Emergence of Psychology as a Science (AP P2)

Question 1

1900s

Answer 1

Early behaviourists rejected introspection
Watson argued introspection was subjective in that it’s influenced by personal perspective
Scientific psychology should only study phenomena that can be observed (behaviourist approach)

Question 2

1930s

Answer 2

• Behaviourist scientific approach dominates psychology
• Skinner brought the language and rigour of the natural sciences into psychology
• Behaviourists’ focus on learning and use of carefully controlled labs would dominate psychology for 50 years

Question 3

1950s

Answer 3

• Cognitive approach studied mental processes scientifically
• Cognitive psychologists likened the mind to a computer and tested their predictions about memory and attention through experiments

Question 4

1980s

Answer 4

• Biological approach introduced technical advances
• Recording brain activity using scanning techniques and advanced genetic research

Question 5

Eve of the 21st century

Answer 5

• Cognitive neuroscience: distinct discipline bringing together the cognitive and biological approaches
• Investigates how biological structures affect mental states