Approaches - Wundt

Question 1

Who was Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 1

“Father of Psychology”
Most important psychologist of all time
Lived in the 1800

Question 2

Psychology’s scientific roots

Answer 2

Before Wundt: Mind studies by philosophers
His goal: Make psychology a scientific discipline
Had a background in physiology

Question 3

First Psychology lab

Answer 3

Founded in 1879 in Germany
Worlds first experimental psychology lab
Aimed to study the human mind scientifically

Question 4

Introspection

Answer 4

Conscious examination of conscious experience
Self-observation of thoughts in the present moment
Participants reported emotions, sensations, and thoughts

Question 5

Introspection process

Answer 5

1: present a stimulus (sound, light)
2: participants inspect their own thoughts
3: participants report their inner experiences
4: compass responses to draw conclusions

Question 6

Controlled experiments

Answer 6

Used highly controlled, systematic methods
Standardised stimuli
Allowed for comparison + repetition of experiments

Question 8

Limitations

Answer 8

Subjective nature of self-reporting
Difficulty in verifying participants inner experiences
Criticised by behaviourists for lack of observable behaviour

Question 9

Impact on psychology

Answer 9

Trained 186 graduate students, 116 specialising in psych
Students spread psychological research worldwide
Laid foundations for future generations of psychologists

Question 10

Evolution of psychological methods

Answer 10

1900s: Behaviourism - objective measurement of behaviour
1960s: Cognitive approach - study of internal mental processes
1980s: Biological approach - genetics and brain chemistry
Today: Cognitive neuroscience - brain scanning tech

Question 11

Wundt’s lasting legacy

Answer 11

Pioneered scientific study of the mind
Paved the way for modern psychological research methods
From introspection to brain scans in just over a century