[Approaches] Topic 1 - Origins of psychology

Question 1

Introspection

Answer 1

• Wundt was the first person to call himself a psychologist. He believes that the human mind could be studied scientifically, using a technique called Introspection.
• Introspection means ‘looking into’ and is the process by which a person gains knowledge about their mental and emotional states.
• He believed that with appropriate training, mental processes such as memory and perception could be observed systematically.
• E.g asking participants to look at a stimulates then provide a description of their inner thought process

Question 2

The emergence of psychology as a science

Answer 2

• Empiricists believe that knowledge comes from observation and experience alone. When empirical methods were applied to the study of human beings by Wundt, psychology began to emerge as a separate entity.
• This new approach ‘Psychology’ was based on two major assumptions. Firstly that all behaviours is caused and secondly that it is possible to predict.
• These techniques used to explore these assumptions became known as the scientific method which refers to the use of objective, systematic and replicable

Question 3

One criticism of introspection is the focus on ‘non-observable behaviour’

Answer 3

• One criticism of introspection is the focus on ‘non observable behaviour’
• Wundt approach required participants to report on their conscious experiences which are un-observable constructs such as memory and perception. This means that Wundt’s approach lacks reliability as his results have not been reproduced by other researchers

Question 4

Another criticism of introspection is its lack of accuracy.

Answer 4

• Another criticism of introspection is its lack of accuracy.
• Nisbett and Wilson claim that we have little knowledge of what causes or contributes to our behaviours and beliefs as they found participants who were unaware of the different factors that were influential in their choice of consumer items, suggesting we are unable to observe our own thoughts and feelings.
• This suggest that some of our behaviours and attitudes exist outside of conscious awareness and that introspection would not uncover them