methodology is repeated
What is predictability?
General laws can be made about human behaviour in situations
Define determinism
You don’t have a choice over your behaviour, it is set from your prior conditions
Define inference
After observing repeated instances of a behaviour to a stimulus, making conclusions about the fundamental nature of the mind on the basis of these observations
Explain what introspection is
A process of looking inwards/ self examination, it is systematic analysis of own conscious experience of standard stimulus, reporting present experience
Explain the process of introspection
A standard stimulus was used which was often a metronome. An inward experience was analysed in terms of its component parts e.g sensations, emotional reaction, mental images etc. Thoughts would be broken down into separate elements. And the participant would be asked to report these.
What is structuralism?
Breaking thoughts about an object down into separate elements was an attempt to uncover the structure of the mind.
How did introspection follow the scientific method?
The research was systematic, the same stimulus, physical surroundings and instructions were given to each person. And the participants were highly trained.
Strengths of Wundt’s research
+ His work paved the way for later scientifically controlled research into psychology
+ Wundt’s work was criticised by later behaviourist learning theorist who thought internal mental processes could not be studied scientifically by introspection, they focused only on observable inputs (stimuli) and outputs (behaviours)
+The study of mental processes was later continued cognitive psychologists who built models of how systems such as memory worked, however they used experimentation not introspection.
Limitations of Wundt’s research?
+ Wundt’s work was criticised by later behaviourist learning theorist who thought internal mental processes could not be studied scientifically by introspection, they focused only on observable inputs (stimuli) and outputs (behaviours)