Origins of Psychology Flashcards
What did Wundt do in 1897?
In 1897, Wundt opened the first lab dedicated to psychological experiments in Leipzig, Germany.
What did this lab opening mark?
This marked the beginning of scientific psychology, allowing it to emerge as its own discipline.
What was Psychology considered before Wundt’s lab opening?
In the 17th to 19th century, psychology was regarded as an experimental branch within philosophy known as experimental philosophy.
What was Wundt’s aim?
Wundt’s aim was to analyze the nature of human consciousness.
What is introspection?
Introspection is a way of looking inward and examining one’s internal thoughts and feelings.
What did introspection help to do?
Introspection was the first systematic attempt to study the mind under controlled conditions.
What was information from participants used for?
Information from participants used to shed light on the processes involved in human consciousness.
What was Wundt’s main objective?
Wundt’s main objective was to try and develop theories about mental processes such as language and perception.
How did Wundt and his coworkers record behavior?
He and his coworkers recorded their experiences of various stimuli they were presented with, such as different objects or sounds.
What was the 3 categories that their observations would fall into?
They would divide their observations into three categories: thoughts, images, and sensations.
What is an example of introspection?
For example, participants would be given a ticking metronome and they would report their thoughts, images, and sensations.
What is structuralism?
Using scientific methods to study human consciousness by breaking its structure down into smaller components such as sensations and perceptions.
What did Freud do in the 1900s?
Freud establishes the psychodynamic approach, highlighting the importance of the unconscious mind on behavior. He develops his person-centered therapy called psychoanalysis. Freud shows that physical problems can be explained in terms of conflicts within the mind.
What did Watson and Skinner do in 1913?
Watson and Skinner establish the behaviorist approach, criticizing Freud and Wundt arguing that scientific psychology should restrict itself to studying outward behavior that can be directly observed and measured.
