Lesson 1 - Origins of Psychology

Question 1

Emergence of Psychology

Answer 1

Wilhelm Wundt is known as father of psychology as he moved psychology away from its philosophical roots and to controlled research
Set up first lab in Liepzig in 1879
Developed a scientific method to study mental processes such as structure of sensation and perception and called it introspection

Question 2

Emergence of Psychology Evaluation Points

Answer 2

Lab
Understanding
Approaches

Modern Psychologists

Question 3

Emergence of Psychology Evaluation
Lab
Positive

Answer 3

Wundt opened first lab designated to scientific study of psychological enquiry under controlled conditions facilitating accurate measurements and replication

Question 4

Emergence of Psychology Evaluation
Understanding
Positive

Answer 4

Wundt was the first psychologist to focus on understanding the psychological processes of perception rather than philosophical or biological processes

Question 5

Emergence of Psychology Evaluation
Approaches
Positive

Answer 5

Wundt recognised that higher mental processes were difficult to study using his procedures and this encourages others to look for more appropriate methods and techniques, paving the way for approaches such as brain scanning techniques

Question 6

Emergence of Psychology Evaluation
Modern Psychologists
Negative

Answer 6

Many modern psychologists argue that early behaviourist made a greater contribution to the development of psychology than Wundt did
They produced reliable findings, which Wundt did not, with explanatory principles that were generalised - much more in keeping with the scientific approach

Question 7

Introspection

Answer 7

Systematic analysis of our own concious experiences of a stimuli
An experience is examined in terms of its components
Wundt claimed that with sufficient training, an individual’s concious mental processes could be objectively reported by the individual as they occurred
This information could then be used to gain insight into the mental processes involved in perception

Question 8

Introspection Evaluation Points

Answer 8

Cognitive Approach
Modern Research

Nisbett and Wilson (1977)

Question 9

Introspection Evaluation
Cognitive Approach
Positive

Answer 9

Focus on mental processes through introspection can be seen as the forerunner of the cognitive approach

Question 10

Introspection Evaluation
Modern Research
Positive

Answer 10

Still sometimes used in modern scientific psychological research and in areas such as therapy and studying emotional states
Demonstrates its value as one way mental processes can be investigated
Csikzentmihalyi and Hunter (2003)

Question 11

Introspection Evaluation
Nisbett and Wilson (1977)
Negative

Answer 11

Studies using introspection may not be valiud
Many psychologists would argue that several aspects of our mind are outside our conscious awareness (research by Nisbett and Wilson, 1977) and so cannot be reported by an individual