Origins of Psychology

• Psychology is the scientific study of behavioural and mental processes.
• Wundt was the first person to be called a psychologist and opened the first psychology lab in Germany 1879.
• Wundt developed a method of studying the human mind: introspection
• Introspection is the examination of ones thoughts: looking into their conscious thoughts.
• Introspection is usually studied through self-reporting tasks where participants are presented with a problem to solve or memories, they would be asked to report their thoughts.
• 1879 - Wundt opened the first experimental psychology lab in Germany
• 1900 - Freud established the psychodynamic approach and emphasised the influence of unconscious mind on behaviour. He also developed psychoanalysis as a method for treating depression.
• 1913 - Watson and Skinner established the behaviourist approach. They believed that behaviour is learnt and were only interested in observable behaviours.
• 1950 - Rogers and Maslow developed the humanistic approach. Humanists emphasised the importance of free will.
• 1960 - the cognitive approach was developed, interested in studying mental processes.
• 1980 - biological approach was developed, technological advances such as MRI scans came into prominent use
• 2000 - cognitive neuroscience investigates how biological studies influence mental states