approaches: Wundt's origins of pyschology p2 Flashcards
where was Wundt born?
leipez, germany
what was the aim of Wundts work?
to describe the nature of the human consciousness (the mind) in a controlled scientific environment - a lab
what did Wundt create the first of?
first lab dedicated to psychology
what was the lab that he made called?
the institution of experimental psychology
what method did Wundt use?
introspection
what is introspection?
the first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind by:
- recording conscious thoughts
- looking at internal events
what does the participant do during introspection?
participant is asked to record present reactions/thoughts to an everyday stimulus (e.g ticking metronome)
how was introspection analysed?
in terms of components:
sensations
thoughts
feelings
visual imagery
what did introspection lead to? (structuralism)
the structure of consciousness by breaking it up into basic structure: thoughts, images and sensations
strengths of Wundt’s work?
- it is scientific
why is it being scientific a strength?
he recorded introspection within s controlled lab environment. he also standardised his procedures so all participants received the same info and were tested in the same way. therefore Wundt’s research can be considered a forerunner to the later scientific approaches in psychology
limitations of Wundt’s work?
- it is subjective
- cannot study animals or children
why is being subjective a limitation?
only an individual can report their own thoughts and feelings and they may not be accurate or they may hide some thoughts. this makes us question the validity of the approach due to it being subjective
why is not being able to study children and animals a limitation?
children have limited vocab and have an inability to accurately express their emotions, and the thoughts of animals cannot be studied. this lessons credibility and gives behaviourists the upper hand - in focusing only on behaviour that can be observed
