behaviourist approach

• what is introspection

  a method of collecting data of the mind ,which involves observing and describing inner mental states to gain an insight into how mental processes work
• how is introspection done

  1. wundt would train his participants in skills of observing perception and sensation

  2. present pts with a controlled stimuli ( e.g. picture ) and ask ppts to describe what they experienced

  3. ppts would then observe their inner processes such as emotions etc

  4. report in terms of their intensity, quality and duration
• strengh of wundts work

  • leads to psychology as an independent branch of science
• weaknesses of wundts work

  • introspective methods were unreliable as you can’t actually see what someone is thinking
  • there has been much better contributions to psychology
• strengths of using the scientific method in psychology

  • if a scientific theory no longer fits as fact it can be refined or abandoned
• weaknesses of using the scientific method in psychology

  • by concentrating on objectivity and control in observation, artificial situations are created
  • not all psychologists share the view that all humans behaviour can be explored by the use of scientific methods
• assumptions of the learning/behaviourist approach

  • environment shape humans into who they are
  • it is valid to study the behaviour of animal
• what is classical conditioning

  learning through association
• how is classical condition carried out


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