Origins of psychology

Question 1

Who opened up the first psychology laboratory?

Answer 1

Wundt

Question 2

Why is Wuntd’s work significant?

Answer 2

It marked the beginning of scientific psychology

Question 3

What did Wundt do to psychology?

Answer 3

Separated it from its philosophical roots

Question 4

What did he attempt to study and how?

Answer 4

The human mind systematically by using introspection

Question 5

What is Introspection?

Answer 5

A systematic attempt to study the mind

Question 6

What did he use to study this?
and how?

Answer 6

Standardised procedures
- observations of objects and sounds were recorded

Question 7

What is structuralism? and how did Wundt apply it in his work?

Answer 7

Isolating the structure of consciousness

• Stimuli was presented in the same order each time for all participants
• & the instructions

Question 8

EVALUATION: Strength - His work was scientific (PEEL)

Answer 8

POINT: His work was scientific

EVIDENCE:
- some of his methods were systematic & well controlled
- Introspection was recorded in a controlled environment (Labs)
- procedures & instructions were standardised

EXPLAIN:
- Labs= extraneous variables not a factor
- Standardised methods meant all participants tested the same way & received the same information

LINK:
- His research can be considered a forerunner to later scientific approaches in psychology
- His research had good internal validity

Question 9

EVALUATION: Limitation -
Other aspects of his research considered unscientific (PEEL)

Answer 9

POINT: Other aspects of his research considered unscientific

EVIDENCE:
- Wundt relied on participants self-reporting their metal processes
- Data becomes subjective
- participants may have hidden some of their thoughts

EXPLAIN:
- difficult to establish meaningful ‘laws of behaviour’ from this data (data is subjective)
- & general laws are needed to predict future behaviour= aims of science

LINK:
- Wundt’s early efforts to study the mind were flawed
- & don’t meet the criteria of scientific enquiry

Question 10

EVALUATION: Strength -
Wundt’s research had great contribution to the field of psychology (PEEL)

Answer 10

POINT: Wundt’s research had great contribution to the field of psychology

EVIDENCE:
- produced the first academic journal for psychological research
- referred to as the founder of modern psychology

EXPLAIN:
- suggests that his research set out the foundations for approaches
- especially behaviourist & cognitive approach

LINK:
- even though his research may have been unscientific
- he still set out the foundations of psychological research
- and allowed it to become more scientific