Full_Origins_of_Psychology_Brainscape_Format Flashcards
(26 cards)
Who set up the world’s first lab for experimental psychology?
The world’s first lab for experimental psychology was set up by Wilhem Wundt in Leipzig, Germany in 1879
How did Wundt aim to understand cause and effect?
By making observations in a controlled environment, to understand cause and effect, Wundt was using the scientific method
What was psychology before the scientific process?
Before the use of the scientific process, psychology had only been the realm of philosophy
What method did Wundt use in his lab to study the mind?
Wundt studied the mind using stimuli presented to the participants in the lab
What is reductionism?
Reductionism is the idea of being able to explain something in terms of its simpler parts
How does reductionism link to Wundt’s approach?
This links to Wundt suggesting that he could apply reductionism to studying the mind
What is introspection?
Introspection is the process of asking an individual to examine and describe their own mental processes
How did Wundt use introspection?
Wundt used introspection to observe how his participants responded to a stimulus
What did Wundt apply to the human mind?
Applied reductionism to the human mind
What did Wundt start?
Started the first experimental psychology laboratory
What method did Wundt use to understand participants’ responses?
Used introspection to understand participant’s responses
What was Wundt the first to apply in psychology?
The first person to apply the scientific method
What are situational variables?
Variables in the environment, other than what the researchers are manipulating that might affect the participants behaviour are called situational variables.
What is standardisation?
When situational variables are controlled we call this standardisation
How did Wundt control his experiments?
He controlled situational variables so his experiments were standardised
Why was his research replicable?
He noted down and recorded his method so his research could be replicable
Why was Wundt’s work scientifically significant?
He was the first to apply the scientific method to psychology
How did Wundt apply the scientific method?
Controlled all his situational variables
Making his studies replicable
What is a criticism of Wundt’s reliability?
Lacks reliability
What makes Wundt’s research less scientific?
No empirical evidence = Less scientific
What does it mean if a study lacks reliability?
When a study is replicated and results are not consistent, we say the study lacks reliability
Why did Wundt’s studies lack empirical evidence?
By not directly observing anything, Wundt’s studies did not have any empirical evidence – this makes the research less scientific.
How did Wundt use the scientific method to study the mind?
Wundt used the scientific method to study the mind.
How did Wundt test participants in his experiments?
He did this by testing participants in a controlled environment, to understand cause and effect.
