Task 5 - Experimental Psychology

Question 1

What trend during the 18th and 19th century lead to psychology becoming more distinct from philosophy?

Answer 1

The publishing of many psychological textbooks

Question 2

What distinction did Wolff make in ca. 1730?

Answer 2

Rational vs Empirical Psychology

• > Rational: Science of the nature of the human soul; soul & mind-body problem
• > Empirical: Study of what actually happens in the human soul; about the ability to know, desire; based on experiences

Question 3

What did Bain explain in his 1855 Textbooks “The senses and the intellect” and “The emotions and the will”?

Answer 3

Associationism

-> The theory that the mind learns by associating things

Question 4

Why was Wundt’s psychological laboratory so important (besides the obvious reasons)?

Answer 4

Because before this point, there were only textbooks and courses at universities, but no real field of study when it comes to psychology.

Question 5

Which term is heavily influenced by Gustav Fechner?

Answer 5

Psychophysics

Question 6

What was Ribot’s opinion on introspection?

Answer 6

He said it could be scientific

Question 7

What is a central view of Gestalt psychologists?

Answer 7

The human mind is more than the sum of its parts.

Question 8

In America, the _____ approach was more prominent.

Answer 8

Functionalist

Question 9

When did Behaviorism start to rise?

Answer 9

1920s

Question 10

What happened in 1896, which had an important impact on psychology as a profession?

Answer 10

Witmer opened the first psychological clinic for diagnostic and treatment purposes of mentally ill.

Question 11

Relate Freud to introspection

Answer 11

Introspection was his main method of inquiry

Question 12

Who were important proponents of introspection?

Answer 12

• Wundt
• Freud
• Ribot
• Titchener
• Mill
• Spencer
• James

Question 13

Who was against introspection?

Answer 13

Compte

Question 14

How did experimentalism effect mentally ill patients?

Answer 14

The study of individual differences lead to a development of treatment for mentally impaired.

Question 15

What were zeitgeist aspects at the beginning of the 20th century, that lead to psychology becoming more distinct?

Answer 15

• Individualization
• After WWI, there was an abundance of patients and test subjects for brain lesion studies
• Decrease of importance of religion
• Governmentalization (Psychology as part of public health issues)