Origin of psychology book questions Flashcards
Outline one criticism of Wundt’s contribution to psychology
Wundt’s approach relied on non-observable responses. While participants could report on their conscious responses, the processes themselves, like memory and perception, were considered to be unobservable constructions. Wundt’s approach ultimately failed because of the lack of reliability of his methods. Introspective ‘experimental’ results could not be reliably produced by other researchers in other laboratories.
Outline one strength and one limitation of the scientific approach in psychology.
One strength of the scientific approach in psychology is that it relies on objective and systematic methods of observation. This means that the knowledge acquired using the scientific method is more than just a passive acceptance of the facts.
One limitation of the scientific approach in psychology is that much of the subject matter in psychology is unobservable. This means that it cannot be measured with any degree of accuracy. A lot of psychology is inferential, so there is a gap between the actual data obtained in research investigations and the theories put forward to explain these data.
Explain the emergence of psychology as a science.
The scientific approach is based on empiricism, which is the belief that knowledge comes from observation and experience alone, rather than being innate. The scientific approach to psychology was based on two major assumptions. First, all behaviour is seen as being caused (the assumption of determinism) and second, if behaviour is determined, then it should be possible to predict how human beings would behave. The scientific method uses investigative methods that are objective, systematic and replicable. It is objective in that researchers do not let preconceived ideas or biases influence the collection of their data, and systematic in that observations or experiments are carried out accurately and with due consideration for the possible influence of other factors on the results. Observations can be repeated by other researchers to determine whether the same results are obtained.
Explain one reason why psychology could be classed as a science. (2 marks)
majority of the research is carried out in carefully controlled, mainly laboratory, experiments. therefore what is being studied can be observed objectively and measured making psychology scientific.
Explain one reason why Wundt’s work may be criticised as unscientific. (2 marks)
studying mental processes which cannot be directly observed.
relied on participants self-reporting their mental processes. this data is subjective and therefore the findings will be unreliable and unscientific
Outline and briefly evaluate the work of Wundt. (6 marks)
first person to call himself a psychologist
opened first psychological laboratory in Leipzig germany
only studies aspects of behaviour that could be strictly controlled under laboratory conditions
aimed to study the structure of the human mind.
used the technique of introspection to do it.
i.e played the sound of a metronome and asked to reflect upon how they are perceiving it.
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non-observable responses. participants had to self report their conscious experiences from a subjective view point. therefore data unreliable and couldn’t not be replicated. undermining the usefulness of the approach.
Explain how Wundt contributed to the emergence of psychology as a science. (4 marks)
the first person to call himself a psychologist
opened the first psychological laboratory in Leipzig, Germany.
believed that all aspects of nature, including the human mind, could be studied scientifically.
Germany, he studied only those aspects of behaviour that could be strictly controlled under laboratory conditions.
Aim was to study the structure of the human mind.
and he believed that the best way to do this was to break down behaviours such as sensation and perception into their basic elements. Because of this, his approach was referred to as structuralism and the technique he used as introspection
explain what Wundt meant by introspection
“The process by which a person gains knowledge about his or her own material and emotional states as a result of examination or observation of their conscious thoughts and feelings.
briefly explain Wundts role in the emergence of psychology as a science
Wilhelm Wundt, “the founding father” of psychology was the first to clarify the difference between physiology and psychology ; psychology being the study of conscious experience. Wundt believed that the mind could be broken down into constituent elements (Reductionism), and these would be found and analysed using introspection (a process of self-observation). He introduced psychology to the idea of experimental methods, a crucial segment of psychology today.
