Origins of Psychology

Question 1

Who is Wilhelm Wundt?

Answer 1

The first person to call himself a psychologist

Question 2

What did Wundt believe?

Answer 2

That we should scientifically study all aspects of human nature including the human mind

Question 3

What did Wundt’s use of experimental psychology create?

Answer 3

The way for the acceptance of psychology as a science and a discipline in its own right

Question 4

Where did Wundt carry out his research?

Answer 4

In his lab in Leipzig, Germany looking into aspects of human behaviour which could be controlled, such as reaction time, as well as aspects of sensations and perception

Question 5

What was Wilhelm Wundt’s aim?

Answer 5

To study the structure of the human mind, he believe that he could breakdown behaviours to their more basic elements

Question 6

What was his approach referred to?

Answer 6

Structuralism and the technique be used was called introspection

Question 7

What is introspection?

Answer 7

Means ‘looking into’, and can be defined as the process by which a person gains knowledge about his or her own mental and emotional states

Question 8

What does introspection allow?

Answer 8

Able to observe our outer world though our senses, introspection allows us to observe our inner world

Question 9

What did Wundt propose about introspection?

Answer 9

With sufficient training mental process could be observed systematically as they occurred using introspection

Question 10

What was hoped about introspection?

Answer 10

That this information would then help psychologists gain insight into the mental/internal processes that were occurring

Question 11

How did Wundt experiment perception?

Answer 11

He presented participants with carefully controlled stimuli, then they asked were asked to provide descriptions of the inner process that they were experiencing whilst looking at the images, or listening to the tone

Question 12

What did this allow?

Answer 12

Wundt to make comparisons between participants and generate theories about perception and other mental processes

Question 13

What couldn’t be researched in a strict controlled manner?

Answer 13

Higher mental processes suck as learning, language and emotions

Question 14

What are 3 evaluation points?

Answer 14

• Subjective data: answers vary
• Cannot be observed or measured
• Cannot be generalised

Question 15

What is empiricism?

Answer 15

The belief that all knowledge is deprived from observation and experience, it is not something we are born with

Question 16

What are the 2 core principles of this scientific approach?

Answer 16

• All behaviour is seen as being caused (determined)
• If all behaviour is determined then it should be possible to predict how human beings would behave in different conditions

Question 17

What are the 3 key principles of the scientific method?

Answer 17

1. Objective
2. Systematic
3. Replicable

Question 18

What is objective?

Answer 18

Researchers do not let ideas of what they think might happen or want to happen affect their data

Question 19

What is systematic?

Answer 19

Research is carried out in an orderly way. Measurement and recording of data is carried out in an accurate way and other factors which could influence results are considered

Question 20

What is replicable?

Answer 20

Research can be repeated and observations that were made can be repeated to see if the same can be found again. If results cannot be replicated then they are not reliable