History of psychology

Question 1

Origins

Answer 1

130 years old

explored by philosophers, doctors, physicians, physiologists

Question 2

Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 2

Leipzig, Germany
1832 - 1920
physiologist
attempted to explain mind by using scientific principles
believed consciousness could be broken down into various elements
objective introspection

Question 3

objective introspection

Answer 3

students of him had to learn to think objectively about their own thoughts
objective introspection was the process of learning to measure one’s thoughts and mental processes
observations of emotions and reactions

Question 4

Titchener

Answer 4

student of Wundt (1867 - 1927)
Englishman - Cornell
expanded on Wundt’s ideas
structuralism

Question 5

structuralism

Answer 5

focuses on the structure of the mind
believed every experience could be broken down into sensations and emotions
structuralism was a dominant force in psychology in the early days but died out in early 1900s

Question 6

William James

Answer 6

1842-1910
Harvard university
interested in consciousness to everyday life

Question 7

functionalism

Answer 7

William James
how consciousness allows people to function in the real world
help them work, play, adapt to their surroundings
looked at consciousness from a survival/animalistic point of view

Question 8

Gestalt Psychology

Answer 8

Max Wertheimer
objected to structuralism
psychological events cannot be simply broken down into smaller elements
gestalt = organised whole
an influential concept in therapy

Question 9

Freud’s psychoanalysis

Answer 9

Freud = neurologist specialising in disorders of the nervous system
could not find reasons for certain disorders
explored the psyche

Question 10

Freud’s psyche

Answer 10

explored repressed memories and the unconscious
repressed desires and urges
stressed the importance of childhood, personality = developed in the first 6 years of life

Question 11

modern psychology

Answer 11

psychodynamic
behavioural
humanistic
cognitive
socio-cultural

Question 12

psychodynamic perspective

Answer 12

focuses on the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences but less on sex
emphasis on the development of a sense of self, social and interpersonal relationships
discovery of a person’s motivation behind their actions

Question 13

behavioural perspectives

Answer 13

Skinner = operant conditioning
theory of how voluntary behaviour is learnt
behaviour that results in positive consequences reinforces behaviour

Question 14

humanistic perspective

Answer 14

'third force' in psychology
focuses on people's ability to direct their own lives
humans have free will
strive for self-actualisation
Abraham Maslow + Carl Rodgers

Question 15

Cognitive perspective

Answer 15

focus on memory, intelligence, perception, thought-processes, problem solving, language, learning

Question 16

socio-cultural perspective

Answer 16

combines social psychology groups, social roles, rules of social actions and relationships and cultural psychology
cultural norms, values, expectations
the effect that people have on each other