Origins of Psychology (AO1 + ao3?)

Question 1

Where did psychology come from? 1/3

Answer 1

Descartes 1596-1650

Question 2

What was Descartes theory?

Answer 2

Cartesian Dualism

Question 3

What is Cartesian Dualism + how did it affect psychology?

Answer 3

• we have a mind + a body (brain)
• bc of this view it came to be thought that the mind should be studied

Question 4

Where did psychology come from? 2/3

Answer 4

17th-19th Century

Question 5

What was psych like in 17th-19th Century?

Answer 5

= Branch of philosophy, psych was not yet established but experimental philosophy has many similarities

Question 6

Where did psychology come from? 3/3

Answer 6

Wilhelm Wundt 1832-1920

Question 7

What is Wundt known as?

Answer 7

Founding Father of psychology

Question 8

What did Wundt do?

Answer 8

• founded the first lab for psychological research in 1879, in Leipzig, Germany
• attempted to investigate the mind through introspection

Question 9

What is Introspection?

Answer 9

= Wundt’s revolutionary method studying someone’s internal thought processes

Question 10

What does Introspection allow people to do?

Answer 10

Understand their own mental processes + emotions

Question 11

What was needed for Introspection to take place?

Answer 11

• ppts underwent rigorous training
• strictly controlled conditions
• same stimulus = ticking metronome
• same standardised instructions given to all ppts in order for the procedure to be repeated

Question 12

Positives of Introspection?

Answer 12

• patterns in ppl’s thoughts
• controlled variables
• easily replicated
• standardised procedure

Question 13

Negatives of Introspection?

Answer 13

• ppl can censor their thoughts so not a true representation
• not true to real life bc lab experiment
• quite subjective
• reliant on ppl not lying/missing things