Origins Of Psychology

Question 1

Wundt’s lab (1879)

Answer 1

• first to separate psychology from its broader philosophical roots
• Aimed to analyse human consciousness + attempted to study the mind under controlled conditions
• pioneering method of introspection

Question 2

Standardised procedure

Answer 2

• developed theories about mental processes like language and perception
• coworkers recorded experiences of various stimuli + divided observations into thoughts images and sensations

Question 3

Structuralism

Answer 3

Isolating the structure of consciousness

Stimuli they experienced was always presented the same order and pps given same instructions

Question 4

(S) Wundt’s work is scientific

Answer 4

• methods were systematic and well controlled
  All introspections were recorded in a controlled lab - no extraneous variables - and were tested the same

SUGGESTS Wundt’s research can be considered a forerunner to scientific approaches of psychology

Question 5

(L) Data is subjective

Answer 5

• relied on pps self reporting mental processes which is subjective due to perceptive
• Some pps may have hidden thoughts
• difficult to establish laws (useful for predicting future behaviour of behaviour from data

SUGGESTS some of Wundt’s early efforts to study the mind were flawed and don’t meet scientific standards