Origins of Psychology

• John Locke


  • Empiricism
  • Influenced psychology becoming a science
• Empiricism


  The belief that all knowledge is derived from experience and can be studied using the scientific method
• Wundt


  • 'Principles of Physiological Psychology'
  • 1879, first psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany
  • 'Father of Psychology'
  • Separated Psychology from philosophy
  • Paved the way from controlled research
  • Introspection and Structuralism
• Introspection


  examination of one's own thoughts and feelings
• Structuralism


  the analysis of the basic elements that constitute the mind
• Wundt's research

  • Controlled environment and stimuli
  • Limited participant's responses
  • Trained participants to give detailed responses
  • Implemented standardised procedure
  • Established psychology as a science by using the scientific process
• Standardised procedures


  every step of the research is controlled and all participants are treated equally, so all have same experience
• When was psychology seen as a branch of philosophy?

  17th-19th century