Origins of psychology:

• Wunt established the first psychological lab analysing the nature of the human consciousness under controlled conditions. Wunt introduced introspection.
• Introspection: studying the mind. Individuals reflect on their own cognitive process and describe their own thoughts.
• Structuralism: breaking up parts of the conscience into basic structures: thoughts, images…
• >>> Strength of Wundt's research: Scientific methods e.g. recordings in controlled lab studies + standardised procedures (all tested the same) = considered in later research

  >>> Limitation of Wundt’s research: other aspects are considered unscientific today e.g. self-reports = flawed
• 1900s - Behaviourists observed behaviours 

  1950s - Cognitive approach: likened the mind to a computer

  1980s - Biological approach: introduced technological advances e.g. scanning

  >>> Strength: modern psychology = scientific. The cognitive and biological approach rely on scientific methods e.g. controlled lab studies

  >>> Limitation: some subjective data e.g. studying humans means they can respond to demands characteristics