P2 Approaches: The Origins of Psychology

Question 1

Define psychology.

Answer 1

Study of human mind & behaviour.

Question 2

Define science.

Answer 2

Acquiring knowledge through systematic & objective investigation.

Question 3

Define objective.

Answer 3

• Free from bias, interpretation or judgement.
• So is respresented by fact.

Question 4

Define subjective.

Answer 4

• Open to interpretation or personal view.
• So may be influenced by bias.

Question 5

Define systematic.

Answer 5

Carried out according to a fixed plan or methodology.

Question 6

Define replicable.

Answer 6

Study or method able to be precisely repeated because it´s procedures are standardised.

Question 7

Define falisfiable. (Keep going Will! :))

Answer 7

The possibility of showing a theory or observation as false or incorrect.

Question 8

Why is Wilhem Wundt a significant figure in the history of Psychology?

Answer 8

• Birth of psycology in 1879, when Wundt establised the first psychological laboratory in Germany.
• He separated psychology from philosophy by analysing the workings of the mind in a more structured way, with the emphasis being on objective measurement & control.
• Aims were to document the nature of human consciousness (the mind) & he developed a technique known as introspection.

Question 9

What does introspection mean?

Answer 9

It means ´looking into´ & is the examination of one´s own thoughts.

Question 10

What is systematic reporting of experiences?

Answer 10

• Pts presented with a problem to solve or asked to focus on an object.
• They were asked to look inwards & report their thoughts, emotions & images they experience & sensations.

Question 11

Why are pts given the same standardised instructions?

Answer 11

To allow replication of research.

Question 12

What is the aim of introspection?

Answer 12

• Break up conscious thoughts into constituent parts such as throughts, images, emotions & sensations, known as structuralism.

Question 13

How should introspection be done?

Answer 13

• Focus on the present.
• Pts should be objective (don´t censor any thoughts or emotions).
• Introspection obtained during task to avoid memory problems.

Question 14

What is introspection in short?

Answer 14

Investigating internal events by examining the thoughts & feelings we are conscously aware of at the time.

Question 15

What is a strenth of Wundt´s research?

Answer 15

P - Some aspects he methods would be classed as scientific today.

E - He recorded the introspections within a controlled lab environment.

E -The learning approach, cognitive approach & biological approach all rely on the use of scientific methods, e.g., the use of lab experiments to investigate theories in a controlled & unbiased way.

L- Throughout the 20th century & beyond, psychology has established itself as a scientific discipline.

Question 16

What is a weakness of Wundt´s research?

Answer 16

P - Other aspects of his research would be considered unscientfic today.

E - Wundt relied on pts self reporting their ´private´mental processes. Such data is subjectve & pts may not have wanted to reveal some of the thoughts they were having.

E - Pts would also not have had exactly the same thoughts every time, so establishing general principles would not have been possible. General laws are useful to predict future behaviour, one of the aims of science.

L - Wundt´s early efforts to study the mind were naive & would not meet the criteria of scientific enquiry.

Question 17

What is a third point of Wundt´s research?

Answer 17

P - Wundt´s contribution has opened the pathway for new approaches.

E - Wundt produced first academic journal for psychology research & wrote first textbook. He is referred to as the ´father´of modern psychology.

E- His pioneering research set the foundation for approaches that were to come, particularly the behaviourist approach & cognitive psychology.

L - This shows that despite the flaws in his early experimental research, Wundt made a signifcant contribution to psychology.