Lesson 1- Origins of Psychology- Wundt, introspection & the emergence of psychology as a science Flashcards
Define psychology
Psychology- scientific 🧪 study of human mind 🧠 & its functions especially affecting 🏃♂ in a context
Define science
Science- means of acquiring knowledge through systematic & objective investigation- aimed to discover new laws
Who was 1st to call themselves a psychologist?
Wilhelm Wundt
What other name is Wundt also known as?
Father of psychology
Where do Wundt’s ideas 💡 stem from?
Philosophical roots
Wundt was the 1st to open what in Germany?
Opened 1st experimental psychological laboratory
When did he open his 1st experiment psychological laboratory and where in Germany?
1879- Leipzig
What did his psychological laboratory allow for?
1) Helped shape Psychology as a 🧪
2) Laboratory designated to aid scientific 🧪 study of psychological inquiry using controlled conditions … facilitate replication of results
What psychological processes did Wundt focus on?
Structuralism & Perception
What is structuralism?
Structuralism- theory of consciousness developed by Wundt- involves use of introspection, self-reports of sensations, views, feelings, emotions, etc
Why was Wundt’s study into introspection important for psychology as a whole?
Wundt- used scientific 🧪 methods to investigate introspection- paved way for Psychology to be seen as 🧪-> development of cognitive 🧠 psychology
research ⬆️ reliable … replication possible (experiment repeated to gain same results- 🔑 feature of 🧪 )
What is introspection?
Introspection- 1st systematic & experimental attempt to study the mind/mental 🧠 processes by breaking down conscious awareness into basic structures of reflections, thoughts, images & sensations
How was introspection investigated by Wundt?
Introspection- recorded under strictly controlled conditions in lab using same stimuli and same instructions given to pps (standardisation)
Introspection- involves pps saying everything going through their mind 🧠 whilst doing activity/ 💭 about a topic/object- must keep talking even if ideas 💡 ✖️ clear- ✖️ hesitate & ✖️ need to justify 💭
What are the evaluation points for introspection & the emergence of Psychology as a science?
👎- Watson (1913) criticised Wundt’s idea of introspection & whether psychology emerging as 🧪- introspection produces subjective data … varies from 1 individual to next & … introspection ✖️ objective or reliable as different results gained each time
👍- helped develop other approaches in psychology (e.g. behaviourism by Watson & cognitive 🧠 approach by Beck)- … introspection useful phenomenon- formed basis of other approaches/models
👎- fails to explain HOW mind 🧠 works only WHAT (💭 themselves) & processes involved in thinking 🤔 about topic/activity- psychologists ✖️ see how 💭 generated & … introspection ✖️ be properly observed … ✖️ as scientific 🧪
👍- still used today in areas of therapy that study emotional states e.g. used in cognitive 🧠 therapy- to try to get patients to alter ➖ 💭 into ➕ 💭 … applied to contemporary therapy used in modern society
