Wundt & the Emergence of Psychology as a Science (approaches | Origins of Psychology)

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psychology was subsumed within philosophy, e.g. the philosophical school of Stoicism claims that

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self-control is the way to manage destructive, negative emotions

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the philosophical school of Stoicism claims that self-control is the way to manage destructive, negative emotions, the philosophy assumes that

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becoming a clear and unbiased thinker is the route to understanding universal reason

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universal reasoning is

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using logic and understanding the processes of nature inherent in all things, the Stoics used this idea to discuss many common emotions such as anger, fear and excessive joy.

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Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) aka

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the ‘father’ of experimental psychology

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Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) aka the ‘father’ of experimental psychology was

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the first person to usher in psychology as an academic discipline

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In 1875 Wundt

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established the first laboratory dedicated to experimental psychology at Leipzig University

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Wundt’s approach became known as

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structuralism

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structuralism is

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breaking down mental processes into their most basic components

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Wundt wished to aspire to

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the rigorous methods of experimentation in ‘hard sciences’ such as chemistry

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he applied this model of

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objective scientific investigation to the study of the mind/cognition

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Wundt’s approach was to break down the structure of the mind into two broad components:

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• sensations
• perceptions

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Wundt developed a technique, known as

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introspection, the literal definition of which is looking into

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Introspection is

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the process used to examine the inner world of sensations and perceptions

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Introspection works by

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a person consciously observing and being aware of their sensations and perceptions (in the form of thoughts and emotions)

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Once this process of introspection has been made it is followed by

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the cataloguing and reporting of the detail involved

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Wundt’s introspective sessions took place in

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a controlled environment (both he and his colleagues participated)

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Wundt introduced

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stimuli (images or sounds) which participants then considered

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Wundt used the findings from introspection to

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illuminate and identify the processes involved in human consciousness

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Evaluation of Wundt & introspection
Strengths:
- Wundt used

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Wundt used subjective methods in his pursuit of the scientific process which can be viewed as a strength as it places real human experience at the forefront of the objective study of cognitive processes

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Evaluation of Wundt & introspection
Strengths:
- Wundt used subjective methods, this sets his work apart from

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the ‘hard’ sciences as it draws from inner thoughts and feelings, enhancing its mundane realism

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Evaluation of Wundt & introspection
Strengths:
- Wundt’s focus on

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mental processes through introspection can be seen as a forerunner of the cognitive approach

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Evaluation of Wundt & introspection
Strengths:
- Wundt’s focus on mental processes through introspection can be seen as a forerunner of the cognitive approach, this is a strength as

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it paved the way for researchers to find ways to test what is not observable e.g. thoughts, feelings, memory, perception

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Evaluation of Wundt & introspection
Limitations:
- The process of introspection is

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not replicable as it relies on the subjective focus on individual sensations and perceptions

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Evaluation of Wundt & introspection
Limitations:
- The process of introspection is not replicable, this in turn

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limits the reliability of introspection as a scientific method

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Evaluation of Wundt & introspection
Limitations:
- It could be argued that

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early behaviourists such as Pavlov contributed more to the origins of psychology than Wundt did

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Evaluation of Wundt & introspection
Limitations:
- It could be argued that early behaviourists such as Pavlov contributed more to the origins of psychology than Wundt did as

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behaviourist methods are reliable as they adhere more to the features of science which is what Wundt intended but failed to fully realise

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The origins of psychology and its journey towards establishing itself as a valid and credible discipline has, to date, taken almost

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150 years

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1879

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Wundt opened the first experimental psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany and introduced the introspective method

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1900s

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Freud developed psychodynamic theory and psychoanalysis with its emphasis on unconscious motives and drives

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1913

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Watson and Skinner proposed behaviourism as an antidote to Freud and Wundt

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1913: Watson and Skinner proposed behaviourism as an antidote to Freud and Wundt: they argue that only

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behaviour which can be directly observed and measured can be classified as truly scientific

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1913: Watson and Skinner proposed behaviourism as an antidote to Freud and Wundt: they argue that behaviour is

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learned via environmental conditioning

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1950s

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Rogers and Maslow developed humanistic psychology as a rebuff to behaviourism and psychodynamism

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1950s: Rogers and Maslow developed humanistic psychology as a rebuff to behaviourism and psychodynamism: they emphasise

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the importance of free will and a holistic approach to studying the individual (known as phenomenology)

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phenomenology is

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investigating actual human existence, including human experience of free choice and/or action in real (rather than manipulated or artificial) situations

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1950s: Rogers and Maslow developed humanistic psychology as a rebuff to behaviourism and psychodynamism: they focus on

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the positive aspects of individual experience and personal growth

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1960s

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cognitive psychology is suggested, using computer models and information processing to explain behaviour

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1960s: Cognitive psychology is suggested, using computer models and information processing to explain behaviour: mental

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processes are the focus of this strand of psychology

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1960s: Cognitive psychology is suggested, using computer models and information processing to explain behaviour: inferences

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can be drawn by examining cognitive functions in lab experiments

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1980s

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The biological approach took precedence in psychology, made possible by technological advances e.g. brain scans such as MRI

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1980s: The biological approach took precedence in psychology, made possible by technological advances e.g. brain scans such as MRI: Brain-scanning techniques allow

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researchers to look ‘inside’ the brain to track activity or study structural detail

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2000s onwards

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Cognitive neuroscience emerges as the means whereby to amalgamate biology and cognition

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2000s onwards: Cognitive neuroscience emerges as the means whereby to amalgamate biology and cognition: increasingly

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sophisticated technology continues to highlight the relationship between brain and cognition/behaviour

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2000s onwards: Cognitive neuroscience emerges as the means whereby to amalgamate biology and cognition: brain scanning

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can help to identify brain damage/illness and to localise specific functions (e.g. memory) linked to specific brain regions/structures