Approaches- origins of psych

Question 1

Which of the following 3 statements apply to introspection?

Answer 1

1) developed by Wundt 2) involved recording own conscious thoughts 3)the first systematic experimental approach to psychology

Question 2

What approach did Wundt use

Answer 2

Used a structuralist approach

Question 3

What technique did Wundt use

Answer 3

Introspection

Question 4

What did Wundt believe about the human mind

Answer 4

All aspects of the human mind and behaviour could be studied scientifically

Question 5

What did Wundt call the first psych lab which he founded

Answer 5

‘The Institute of Experimental Psychology’

Question 6

What does introspection do

Answer 6

Investigates internal events i.e. inner mental and emotional states, by examining conscious thoughts and feelings as a form of data collection

Question 7

What does introspection allow

Answer 7

To observe and report on our inner world of thoughts and feelings in terms of intensity, duration and quality

Question 8

1st step of the scientific process

Answer 8

An observation is made of phenomena in the world

Question 9

2nd step of the scientific process

Answer 9

A theory is developed to explain the observation, and a hypothesis is developed in line with the theory

Question 10

3rd step of the scientific process

Answer 10

A hypothesis is tested using empirical methods

Question 11

4th step of the scientific process

Answer 11

Results are analysed to evaluate whether the hypothesis is supported or not.

Question 12

What does falsifiable mean

Answer 12

all theories and research must be capable of being tested and potentially disproved, if they are not (e.g. we cannot measure a concept) it is unfalsifiable and not scientific

Question 13

What does replicability mean

Answer 13

To be considered scientific, research procedures should be capable of being repeated to check the consistency of the findings. This means procedures should be standardised so that the only variables that could affect what is measured are those being manipulated by the researchers

Question 14

What does objective mean

Answer 14

for a measure to be objective, it should be observable and measurable on an agreed scale that is not open to interpretation. This means that any researcher bias or expectations cannot influence the collection of their data.

Question 15

What are general laws

Answer 15

This involves using evidence to develop basic generalisable principles about human or animal behaviour that apply to all individuals.

Question 16

What does systematic mean

Answer 16

Evidence or recordings (e.g. of introspection tasks) are carried out in a controlled orderly manner using directions observations/measurement.

Question 17

Evaluation of Wundts work - Hunter et al

Answer 17

Wundt struggled to create universal general laws, modern researchers have used introspection more successfully. Hunter et al (2003) used introspection with teenagers to try and identify what makes them happy or unhappy throughout the day. Through teenagers questioning their own thoughts they were able to identify that when energies were focused on challenging tasks, they were far more upbeat

Question 18

Evaluation of Wundts work -Introspection being subjective

Answer 18

Participants record their own conscious thoughts - this can easily change and is vulnerable to biasHis participants were his own students - demand characteristics!Everyone’s experience is different - they will reflect on their own sensations and emotions very differently to other peopleBrain / thoughts are too complex - this is not giving a holistic viewNowadays we have fMRIs / EEGs etc.

Question 19

Evaluation of Wudnts work -practical applications

Answer 19

Wudnt was the first to apply the rigour of natural sciences to the study of human behaviour. Wudnts work instigated psychology as we know it i.e systematic observatioin and experimentation on human and animal behaviour using an evidence based approach. Practical applications - opened the first experimental psychology lab and trained 186 graduate students

Question 20

Evaluation of Wudnts work - genralisability

Answer 20

Studied himself and his coworkersVery small sample of upper class white men from the 19th centuryLacks temporal validity / androcentric / ethnocentricResults cannot be applied to society as they are unrepresentative