The emergence of psychology as a science: Wundt

Question 1

Why was Wundt important?

Answer 1

• Separated psychology from philosophy by studying human behaviour and analysing the workings of the mind in a more structured way (emphasis on objective measurement and control).
• The use of scientific methods in psychology was a move away from philosophical methods- they rely on subjective opinions (not supported by research and evidence).

Question 2

Wundt’s beliefs

Answer 2

• Generalised theories about conscious mental processes, could be established through the use of laboratory methods:
  1. Controlled environments.
  2. Standardised procedures.
  3. Empirical data.
• All these are replicable and falsifiable which gives his work scientific credibility.

Question 3

Evaluation

Answer 3

• Wundt’s focus on measurement and control helped establish psychology as a respected science.
• His use of introspection to study conscious mental processes can be seen as a forerunner of the cognitive approach.

Question 4

Criticism of introspection

Answer 4

1. Not objective, as it relies on the self-report of private mental processes- room for the individual to be selective about what info they share.
2. Social desirability bias may affect the internal validity of Wundt’s method. Individuals may filter out ‘inappropriate experiences’, or could ‘tell more than they know’.
3. Any research that focuses on unobservable matter relies on inference, this is also subjective- reduces the internal validity and scientific credibility of the research/approach.