Approaches - Origins

Question 1

Define introspection.

Answer 1

The first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and sensations.

Question 2

Who is the Father of Psychology?

Answer 2

Wilhelm Wundt

Question 3

How was psychology viewed during the 17th-19th century?

Answer 3

As a branch off of philosophy…experimental philosophy

Question 4

How did Psychology change in 1879 due to Wilhelm Wundt?

Answer 4

Wundt opened the first experimental psychology lab in Germany, and psychology emerges as a distinct discipline in its own right.

Question 5

Define psychology.

Answer 5

The scientific study of the mind, behaviour and experience.

Question 6

What is Wundt’s pioneering method to study the mind?

Answer 6

Introspection

Question 7

Define sturturalism.

Answer 7

Isolating the structure of consciousness and presenting it in a consistent order and format to participants.

Question 8

Evaluate introspection.

Answer 8

Wundt’s methods are systematic, well-controlled and standardised.

But, his research would be considered unscientific today - relied on participant self-reporting their mental processes.

Question 9

Who developed psychology in 1900s and how?

Answer 9

Sigmund Freud
- emphasised the influence of the unconscious mind on behaviour (the psychodynamic approach)
- develops his person-centred therapy…psychoanalysis
- shows physical problems can be explained by the mind.

Question 10

Who developed psychology in 1913s and how?

Answer 10

John B Watson
- book: ‘Psychology as the Behaviourist views it’
- (with Skinner) establishes behaviourist approach

Question 11

Who developed psychology in 1950s and how?

Answer 11

Rogers and Maslow
- developed the humanistic approach
- reject behaviourist and psychodynamic views
- emphasises the importance of self-determination and free will on human behaviour

Question 12

How was psychology developed in the 1950s and why?

Answer 12

The cognitive approach reintroduced the study of mental processes in a much more scientific way compared to Wundt’s introspection.

Question 13

Who developed psychology in the 1960s and how?

Answer 13

Bandura proposes social learning theory.

Question 14

How was psychology developed in the 1980s onwards and why?

Answer 14

The biological approach introduced due to advances in technology.

Question 15

How was psychology developed in the eve of the 21st century and why?

Answer 15

Cognitive neuroscience emerged as a distinct discipline bringing the cognitive and biological approaches together.

Question 16

Evaluate Psychology’s emergence as a science.

Answer 16

Research in modern psychology can now claim to be scientific.

But, not all approaches use objective methods.