origins of psychology Flashcards
Psychology sees itself as a …?
Science
Who was the first person to call themselves a psychologist?
Wilhelm Wundt
what did Wundt believe?
that all aspects of nature, including the human mind, could be studied scientifically.
What did Wundt study in his laboratory in Leipzig, Germany?
Aspects of behavior that could be strictly controlled under experimental conditions, eg reaction time in humans. His aim was to study the human mind.
What technique did Wundt use?
introspection
what did Wundt realize?
that internal mental processes such as, emotions and learning, could not be studied in a strict controlled manner
What does introspection mean in latin?
looking into
what is introspection?
the process by which a person gains knowledge about their mental and emotional states. Our introspective ability allows us to observe our inner world.
what is the glue that holds psychology together as a discipline?
empiricism
what do empiricists believe?
that knowledge comes from experience and observation alone.
why is psychology considered a science?
because it relies upon empirical study of behavior that can be replicated and is objective and systematic.
what was the scientific approach based upon ?
the assumption that behavior is being caused and if behavior is determined its possible to predict how humans would behavior in different conditions.
weaknesses of Wundts methods?
its unreliable as it relied upon non observable responses and were not reproducible.
weaknesses of introspection?
not accurate- nisbert and wilson 1977 found participants were unaware of the factors that influenced their choice of a consumer item supporting the view that we have very little knowledge of the causes of processes underlying our behavior and attitudes.
the scientific cycle?
objective systematic and replicable observation = building, refining or falsifying = development of a scientific theory= testing= ( back to begging)
