The Origins of Psychology
Natural science is a branch of science concerned with the description, prediction, and
understanding of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation
and experimentation.
Psychology had to adopt methods from the natural sciences to be classed as a science.
It was argued it wasn’t a science because they thought the psyche couldn’t be studied.
Wilhelm Wundt
- He was the first person to call himself a psychologist.
- He is known as the father of psychology.
- He wrote the first psychology textbook (‘Principles of Physiological Psychology’).
- He set up the first laboratory dedicated to experimental psychology.
- He delivered the first university lecture on psychology.
Structuralism
Wundt’s approach became known as structuralism.
He studied the structure of the human mind by breaking up conscious awareness into
basic structures: thoughts, sounds, sensation and perception.
Introspection
Introspection is the process of observing and examining our own conscious thoughts or
emotions.
Perceptual ability allows us to make sense of our outer world.
Introspective ability allows us to make sense of our inner world.
Wundt studied introspection by showing people a ticking metronome and asking them
what their thoughts were, what images they saw and what sensations they felt.
He kept this systematic by showing people the same thing and asking them the same
questions.
The scientific cycle:
Development of scientific theory -> Testing -> Objective, systematic and replicable
observation -> Buildings, refining or falsifying
Natural science is a branch of science concerned with the description, prediction, and
understanding of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation
and experimentation.
Psychology had to adopt methods from the natural sciences to be classed as a science.
It was argued it wasn’t a science because they thought the psyche couldn’t be studied.
Wilhelm Wundt
- He was the first person to call himself a psychologist.
- He is known as the father of psychology.
- He wrote the first psychology textbook (‘Principles of Physiological Psychology’).
- He set up the first laboratory dedicated to experimental psychology.
- He delivered the first university lecture on psychology.
Structuralism
Wundt’s approach became known as structuralism.
He studied the structure of the human mind by breaking up conscious awareness into
basic structures: thoughts, sounds, sensation and perception.
Introspection
Introspection is the process of observing and examining our own conscious thoughts or
emotions.
Perceptual ability allows us to make sense of our outer world.
Introspective ability allows us to make sense of our inner world.
Wundt studied introspection by showing people a ticking metronome and asking them
what their thoughts were, what images they saw and what sensations they felt.
He kept this systematic by showing people the same thing and asking them the same
questions.
The scientific cycle:
Development of scientific theory -> Testing -> Objective, systematic and replicable
observation -> Buildings, refining or falsifying
