origins of psychology Flashcards
(25 cards)
Who is considered the founder of psychology as a science?
Wilhelm Wundt
What year did Wundt open the first psychology lab?
1879
Where was Wundt’s first psychology lab located?
University of Leipzig
What method did Wundt pioneer for studying the mind?
Introspection
What does introspection involve?
Systematic analysis of conscious experience under controlled conditions
What was the aim of Wundt’s introspective method?
To analyze the nature of human consciousness scientifically
What are the three categories Wundt used to classify mental processes?
Thoughts, images, sensations
What is structuralism in psychology?
The study of the structure of consciousness by isolating its basic elements
How did Wundt ensure standardisation in his experiments?
He presented stimuli in the same order and gave the same instructions to all participants
Why is Wundt’s work considered scientific?
His methods were systematic, well-controlled, and standardised
What is a limitation of Wundt’s introspection method?
It relied on subjective self-report, which may not be scientifically reliable
What is an extraneous variable?
A variable other than the independent variable that could affect the outcome of an experiment
What is the significance of Wundt’s contribution to psychology?
He set the foundation for later scientific approaches, including behaviourism and cognitive psychology
Why is Wundt often considered the ‘founding father’ of psychology as a science?
He produced the first academic journal for psychological research and wrote the first textbook
What is the main aim of science?
To discover general laws through systematic and objective measurement
Why did behaviourists reject introspection?
Because it produced subjective data that could not be objectively measured
Name two key behaviourists.
~ Watson
~ Skinner
What approach dominated scientific psychology for 50 years from the 1900s?
The behaviourist approach
What technological advances helped the biological approach in the 1980s?
fMRI, EEG, and genetic testing
What is the multi-store model?
A cognitive model likening the mind to a computer, used to study memory and attention
How did the cognitive approach ensure scientific study of the mind?
By using experiments to test predictions about mental processes
What is one strength of modern psychology?
It uses scientific methods similar to the natural sciences
What is a limitation of some modern psychological approaches?
Not all use objective methods; some rely on subjective experience
What is a demand characteristic?
When participants alter their behaviour because they know they are being studied
