The origins of Psychology eval

Question 1

Methods were unreliable and not replicable

Answer 1

• relied on ‘non-observable’ responses
• the mental processes themselves were seen as unobservable constructions
• His results were not reliably replicable by other researchers in other labs

Question 2

Scientific approach not always appropriate

Answer 2

• Nisbett and Wilson (1977) claim we have very little knowledge about how our mental processes work
• They found this problem was particulary acute in the study of implicit attitudes (eg. attitudes or stereotypes that are unkown to us)
• Because such attitudes are outside of our conscious awareness, self reports and introspection would not uncover them

Question 3

Introspection is still useful in scientific psychology

Answer 3

• not entirely abandoned and making a bit of a comeback
• Researchers have recently used introspection to try to measure happiness (teens had to write down their thoughts and feelings at regular intervals throughout the day)
• found that teens were most happy when engaged in a challenging task
• Introspection can offer researchers a way of understanding the momentrary conditions that improve happiness and can help improve the quality of our lives