psych: origins

• When did psychology first emerge as a distinct subject?

  In the 1880s.
• What was the aim of Wundt's first psychology lab established in 1879?

  To describe human consciousness in a controlled environment using scientific methods.
• What method did Wundt use to study the mind?


  Introspection.
• What was the objective of Wundt's introspection method?

  To break conscious awareness down into the basic structures of thoughts, images, and sensations.
• How did Wundt ensure the reliability of his introspection method?

  By recording introspections in strictly controlled conditions with standardized instructions.
• What were the strengths of Wundt's methods?

  They used scientific methods including a controlled environment and standardized procedures.
• What were the weaknesses of Wundt's introspection method?

  Participants provided subjective information about their own mental processes, leading to potential bias and invalid data.
• How did psychology emerge to become a science?

  Wundt set up the first psychological laboratory to study internal mental processes using scientific methods.
• What did behavioral psychologists argue in the 1930s?

  That psychologists should focus on observable behavior that can be objectively measured rather than internal mental processes.
• Who questioned the value of introspection in the early 20th century?

  John B. Watson.
• What was Watson's main criticism of introspection?

  That the data was mainly subjective and varied too much from person to person.
• What did Watson and Skinner contribute to psychology?

  They brought the language, rigor, and methods of the natural sciences to the behavioral approach.
• How did the legacy of the behaviorist approach influence modern psychology?

  Many psychologists still use lab experiments as part of their research.
• What significant change occurred in psychology during the cognitive revolution in the 1960s?


  The study of mental processes became recognized as a legitimate and highly scientific area within psychology.
• How does the biological approach utilize experimental data?

  By investigating physiological processes using recent advances in technology, including brain scanning techniques.
• What technological advances have biological psychologists taken advantage of since the 1990s?

  Brain scanning techniques such as fMRIs and EEGs, as well as genetic testing.
• What determines whether psychology is considered a science?

  It depends on the method psychologists are using to test behavior, which varies across psychological approaches.
• What are the aims of scientific psychology?

  To increase understanding of human behavior through making predictions and testing these predictions through experiments.
• Why is the humanistic approach generally considered unscientific?

  It focuses on individual experience over making general laws about human behavior.
• How do learning, cognitive, and biological approaches contribute to psychology as a science?

  They rely on lab studies where data is collected in an objective and controlled way, making procedures easily replicable.
• What is a limitation of the psychodynamic approach in psychology?

  It is supported mostly by case studies, which often use interview data that is likely to be biased and not representative.
• How did Wundt's work mark a significant change in psychology?

  It separated psychology from its philosophical roots and established it as a modern scientific discipline.
• How did the behaviorist approach change the focus of psychological research?

  It shifted the focus to observable behavior that could be objectively measured, moving away from introspection.
• What is the relationship between the cognitive revolution and the study of mental processes?

  The cognitive revolution legitimized the study of mental processes as a scientific area within psychology.
• How have advances in technology impacted biological psychology?

  They have allowed researchers to investigate physiological processes in real-time, including brain activity.
• In what ways do different psychological approaches view the scientific status of psychology?

  Some approaches, like learning and cognitive, rely on scientific methods, while others, like humanistic, focus on individual experiences and are less scientific.
• What are the implications of using case studies in the psychodynamic approach?

  They may lead to biased data and limit the ability to generalize findings to a larger population.
• What are the main characteristics of Wundt's psychology lab and its methods?

  • First psychology lab established in 1879 in Germany.
  • Aimed to describe human consciousness using scientific methods.
  • Used introspection to study the mind.
  • Employed controlled methods with standardized instructions.
  • Allowed for replication of procedures.

  
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of Wundt's introspection method?

  Strengths:

  • Used scientific methods in a controlled environment.
  • Standardized procedures allowed for replication.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Subjective data may lead to bias.
  • Difficult to establish general principles due to individual differences.

  
• How did the behaviorist approach change the landscape of psychology?


  • Focused on observable behavior rather than internal mental processes.
  • Emphasized objective measurement and controlled lab studies.
  • Dominated psychology for several decades.
• What are the key developments in psychology since the cognitive revolution?


  • Recognition of mental processes as a legitimate area of study.
  • Use of controlled lab studies to infer information processing.
  • Advances in technology for studying physiological processes.
• What are the implications of different psychological approaches on the scientific status of psychology?

  • Learning, cognitive, and biological approaches rely on scientific methods.
  • Humanistic approach focuses on individual experience, often seen as unscientific.
  • Psychodynamic approach relies on case studies, which may introduce bias.