Origins of Psychology

Question 1

What was Descartes dualist theory?

Answer 1

In the 17th century, Descartes suggested that the mind and the body represented a dualism, and that the two interact in differenct ways to produce different behaviours and thoughts.

Question 2

What was Wundt’s contribution to psychology?

Answer 2

1879, Wundt set up his first laboratory where he adopted the use of introspection.

Question 3

What is introspection?

Answer 3

1. Is defined as ‘a means of learning about one’s own currently ongoing mental states or processes. Introspective knowledge is often held to be more immediate or direct than sensory knowledge’,
2. Features 3 conditions: the mentality condition (aims to generate beliefs about mental states and events), the first person condition (aims to generate beliefs about the individual’s own mind), and the temporal proximity condition (generates beliefs and describes the individual’s current mental life).

Question 4

What is structuralism?

Answer 4

Wundt’s process of isolating conscious thoughts into basic structures of thoughts, processes, and images.