Introspection Flashcards
(11 cards)
When did Wundt open the first psychology lab?
1879
What was Wundt’s method called?
Introspection
What is introspection?
When a person gains insight into his or hers mental and emotional state through examination or observation of their conscious thoughts and feelings
Was Wundt’s method objective?
No
What is meant by objective?
preconceptions and bias do not influence data collection
Is Wundt’s method systematic?
To some extent
What is systematic?
measurement and recording on empirical data are carried out with precision and control
Is Wundt’s method replicable?
Yes
What is empiricism?
Knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience, what we hear/see. Scientific understanding should be based on observation and experimentation. Theories must be tested on real-world observation and measurable outcomes
A03 - Limitation - Unreliable
- The method was unreliable.
- Although ppts could report on their conscious experiences, the processes themselves (memory and perception) were considered unobservable constructions.
- His method ultimately failed due to the lack of reliability of his methods.
- Introspective methods relied on ppts thought which are highly subjective and therefore cannot be reliably reproduced by other researchers.
A03 - Strength - Still useful in psychology studies
- Csikszentmihalyi and Hunter (2003) used introspective methods to conduct a research on making happiness a measurable experience.
- They gave a group of teenagers a buzzer that went of at random times during the day which alerted them to write down their thoughts and feelings.
- C + H found that most teenagers were more unhappy than happy.
- Introspection therefore offers a way of understanding momentarily conditions that affect happiness and may help research improve quality of life.
