introspection

• wilhem wundt

  father of psychology

  published first book in 1873 - principles of physiological psychology

  opened the first psychology lab in 1879 - leipzig, germany
• wundt's approach


  study the structure of the human mind - breaking down behaviours into their basic elements - became known as structuralism

  'organising the mind'
• reductionism

  reducing something (behaviours and mental processes) down to its simplest form
• introspection

  reflect on their own cognitive processes and describe them

  he established psychology as a science by using the scientific method
• introspection method

  record reaction times in response to different stimuli

  longer time taken = more processes used

  he aimed to make it systematic, replicable, structured and controlled - legitimate science
• example of introspection experiment

  provide standardised instructions and training - follow without losing focus

  given stimulus - feelings, sensations and thoughts (qualitative)

  control and standardised - same stimulus, surroundings and instructions