origins of pychology

Question 1

Define the term ‘science’.

Answer 1

. gaining knowledge
. through the use of objective (factual) investigation

Question 2

Wundt’s role in development of psychology as a science

Answer 2

.Wundt is ‘Father of Psychology’
. set up first psychology lab in Germany 1879
. published one of first books of psychology
. established subject as independent branch of science
. used controlled environments to establish general theories about mental processes
. used scientific methods to study structure sensation and perception using introspection
. argue human experiences analysed in components

Question 3

Introspection

Answer 3

. focuses on present experiences
. individual’s conscious experience systematically analysed
. focus on object - listening to stimulus e.g. metronome - look inwards - focus sensations, feelings, images
. analysis broken into components thoughts, feelings, sensations

Question 4

AO3 for Wundt: move psychology away

Answer 4

P - praised moving psychology away philosophical roots
E - used controlled environments - standardised procedure - study thoughts, feelings, sensation
E - e.g. using same stimulus every time - ticking metronome - give ppts same standardised instructions
L - increased ability replicate pieces of research - increase psychology’s status and emergence as science

Question 5

AO3 for Wundt: replicable not reliable

Answer 5

P - research replicable was not reliable
E - as introspection focuses on ppts subjective experience - so findings varied greatly from person to person - difficult to establish consistent general principles of human behaviour
E - behaviourist psychologists believe psychology only study behaviour observed and measured scientifically - as result this behaviourist approach - use more empirical objective methods - e.g. controlled lab experiments to study human behaviour
L - increase scientific status psychology as subject

Question 6

AO3 for Wundt: some aspects unscientific today

Answer 6

P - limitation - some aspects Wundt’s research considered unscientific today
E - he relied on ppts self-reporting their mental processes - data subjective - varied greatly ppt to ppt
E - difficult establish general principles human behaviour - and predict future outcomes - which is aim of science
L - so some Wundt’s early efforts study mind are flawed - not meet criteria scientific enquiry