Origins of Psychology

• What do the six men represent in psychology?

  Six main approaches or perspectives
• How do the six men perceive the elephant?

  Each has a limited perspective
• What does the analogy of the blind men and the elephant illustrate?

  Different perspectives lead to varied interpretations
• Who published one of the first books on psychology?

  Wundt
• What did Wundt establish in 1879?

  Institute of Experimental Psychology
• What method did Wundt use to study sensation and perception?

  The scientific method
• What is introspection?

  Reflection on one's own thoughts
• How is introspection conducted in psychology?

  By analyzing conscious experiences
• What type of events were participants presented with during introspection?

  Standardized sensory events
• What was the purpose of the introspection experiment with birdsong?

  To reflect on feelings and thoughts
• Who used introspection to study fruit machine gamblers?

  E Griffiths
• What did Wundt's methods contribute to psychology?

  Established psychology as a science
• How did behaviorists criticize Wundt's methods?

  They deemed them unscientific
• What is a limitation of introspection mentioned in the study material?

  Subjectivity makes it unreliable
• What philosophical belief did John Locke advocate?

  Empiricism
• What did Rene Descartes believe about the mind and body?

  They are separate entities
• How have evolutionary theories influenced psychology?

  By shaping understanding of behavior
• What are the dominant approaches in psychology from the timeline?

  • 1900s: Psychodynamic approach (Freud)
  • 1920-30s: Behaviourism
  • 1950s: Humanism
  • 1960s: Cognitive Psychology
  • 1960s: Social Psychology
  • 1980s: Biological approach
  • 2000s: Cognitive Neuroscience
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Wundt's introspection method?

  Strengths:

  • Established psychology as a science
  • Focus on mental processes

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Subjective and unreliable
  • Difficult to replicate
• What contributions did early behaviorists make compared to Wundt?

  • Produced reliable findings
  • Developed generalizable principles
  • Focused on observable behavior
• What is the significance of the cognitive approach in relation to introspection?

  • Forerunner of cognitive psychology
  • Focused on mental processes
  • Acknowledged limitations of introspection
• What modern research still utilizes introspection?

  • Griffiths on gambling
  • Csikszentmihalyi on happiness
• What is the relationship between psychology and philosophy?

  • Psychology has roots in 17th and 18th-century philosophy
  • Influenced by thinkers like Descartes and Locke
• What is the approximate date for the establishment of the Institute of Experimental Psychology?

  • 1879
• What is the role of controlled environments in Wundt's research?

  • To establish general theories about mental processes
  • To ensure replicability of experiments