Subject: Psychology
Origins of psychology: Wundt, introspection and the emergence of
psychology as a science. The origins of Psychology are largely thought to have occurred in Germany from the work of Wilhelm Wundt. He established the first psychology laboratory in 1875 and founded the Institute of Experimental Psychology in 1879 with his colleague Gustav Fechner. Introspection: a technique pioneered by Wundt to gain insight into how mental processes work. People were trained to report, in detail, their inner experiences when presented with stimulus such as a problem to solve or something to be memorised. Features of Introspection: 
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Focus on the pts being objective Getting pts to reflect on sensations, feelings and images – Wundt would ask people to focus on an everyday object and look inwards noticing their sensations and feelings Wundt would ask people to break down their thoughts into separate elements Evaluation Wundt’s methods are unreliable as they rely primarily on non‐observable responses, individuals can comment on experiences but this does not give us a reliable understanding of unobservable constructs such as memory and perception. Introspective ‘experimental’ results were not reliably reproducible by other researchers. Nisbett & Wilson (1977) claim that we have very little knowledge of the causes of and process underlying our behaviour and attitudes; this claim therefore challenges the value of introspective reports. For example, pts were unaware of the factors that had been influential in their choice of a consumer item. This problem is particularly acute in the study of implicit attitudes, i.e. attitudes or stereotypes that are unknown to us. For example, a person may be implicitly racist, which influences the way they react to members of a different ethnic group, yet because these attitudes exist outside of conscious awareness, introspection would not uncover them. Psychology today is seen as a science and uses a variety of methodologies, many of which are empirical, to investigate human and animal behaviour. Empirical evidence is based on the use of scientific techniques; it was these methods that Wundt and his colleagues applied to the study of behaviour that saw the rise of psychology as a distinct entity. This scientific approach to psychology was based on two assumptions, first all behaviour has a cause (the assumption of determinism), if behaviour has a cause then we should be able to predict how humans behave (the assumption of predictability). The scientific method in Psychology This refers to the use of investigative methods that are objective, systematic and replicable. It is objective in that researchers do not let preconceived ideas or biases influence the collection of data and it is systematic in that observations or experiments are carried out in an orderly way. Measurement and recording of empirical data are carried out accurately and with due consideration for the possible influence of other factors on the result obtained. It is replicable in that observations can be repeated by others to determine whether the same results are obtained. If results are not replicable they are not reliable. The scientific cycle: Objective, systematic and replicable observation Testing Evaluation Building, refining or falsifying Development of a scientific theory Strengths of a scientific approach 
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Because of its reliance on objective and systematic methods of observation, knowledge acquired is more than just the passive acceptance of facts Because scientific methods rely on a belief in determinism, they are able to establish the causes of behaviour through the use of methods that are both empirical and replicable If scientific theories no longer fit the facts, they can be redefined or abandoned. Because psychologists are always repeating each other’s work, it is hard for a theory that does not fit to hang on. Limitations of a scientific approach 
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By concentrating on objectivity and control in observations, scientific psychologists create contrived situations that tell us little about how people act in natural environments Much of the subject matter of psychology is unobservable, therefore cannot be measured with any degree of accuracy. Of all the sciences, psychology is the most inferential Not all psychologists share the view that human behaviour can be explored by the use of scientific methods. If human behaviour is not subject to the laws and regularities implied by scientific methods, then predictions become impossible an these methods inappropriate. Can you… Explain Wundt’s contribution to the development of Psychology? Outline one criticism of Wundt’s contribution to psychology? Explain what is meant by introspection? Outline two criticisms of introspection as a method of investigation Explain the emergence of psychology as a science Outline one strength and one limitation of the scientific approach in psychology (3+3 marks)