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psych - [5] approaches > origins of psychology > Flashcards

origins of psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

what is introspection?

A

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

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2
Q

what is the definition of psychology?

A

it is the scientific study of the mind, behaviour and experiences

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3
Q

what is a science?

A
  • a means of acquiring knowledge through systematic and objective investigation
  • the aim is to discover general laws
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4
Q

what is structuralism?

A

focusing on the components of the mind and how they relate to one another

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5
Q

wundt’s lab (1879)

A
  • wundt opened the first ever lab dedicated entirely to psychological enquiry in germany
  • his work is significant as it marked the beginning of scientific psychology, separating it from its broader philosophical roots
  • his aim was to analyse the nature of human consciousness
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6
Q

how and what did wundt explore during introspection?

A
  • he wanted to develop theories about mental processes, such as language and perception
  • he and his co-workers recorded their experiences with stimuli such as objects or sounds and divided their observations into 3 categories: thoughts, images and sensations
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7
Q

how did wundt have standardised procedures?

A
  • stimuli were always presented in the same order and the same instructions were given to all participants
  • eg. pps might be given a ticking metronome and they would report their thoughts, images and sensations
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8
Q

evaluation of wundt: methods were systematic and well-controlled (ie. scientific)

A
  • all introspections were recorded in a controlled environment of the lab, ensuring that possible extraneous variables were not a factor
  • procedures and instructions were standardised so that all participants received the same information and were tested in the same way
  • therefore, wundt’s research can be considered a forerunner to later scientific approaches eg. behaviourist approach
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9
Q

evaluation of wundt: research would be considered unscientific today

A
  • wundt relied on pps self-reporting their mental processes
  • such data is subjective
  • pps may have hidden some of their thoughts
  • it is difficult to establish meaningful ‘laws of behaviour’ from such data
  • therefore, wundt’s early efforts to study the mind were flawed and would not meet the criteria of scientific enquiry
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10
Q

evaluation of wundt: his contribution

A
  • wundt produced the first academic journal for psychological research and wrote the first textbook
  • he is often referred to as the founder of modern psychology
  • wundt’s pioneering research may have set the foundation for approaches that were to come eg. behaviourist approach
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11
Q

17th - 19th century

A
  • psychology is a branch of the broader discipline of philosophy
  • if psychology had a definition during this time it is as experimental philosophy
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12
Q

1900s psychodynamic approach

A
  • sigmund freud emphasises the influence of the unconscious mind on behaviour (psychodynamic approach)
  • also develops his person-centred therapy, psychoanalysis, and shows that physical problems can be explained in terms of conflicts within the mind
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13
Q

1900s behaviourists

A
  • john b. watson proposed that a truly scientific psychology should only study phenomena that can be observed objectively and measured
  • behaviourists focused on behaviours that they could see, and used carefully controlled experiments
  • the behaviourist approach dominated scientific psychology for 50 years (approx. 1900-1950)
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14
Q

1950s humanistic approach

A

carl rogers and abraham maslow develop the humanistic approach which emphasises the importance of self determination and free will

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15
Q

1950s cognitive approach

A
  • cognitive psychologists were able to liken the mind to a computer thanks to the digital revolution of the 1950s
  • they tested their predictions about memory and attention using experiments
  • cognitive approach ensured that the study of the mind was a legitimate and highly scientific aspect of discipline
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16
Q

1960s social learning theory

A
  • albert bandura proposes the social learning theory
  • this draws attention to the role of cognitive factors in learning, providing a bridge between the newly established cognitive approach and traditional behaviourism
17
Q

1980s onwards biological approach

A
  • biological approach begins to establish itself as the dominant scientific perspective in psychology
  • researchers began to take advantage of advances in technology to investigate physiological processes as they happen

> fMRI and EEG allows study of line activity in the brain

  • genetic testing has allowed us to better understand the relationship between genes and behaviour
18
Q

evaluation of psychology: modern psychology can claim to be scientific

A
  • psychology has the same aims of the natural sciences - to describe, understand, predict and control behaviour
  • learning, cognitive and biological approach all rely on use of scientific methods, such as lab theories to investigate theories in a controlled and unbiased way
  • therefore, throughout the 20th century and beyond, psychology has established itself as a scientific discipline
19
Q

evaluation of psychology: not all approaches use objective methods

A
  • humanistic approach rejects the scientific approach, preferring to focus on individual experiences and subjective approaches
  • psychodynamic approach makes use of case study methods, which does not use representative samples
  • human beings are active participants in research, so may respond to demand characteristics
  • therefore, a scientific approach to the study of human thought and experience may not always be desirable or possible
20
Q

evaluation of psychology: paradigm

A
  • philosopher thomas kuhn said that any science must have a paradigm: a set of principles, assumptions and methods that all people who work within that subject agree on
  • he went on to say that psychology is not a science because it does not have a paradigm as there is so much internal disagreement at its core
21
Q

what is a theory (according to popper?)

A
  • a set of general laws or principles that have the ability to explain particular events or behaviours
  • theories should suggest a number of possible hypotheses
22
Q

what is hypothesis testing (according to popper?)

A
  • a key feature of a theory is that it should produce statements (hypotheses) which can be tested. only in this way can a theory be falsified
  • hypotheses need to be tested using systematic and objective methods to determine whether it will be supported or refuted

psych - [5] approaches (8 decks)

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