wundt evaluation

• Scientific

  One strength of Wundt's work is that some of his methods were systematic and well-controlled (ie. scientific).

  All introspections were recorded in the controlled environment of the lab, ensuring that possible extraneous variables were not a factor. As described on the left, procedures and instructions were carefully standardised so that all participants received the same information and were tested in the same way. This suggests that Wundt's research can be considered a forerunner to later scientific approaches in psychology, such as the behaviourist approach.
• unscientific today

  One limitation is that other aspects of Wundt's research would be considered unscientific today. Wundt relied on participants self-reporting their mental processes. Such data is subjective (influenced by a personal perspective). Also participants may have hidden some of their thoughts. It is difficult to establish meaningful laws of behaviour' from such data. And general laws are useful to predict future behaviour, one of the aims of science.

  This suggests that some of Wundt's early efforts to study the mind were flawed and would not meet the criteria of scientific enquiry.