Origins of Psychology

Question 1

Rough Timeline of how psychology emerged as a science

Answer 1

1879 - Wundt opened 1st lab in Leipzig
1900 - Freud established the psychodynamic approach
1913 - Watson and Skinner established the Behaviourist approach
1950’s - Rogers and Maslow developed the humanistic approach
1960’s - the cognitive approach emerged with the computer
1980’s - the biological approach began to surface as the dominant approach
2000 - cognitive neuroscience emerged

Question 2

Explain the signifigance of Wilhelm Wundt

Answer 2

• described as the father of psychology
• published ‘Principles of Physiological Psychology’ in 1873
• opened the 1st psychology lab in 1879 in Leipzig
• developed structuralism and introspection

Question 3

What is introspection?

Answer 3

participants were asked to observe and reflect on their own cognitive processes and describe them

Question 4

What is structuralism?

Answer 4

breaking down behaviour into it’s individual elements

Question 5

What is the Scientific Method?

Answer 5

• objective (findings based on fact)
• systematic (organised approach)
• replicable (to repeat a study and get the same results