Origins of Psychology

Question 1

What is psychology?

Answer 1

The scientific study of the human mind and behaviour

Question 2

Who opened the first psychology lab?

Answer 2

Wilhem Wundt

Question 3

What was Wundt’s aim?

Answer 3

To try and analyse the nature of human consciousness

Question 4

Who were the experimental psychologists?

Answer 4

Darwin, Descartes, Locke

Question 5

What was Darwin’s theory?

Answer 5

Theory of evolution- behaviour changes over time to suit the conditions of society, survival of the fittest

Question 6

What was Descartes theory?

Answer 6

‘I think, therefore I am’- Cartesian Dualism (two foundations: mind and body), the mind and the body are separate

Question 7

What was Locke’s theory?

Answer 7

Information can be obtained through the senses, humans do not inherit knowledge or instincts (empiricism)

Question 8

What was Watson’s theory?

Answer 8

Behaviour should be observable and measurable

Question 9

What was Wundt’s theory?

Answer 9

We should record and break down our conscious thoughts- introspection

Question 10

What is introspection?

Answer 10

The first systematic, experimental attempt to study the mind by breaking up conscious awareness into basic structures of thoughts, images and sensations

Question 11

What is structuralism?

Answer 11

Isolating the structure of consciousness

Question 12

What makes psychology a science?

Answer 12

Research methods can include statistics and data, cognitive neuroscience studies the human brain (biology), carry out an experiment to test a hypothesis

Question 13

What is a strength of Wundt and introspection research?

Answer 13

I= Systematic and well-controlled methods
D= Recorded in high control labs, ensuring extraneous variables were not a factor. Use of standardised procedures
E= Suggests Wundt’s research is considered a forerunner to later scientific approaches in psychology

Question 14

What is a limitation of Wundt and introspection research?

Answer 14

I= Subjective data (unscientific today)
D= Relied on participants self-reporting mental processes, which is subjective. P’s may have hidden thoughts. Hard to establish meaningful ‘laws of behaviour’ from such data
E= This suggests some of Wundt’s early efforts to study the mind were flawed and do not meet the criteria of scientific enquiry

Question 15

What is a strength of the emergence of psychology as a science?

Answer 15

I= Modern psychology can claim to be scientific
D= Approaches rely on scientific methods, like lab studies
E= Suggests across 20th century, psychology established itself as a scientific discipline

Question 16

What is a limitation of the emergence of psychology as a science?

Answer 16

I= Not all approaches use objective methods
D= Humanistic approach rejects science. Psychodynamic approach makes us of case studies which do not use representative samples. Subjective of studies (humans) are open to demand characteristics
E= Study may not be desirable or possible