Wundt and Introspection

Cards (8)

  • Definition of introspection
    The process of studying the mind is known as introspection.
  • Wundt's lab
    • First lab ever dedicated to psychology
    • Opened in 1879 by Wundt In Germany
    • Objective was to document & describe nature of human consciousness
    • Method set to be known as introspection
    • Introspection = Wundt & co workers recording own conscious thoughts
    • Aim of breaking down into their constituent parts
    • Isolating structure of consciousness is called structuralism
  • Controlled methods
    • Methods used by Wundt would come to be known as scientific.
    • All introspections recorded under controlled conditions using same stimulus each time
    • Same instructions issued to all participants allowing it to be repeated
    • Wundt's work significant as it marked separation of modern scientific psychology from old and broader philosophical roots
  • John B Watson rejected introspection as it involved too many concepts that were vague and difficult to measure and as a result behaviourists relied on lab experiments
  • Define structuralism
    The approach he used which involved analysing conscious thoughts by breaking them down into constituent parts such as thoughts, sensations etc
  • A01 exam practice - Describe Wundt's role in the development of psychology
  • Evaluate Wundt's contribution to psychology - 4 marks
  • Outline and evaluate Wundt's role in the emergence of psychology as a science