History of Psychology PS Unit 3 Seminar With Instructor Kimberly Maring

Today Today’s Unit 3 seminar is about some important founding fathers of psychology. The concept of introspection and the foundations of psychology that have greatly influenced modern psychology. The concept of the conscious experience and what that really means to each of us.

QUESTION? Why is Wundt considered the founder of the new psychology?

Wilhelm Wundt ( ) Considered founder of modern psychology as a school of thought called ◦Experimental Psychology German medical doctor Not appreciated in his day because of unpopular political views (WWI sided with Kaiser Wilhelm)

Wilhelm Wundt ( ) Divided psychology from philosophy because of the use of the experimental method (scientific measurement ) he introduced.

WUNDT How did Wundt’s cultural psychology lead to a division in psychology? ◦Cultural Psychology precursor to Social Psychology ◦Social – language, systems, norms ◦Experimental – sensation/perception, physiological

Wundt’s subject matter of psychology... Consciousness

Wundt’s Premise ◦Basic human experience forms the states of consciousness the mind organizes.

Wundt’s Question What are elements of consciousness? What is their role in mental life?

Wundt’s Questions What are elements of consciousness? What is their role in mental life? ◦Basic human experience forms the states of consciousness the mind organizes. ◦Examination of one’s own mental state through introspection

Introspection is... Examination of one’s own mind to inspect and report on personal thoughts or feelings.

Introspection in Modern Psychology Clinical and industrial/organizational psychology use introspection today.

Wundt’s Apperception Apperception is the process by which mental elements are organized into a whole

Wundt’s criteria... Observers must be able to determine when the process is to be introduced. Observers must be in a state of readiness or strained attention. It must be possible to repeat the observation several times. It must be possible to vary the experimental conditions in terms of the controlled manipulation of the stimuli.

1850–1909 Hermann Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve

Lifetime Comparisons Compare their lifetimes: Wilhelm Wundt 1832 – 1920 Hermann Ebbinghaus E. B. Titchener 1867 – 1927 Titchener studied Wundt and came back to be the shining star of Cornell University

E. B. Titchener Compare their lifetimes: Wilhelm Wundt 1832 – 1920 E. B. Titchener 1867 – 1927 Titchener studied Wundt and came back to be the shining star of Cornell University Studied conscious experience through experimentation followed by self-report in contrast to Wundt’s outside evaluation and timing.

Structuralism = Titchener Structuralism—Titchener’s system of psychology, which dealt with the conscious experience as dependent on experiencing persons.

E. B. Titchener/Structuralism conscious experience introspection the elements of consciousness.

Conscious Experience “... The subject matter of psychology is conscious experience as that experience is dependent on the person who is actually experiencing it” (Schultz & Schultz, 2008, p.110). How does this differ from what scientists in other fields of study do?

Titchener’s Definition of Mind The sum of our experiences accumulated over a lifetime

Women and Titchener ◦were not allowed to conduct experiments ◦ views changed throughout Titchener’s lifetime. ◦No ladies smoking cigars

Women and Titchener ◦Margaret Floy Washburn first doctoral student in psychology; Titchener’s first doctoral award.

Margaret Floy Washburn First woman doctoral student in psychology; Titchener’s first doctoral award.

Ethics of today and Titchener Obstructing and promoting women Invasive requirements for being under his tutelage ◦Married students recording sexual activity with description ◦Rubber hose swallowing to record stomach dynamics ◦All students, male and female, serving him in his home

Any questions? Ask or ! You survived yet another seminar! Have a great week and see you on the discussion board!