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Define Wundt’s use of the term “introspection”
Investigating internal events by examining conscious thoughts and feelings
What was psychology originally seen as?
A philosophical study
Give the names of 2 of the first philosophers to consider psychological questions and explain their ideas
Rene Descartes: French philosopher who suggested mind and body are independent from each other (cartesian dualism)
John Locke: Proposed empiricism, his view later forming the basis of the behaviourist approach
Who was John Watson and what were his beliefs?
A behaviourist who disapproved of introspection due to its subjective, varied data. He proposed a true science should only study phenomena that could be observed and measured, thus making psychology become seen as a scientific discipline.
When and by whom was the Psychodynamic approach established?
1900s by Sigmund Freud
What is the focus of the psychodynamic approach?
Focuses on the unconscious mind that can drive actions and emotions.
Who established the behaviourist approach and when?
John B. Watson in 1913
What two approaches dominate Psychology 1913-1960?
Behaviourist and Psychodynamic
Who established the humanist approach and when?
Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow in the 1950s
What is the focus of the humanist approach?
The importance of self determination and free will, supporting how behaviour is determined by the individual.
What invention led to the revolution in how Psychologists think about the mind?
The computer which provides an analogy for how the human mind works. (1st technological revolution)
What is the key principle of the cognitive approach?
Emphasis of studying internal mental processes in a scientific way.
What led to the establishment of the biological approach and when?
Technological advances in the 1980s. (2nd technological revolution)
Who was Wilhelm Wundt and what did he do?
Opened the first ever psychological lab in Leipzig to study the mind using introspection.
Describe the process Wundt used to study introspection.
Use a stimuli (metronome, dripping tap)
Participants would report their own conscious experience by writing their sensations, feelings and images down.
Participants would systematically report their thoughts, feelings and images by breaking down thoughts on an object into separate elements.
Wundt would analyse each participant’s response for consistent themes.
How were Wundt’s ideas scientific?
Introspection was recorded under strictly controlled conditions (for example same stimulus used each time).
Same standardised instructions were given to each participant, allowing for replication.
Give and define the 5 features of science
Theory construction: gathering evidence through direct observation
Objectivity/Empirical method: Must be unbiased and have evidence
Falsifiability: Theory needs to be open to being proven not true, therefore theory needs to be testable
Replicability: Can be repeated and same results are attained
Paradigm: A shared set of assumptions and methods between those researching subject (for example general relativity in physics)
What is a strength of Wundt’s introspection and why?
Attempted to be scientific through standardised procedures, reducing situational variables and researcher bias, meaning results were more accurate.
What is a limitation of Wundt’s introspection and why?
Participants could lie about their thoughts, meaning the conclusions were unreliable. Results were also not consistent due to everyone having different minds.
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