origins

• Wundt opened, in Leipzig Germany, the first psychology lab in 1879. The aim was to describe the nature of human consciousness in a carefully controlled and scientific environment - a lab
• Wundt pioneered introspection, the first systematic experimental attempt to study the mind
• The same standardised instructions were given to all participants and stimuli were presented in the same order (standardised procedure).
• Introspection led to identifying the structure of consciousness by breaking it up into basic structures : thoughts, images and sensations. This marked the beginning of scientific psychology, separating it from its broader philosophical roots
• 1900s - Early behaviourists rejected introspection


  Watson argued that introspection was subjective, in that it is influenced by personal perspective. According to the behaviourist approach, 'scientific' psychology should only study phenomena that can be observed and measured.
• 1930s - Behaviourist scientific approach dominated psychology 


  Skinner brought the language and rigour of the natural sciences into psychology. The behaviourists' focus on learning, and the use of carefully controlled lab studies, would dominate psychology for 50 years.
• 1950s - Cognitive approach studied mental processes scientifically


  Following the computer revolution of the 1950s, the study of mental processes was seen as legitimate within psychology. Cognitive psychologists likened the mind to a computer and tested their predictions about memory and attention using experiments.
• 1980s - The biological approach introduced technological advances


  Biological psychologists have taken advantage of recent advances in technology, including recording brain activity, using scanning techniques like FMRI and EGG and advanced genetic research
• Evaluation - Wundt

  One strength is that aspects of Wundt's work are scientific. For example, he recorded the introspections within a controlled lab environment. He also standardised his procedures so that all participants received the same information and were tested in the same way. Therefore, Wundt's research can be considered a forerunner to the later scientific approaches in psychology that were to come.
• Evaluation - Wundt

  One limitation is that other aspects of Wundt's research are subjective. Wundt relied on participants self-reporting their 'private' mental processe. Such data is subjective. Participants may have also have hidden some of their thoughts. This makes it difficult to establish meaningful 'laws of behaviour', one of the aims of science. Therefore, wundt's early efforts to study the mind were naive and would not meet the criteria of scientific enquiry.
• Evaluation - emergence of psychology as a science

  One strength is that research in modern psychology can claim to be scientific. Psychology has the same aims as the naturals sciences which is to describe, understand, predict and control behaviour. Learning, cognitive and biological approaches all use scientific methods like lab studies which are controlled and unbiased. Throughout the 20th century and beyond, psychology has established itself as a scientific discipline.
• Evaluation - emergence of psychology as a science

  One limitation of psychology is that some approaches use subjective data. Humanistic approach does not formulate general laws of behaviour. Psychodynamic approach uses case studies with unrepresentative samples. Psychologists study human s who are active participants and therefore respond to demand characteristics. Therefore, a scientific approach to the study of human thought and experience is not desirable or possible.