The document provides an in-depth summary of the topic approaches in psychology. There is no extra information, but a concise overview of the topic to provide the essential understanding for top grades.
• Wundt believed all aspects of nature could be studied scientifically included the human mind.
• He paved the way for psychology becoming a science (experimental psychology as preferred method for
studying behaviour)
• Laboratory in Germany--> studied behaviour that can be controlled under experimental conditions.
Aim: Study the structure of the mind
How: Broke down behaviours to basic elements
Conclusion: higher mental processes such as (learning, language and emotions) couldn't be studied in
controlled way BUT could be described using general trends known as cultural psychology.
Referred as a Structuralism--> INTROSPECTION
Introspection
• To look into
• Way in which person gains understanding about own mental/emotional state
• Sufficient training mental process could be looked at systematically--> info used to gain insight
into nature of mental processes
• Participants would be asked to describe mental process when looking/listening at image/sound
and results compared with other participants to come up with general theories when response to
stimuli.
Empiricism--> knowledge comes from observation and experience alone.
All behaviour is caused and can be predicted at different conditions-determinism.
Scientific method-->investigative methods that are objective, systematic and replicable.
No influence/bias Can be predicted to get same results
Accurate-consideration
of other factors
AO3
Point- Wundt's methods are unreliable
Example- Mental processes are unobservable-lacks reliability to methods as it cannot be replicated by
other researchers.
Link-Doesn't follow scientific method-results subjective.
Point- Not always appropriate to use science
Example-Human behaviour not subject to regularities of natural science so cannot be investigated using
same methods.-unobservable
Link-Psychology uses inference--> data and theories put forward do not have direct link.
Point-Useful in scientific psychology--> to make happiness a measurable phenomenon
Example-Hunter (2003) gave teens a bleeper and told them to record feelings when bleep.
Found that they tended to be unhappy but more happy when focused on challenging tasks.
Approaches Page 1
, Found that they tended to be unhappy but more happy when focused on challenging tasks.
Link-So introspection helps us to understand the conditions that affect happiness so can be used to
improve our lives.
Point-Methods were scientific.
Example-His methods were systematic and well-controlled-->in a controlled environment. (to ensure
extraneous variables were not a factor). +standardised so can be replicated.
Link-This suggests that Wundt's work is scientific and a forerunner to later scientific approaches in
psychology.
Approaches Page 2
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