Origins Of Psychology Flashcards
Who made the first psychology lab
1879- Wundt- in Leipzig Germany. Wundts work is significant because it marked the beginning of scientific psychology, separating it from its broader philosophical roots. Wundts aim was to try and analyse the nature of human consciousness, and thus represented the first systematic attempt to study the mind under controlled conditions. His pioneering method became known as introspection.
What are Wundts standardised procedures (introspection)
One of Wundts main objectives was to try and develop theories about mental processes, such as language and perception. He and his co-workers recorded their experiences of various stimuli they were presented with, such as different objects or sounds. Divided observations into three categories:thoughts, images and sensations. For instance, participants might be given a ticking metronome and they would report their thoughts, images and sensations.
What is structuralism
Isolating the structure of consciousness in Wundts way is called structuralism. The stimuli that Wundt and his co-workers experienced were always presented in the same order and the same instructions were issued to all participants.
1900s behaviourist
Value of introspection questioned by many, most notably behaviourist John B. Watson. The problem was that introspection produced subjective data (rather than objective), so that it was very difficult to establish general laws. Watson proposed a truly scientific psychology should only study phenomena that can be observed and measured. Therefore behaviourists focused on behaviours that they could see, and used carefully controlled experiments. Lasted 50 years.
1950s cognitive approach
Cognitive psychologists started likening the mind to a computer and tested their predictions about memory and attention using experiments. The cognitive approach ensured that the study of the mind was, once again, a legitimate and highly scientific aspect of the discipline.
1980s biological approach
Researchers in this area have taken advantage of advances in technology to investigate physiological processes as they happen. An example of this is the use of sophisticated scanning techniques such as fMRI and EEG to study live activity in the brain. New methods like genetic testing have also allowed us to better understand the relationship between genes and behaviour.
Strength- Wundts work
Some of his methods were systematic and well-controlled. All introspections done in controlled lab environment. No extraneous variables. Procedures and instructions carefully standardised so all participants received same information and tested in same way. This suggest Wundts research can be considered a forerunner to later scientific approaches in psychology.
Limitation- Wundts work
Other aspects of Wundts work would be considered unscientific today. Wundt relied on participants self-reporting their mental processes. Such data is subjective (influenced by a personal perspective). Also participants may have hidden some of their thoughts.
Strength-modern psychology
Research in modern psychology can claim to be scientific. Has same aims as the natural sciences- to describe, understand, predict and control behaviour. The learning approaches, cognitive approach and biological approach all rely on the use of scientific methods like lab studies to investigate theories in a controlled and unbiased way.
Limitation- subjective data
Humanist approach rejects scientific approach, preferring to focus on individual experiences and subjective experience. Psychodynamic approach makes use of the case study method which doesn’t use representative samples. Finally, the subject of study- humans, are active participants in research.
