Origins Of Psychology (Approaches)

Question 1

Who is the founding father of psychology

Answer 1

Wilhelmina Wundt

Question 2

Where and when was the first psychological laboratory

Answer 2

1879
Leipzig, Germany

Question 3

What and when was the first book published on psychology

Answer 3

‘The Principles of Physiological Psychology’ - 1873

Question 4

How did psychology emerge as a science

Answer 4

• Wundt attempted to use scientific objective methods
• ppts given a standardised procedure and the same stimuli
• E.g. ticking metronome

Question 5

What is meant by introspection

Answer 5

• Wundt used introspection to investigate the human mind
  -ppts asked to reflect on their own cognitive processes and describe them
• comes from Latin and means ‘to look into’

Question 6

What is meant by structuralism

Answer 6

This is identifying consciousness by breaking down behaviours into their basic elements of thoughts, images, and sensations

Question 7

How did structuralism mark the beginning of scientific psychology

Answer 7

Separated it from its boarder philosophical roots

Question 8

PEEL PARAGRAPH- STRENGTH

Answer 8

P- Wundt’s methodologies attempted to be scientific by using standardised procedure in controlled lab experiments
E- ticking metronome?
E- meant all ppts could be tested in the same way to check reliability of findings
L- paved the way for psychology to establish itself as a science

Question 9

PEEL PARAGRAPH - LIMITATION (brief)

Answer 9

P- aspects of Wundt’s work were subjective and lacked scientific rigour of today
E- Wundt relied on self report methods of introspection. May have been affected by individual biases and ppts couldn’t self report on unconscious thoughts
E- difficult to establish meaningful laws of behaviour inline with the aims of science
L- todays standards = his methods were naïve and wouldn’t meet standards of scientific enquiry

Question 10

PEEL PARAGRAPH - STRENGTH (brief)

Answer 10

P- Wundt’s research significantly shaped the future of psychology
E- he was the first person to attempt to study human behaviour as a scientific way using standardised procedures and methodologies E.g. recording reaction times in a systematic way to presented stimuli
E- without his contributions likely psychology would not be the distinct academic subjects it is today
L- most uni’s have psychology departments which have gained scientific status