Introspection And Psychology As A Science

Question 1

What is Introspection?

Answer 1

The first experimental attempt to study human behaviour.
• Studied mental processes eg. Language and perception
• stimuli all presented in the same order at the same time

Question 2

Evaluation of Introspection?

Answer 2

+ methods were well controlled
• controlled extraneous variables
• standardised procedures
• led to scientific approaches eg. Behaviourist
- certain elements would be considered unscientific today
• subjective data
• thoughts could be hidden
• hard to establish general principles

Question 3

What is the order and dates of emerging psychology as a science?

Answer 3

1900s - behaviourist approach
1950s - cognitive approach
1980s - biological approach

Question 4

What made the behaviourist approach a ‘science’ ?

Answer 4

• scientific nature of introspection was questioned as there was no general principles
• ‘scientific investigation should only focus on what can be seen and measured’

Question 5

What made the cognitive approach a ‘science’ ?

Answer 5

• digital revolution - described the mind as a computer
• theories about memory were tested using experiments which is scientific

Question 6

What made the biological approach a ‘science’ ?

Answer 6

• technical advances in brain scanning allows us to study psychological processes live which is scientific

Question 7

Evaluation of psychology as a science?

Answer 7

+ modern psychology can claim to be scientific
• most approaches rely on scientific methods
• suggests that the subject has established itself based on scientific discipline
- not all approaches rely on scientific methods
• humanistic approach rejects scientific methods
• psychodynamic approach uses case studies - unrepresentative