Wundt and Introspection

• 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