Origins of Psychology

Question 1

Outline method of introspection: What is the aim of introspection?

Answer 1

• To investigate conscious, internal mental processes in order to establish scientific theories about how the mind works

Question 2

Outline method of introspection: What is the method of introspection based on?

Answer 2

• Based upon Wundt’s school of Psychology known as ‘Structuralism’
• Aims to analyse conscious experience (sensations, perceptions and emotions - how they combine to form conscious experience)

Question 3

Outline method of introspection: What does the method of introspection involve?

Answer 3

• Controlled lab experiments
• Participants presented with stimuli (like a metronome)
• Participants trained to objectively analyse conscious experience of stimuli
• Breaks it down into sensations, perceptions and emotions that stimuli produces

Question 4

Outline one limitation of Wundt’s role in the emergence of psychology

Answer 4

• Wundt’s method of introspection criticised for being unscientific
• Argued that method of introspection produced data that was too subjective (based on individuals reporting personal experiences)
• Limitation because meant that became very difficult for methods to establish general theories about how human mind works
• Questions Wundt’s role…

Question 5

Outline final limitation of Wundt’s role in the emergence of psychology

Answer 5

• Argued that behaviourist psychologists played a more important role in developing psychology as a science
• Behaviourist psychologists argued Wundt’s study of internal mental processes was too subjective
• Assumptions needed to be made about what was going on in human mind
• Limitation because behaviourist psychologists focused more on directly observable behaviour requiring no assumptions (more objective)
• Questions Wundt’s role…

Question 6

Outline the strength of Wundt’s role in the emergence of psychology

Answer 6

• Led to positive, scientific advancements
• E.g. cognitive psychologists developed Wundt’s method of introspection by focusing on more scientific ways of studying internal mental events (brain scanning techniques)
• Elements of introspection still used in talking therapies where patients still report thoughts and feelings to therapist
• Strength because use of brain scanning methods have helped introduced field of cognitive neuroscience and talking therapies utilising elements of introspection have found to be effective in treating psychological disorders (depression)
• Highlights Wundt’s role…