approaches in psychology

Question 1

what was wundt’s new ‘scientific’ approach based off of?

Answer 1

• 2 major assumptions - all behaviour being caused (determined) - if behaviour determined - would be possible to predict how human beings would behave in different conditions (predictability)
• technique used to explore these assumptions became known as the scientific method

Question 2

what does the scientific method refer to?

Answer 2

• use of investigative methods that are:
• objective - not influenced by personal beliefs/opinions in considering + representing
• systematic - done/acting accordingly to a fixed plan/system - methodical
• replicable - with the ability to reproduce an exact copy of

Question 3

what is introspection?

Answer 3

• ‘looking inwards’
• method of studying the mind - that wundt believed was scientific - cannot see the mind - defined as a systematic analysis of one’s own conscious experience of a stimulus (something that causes a reaction)

Question 4

what were wundt’s main objectives? what were the standardised procedures done by wundt?

Answer 4

• try to develop theories about mental processes - language + perception
• he + co-workers recorded experiences of various stimuli presented with - divide observations in 3 categories - thoughts, images, sensations
• ex. ticking metronome - and report 3

Question 5

what was wundt’s aim? why is he significant?

Answer 5

• analyse nature of human consciousness - thus represented first systematic attempt to study mind under controlled conditions - pioneering method became known as introspection
• significant - marked beginning of scientific psychology - separating from philosophical roots

Question 6

what is structuralism?

Answer 6

• isolating the structure of consciousness

- stimuli that wundt + co-workers experienced always presented in same order + same instructions issued to all ptp’s

Question 7

what did wundt train his grad students to do?

Answer 7

• wundt trained his grad researchers to make personal observations that were biased + based on experience - reflective of working mind
• these would be based on sensory perception + attention

Question 8

why is wundt significant?

Answer 8

• opened the first ever lab dedicated entirely to psychological enquiry in lezpig germany
• his work significant - marked beginning of scientific psychology - separating from broader philosophical roots
• first systematic attempt to study mind under controlled conditions - introspection