origins of psychology

• Psychology and science

  Science is: 'discovering the physical and natural world systematically and objectively using empirical methods such as observation and experimentation
• Psychology and science - Systematic

  Using a fixed or controlled method. In scientific research, scientists follow a standardised plan in their investigations.

  Using a systematic approach gives researchers confidence that they have measured what they planned to measure; their measurements are not just the result of an error in conducting their study.

  Other scientists can attempt to replicate the findings using the same methods to check that the initial results are not due to chance.
• Psychology and science - Objectivity

  The absence of bias in research, which can significantly impact a study's design, outcomes, and conclusions. It is crucial that research findings are not influenced by the researcher's personal opinions, which can result in a confirmation bias where researchers merely attempt to support their pre-existing beliefs.

  In psychology, objectivity is especially crucial since psychologists study human behaviour, which is subjective and can be interpreted in various ways. Additionally, researchers may hold strong opinions about topics such as relationships, aggression and gender, which can influence their interpretations of data.
• Psychology and science - Empiricism

  Scientists must test their ideas and base their ideas and base their conclusions on data collected from the world, not just accept theory or logical arguments. Empiricism is fundamental aspect of scientific methodology; specific knowledge comes from formulating, testing and modifying hypotheses. In science, hypotheses can only be accepted after systematic observation and taking careful measurements in well designed experiments.
• The emergence of Psychology as a science - Wundt


  Wundt - 'the father of experimental psychology': before Wundt, the study of the mind and behaviour was limited to philosophy and medicine. Wundt wanted to use the controlled empirical scientific research techniques used by the physical sciences to study the mind.
• The emergence of Psychology as a science - Wundt Facts

  Wundt set up the world's first psychological laboratory, the Institute of Experimental Psychology, in Leipzig, Germany, in the 1870s.

  Wundt was the first person to call himself a psychologist.

  Wundt produced one of the world's first books on psychology.

  Wundt produced the first academic journal that published psychological experiments.
• The emergence of Psychology as a science - How has Wundt helped Psychology?

  Wundt's use of scientific methods helped establish psychology as an independent field of scientific research. Wundt trained many students who would go on to be psychology professors in top universities in America, Europe and Russia, spreading Wundt's scientific methods
• The emergence of Psychology as a science - what was Wundt's research called?

  Wundt's research was called structuralism, an attempt to uncover the hidden structure of the mind by describing it in terms of its simplest definable components. Much of his work focused on the structure of sensation and perception. The experimental method he used in his research was technique called introspection.
• The emergence of Psychology as a science - Process of introspection


  1) Participants are trained to report conscious experiences as objectively as possible.

  2) Participants would be asked to focus on a sensory object, often a ticking metronome.

  3) Participants would systematically report their experience of the object by breaking their thoughts into separate elements; participants would focus inward and report sensations, feelings and images.
• The emergence of Psychology as a science - Introspection


  Wundt carefully controlled the experimental conditions and environment. Wundt developed general theories of mental processes based on the experimental data collected.

  Introspection is not direct observation of mental processes; Wundt made inferences, which means making internal mental processes based on observed behaviour.

  With enough observations of people all behaving the same way in an experiment, researchers make inferences about the processes that may be driving their behaviour. However, inferences are effectively educated guesses, so researchers' assumptions may be incorrect.
• + Wundt's work was highly scientific


  E - For his time, his work was scientific as he used controlled experiments, large sample sizes, and transparent methods.

  E - This allowed him to develop general theories of mental processes and enabled other researchers to replicate his findings.

  L - Therefore, his emphasis on scientific methodology was a significant inspiration for scientific psychologists, including behaviourists.
• + Led to later research


  E - Wundt's experiments concentrated on three areas of mental functioning (thoughts, images and feelings). These are still studied in cognitive psychology today. The study of perceptual processing can be traced back to Wundt.

  E - Without Wundt and his experiments, psychology would've never become its own science.

  L - Therefore, Wundt had a major role in the emergence of psychology as a science.
• / Wundt's methods were unreliable


  E - Wundt's methods were unreliable- Behaviourists criticised that his approach was based on non observable responses.

  E - Although participants reported on their conscious experiences, the processes of memory or perception were considered to be unobservable constructions.

  L - Therefore, there was a lack of reliability in his methods and his experimental methods were not easily reproducible.
• + Relies on determinism


  E - as it relies on belief in determinism they are able to establish the causes of behaviour through the use of replicable methods.

  E - This allows behaviour to be observed in multiple scenarios and be tested to be reliable.