Approaches: The origins of Psychology (AO1): Flashcards
Who is considered the first person to call himself a psychologist?
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920).
What did Wilhelm Wundt believe could be studied scientifically?
All aspects of nature, including the human mind.
How did Wundt contribute to the acceptance of psychology as a science?
His approach paved the way for the scientific method to study behaviour.
Where was Wundt’s early research mainly conducted?
In well-controlled laboratory environments.
What did Wundt’s early research focus on testing?
Reaction times and various aspects of sensation and perception.
How did Wundt control extraneous variables in his research?
By giving all participants the same instructions and controlling factors such as light and noise.
What was Wundt’s main aim in his research?
To study the mind by breaking down behaviours into their basic elements.
What is ‘structuralism’ according to Wundt?
The study of the mind by breaking behaviours into their basic elements using introspection.
Define ‘introspection’ in the context of Wundt’s research.
The process where individuals gain knowledge about their mental and emotional states by examining their conscious thoughts or feelings.
Give an example of a technique used in introspection.
- Participants being presented with stimuli (e.g., images)
- Participants asked to comment on their inner processes (e.g., ink blot test).
When did psychology begin to emerge as a separate discipline?
When empirical methods were first applied to the study of human behaviour (e.g., Wundt’s research).
What are the two main assumptions of the new scientific approach in psychology?
1) All behaviour is seen to be caused.
2) If behaviour is determined, it should be predictable.
What method is used to test the assumptions of the new scientific approach?
The scientific method.
What are the key features of the scientific method in psychology?
It is objective (factual), systematic (structured observations/experiments), and reliable (can be repeated to check for reliability).
