summary

origins of psychology

wundt and introspection

wundt established the first psychology lab = opened in germany 1879, aim was to describe nature of human consciousness (mind) in a controlled and scientific environment
introspection = looking into ones own mental and emotional processes, first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind
controlled procedures = same standardised instructions were given to all participants and stimuli (objects or sounds) were presented in the same order (standardised procedures). eg pps were given a ticking metronome and would report thoughts and feelings of it
structuralism = led to identifying structure of consciousness by breaking up into basic structures: thoughts, images, sensations, marked beginning of scientific psychology

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+ scientific = controlled lab environment. standardised his procedure so all pps received same info and were tested the same way. therefore can be considered a forerunner to later scientific approaches
- subjective = relies on pps self reporting on their prrivate mental processes, data is subjective, pps may have also hidden their thoughts. difficult to establish laws of behaviour. therefore would not meet criteria of scientific enquiry

emergence of psychology as a science

1900s early behaviourists rejected introspection = watson argued that introspection was subjective, influenced by personal perspective. according to behaviourist approach, scientific psychology should only be used to study phenomena that can be observed and measured.
1930s behaviourist scientific approach dominated psychology = skinner - brought the language and rigour of the natural sciences into psychology. behaviourists focus on learning, use fo carefully controlled lab studies
1950s cognitive approach = mental processes were seen as legitimate within psychology. cognitive psychologists likened the mind to a computer and tested their predictions about memory and attention
1980s biological approach introduced technological advances = biological approaches have taken advantage of recent advances in technology including recording brain activity, scanning techniques e.g. fMRI and EEG and genetic research

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