AQA PSYCHOLOGY, APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS VERIFIED LATEST UPDATE
When did the emergence of psychology as a science occur?
When Wilhelm Wundt set up the first psychology department at the University of Leipzig in 1879.
Who was Wilhelm Wundt?
A German professor who taught biology and philosophy.
What is Wilhelm Wundt commonly referred to as?
Father of psychology
Why is Wilhelm Wundt the 'father of psychology'?
He set up the first psychology laboratory in the world at the University of Leipzig in Germany in 1879 and
wrote the first psychology textbook 'Principles of physiological psychology'.
How did Wundt define psychology?
Study of the mind. He wanted to develop a theory of the components of the mind.
What methods did Wundt use?
Scientific methods in his lab. Lab experiments were used to study mental processes.
,How many times were Wundt's experiments replicated?
Many times
What were the responses of Wundt's participants to the same stimuli like?
Often varied from one replication to the next. The findings also varied between participants.
How did Wundt study the mind?
He used a technique called introspection where participants reported their own mental responses. Much
of Wundt's research was on the topic of perception, especially reaction time. For example, he presented
participants with a sensory stimulus (a light or sound) and participants were asked to report when they
first perceived the stimulus. This allowed Wundt to calculate the time it takes for people to perceive
sensory events.
How influential was Wundt? Give examples of how he has influenced psychology
• Wundt established psychology as a separate scientific subject and taught students who later set up
psychology departments at universities around the world.
• Wundt's use of scientific methods (lab experiments) influenced later approaches to psychology
including the behaviourist and cognitive approaches.
• Few of Wundt's specific theories have had a lasting impact on psychology.
• Introspection fell out of use in psychology because the findings were not always replicable.
Evaluation of Wundt's role in the emergence of psychology as a science
- Scientific credibility of Wundt's methods
- Scientific credibility of Wundt's findings or introspection
- Influence
,Scientific credibility of Wundt's methods (Evaluation of Wundt's role in the emergence of psychology
as a science)
Wundt's research methodology was considered scientifically credible. This is because the research
method he preferred to use was lab experiments. Therefore, it was easy to replicate his studies in the
exact same way as the researcher has full control of the environment. This allowed Wundt to check the
replicability of the findings.
Scientific credibility of Wundt's findings or introspection (Evaluation of Wundt's role in the emergence
of psychology as a science)
However, Wundt's findings were not considered scientifically credible. This is because his findings were
not replicable due to participants reacting differently to the same stimuli from one replication to the
next and findings also varied between participants. Introspection is not considered a scientific way to
investigate mental processes as people are required to report their own mental processes which is
subject to human error and bias.
Influence (Evaluation of Wundt's role in the emergence of psychology as a science)
There are several reasons why Wundt was influential in the emergence of psychology as a science. First,
he set up the first psychology department at the university of Leipzig in Germany in 1879. Here he
established psychology as a separate science and taught students who later set up psychology
departments in Universities around the world. Also, he wrote the first ever psychology test book called
'Principles of physiological psychology'. Additionally he used scientific methods such as lab experiments
which influenced later approaches to psychology, including the behaviourist and cognitive approaches.
However, Wundt's influence on later psychology was limited. For example, few of Wundt's specific
theories have had a lasting impact on psychology. Additionally, introspection fell out of use in psychology
because the findings were not always reliable.
, What is the Psychodynamic approach?
Investigates the unconscious mind and its effects on behaviour.
Who was the founder of the Psychodynamic approach?
Sigmund Freud
What is the unconscious?
Part of the mind which is outside conscious awareness
What does the unconscious contain?
• Instinctive sexual and aggressive urges
• Traumatic memories which are too distressing for the conscious mind to deal with.
Name the process in which traumatic memories are placed in the unconscious?
Repression
What can the contents of the unconscious lead to?
Distressing emotions such as anxiety and low mood which affect a person's behaviour.
Name the three parts personality is made up of according to Freud
The id, ego and superego
What is the id?
An unconscious part of the mind that is present from birth. It demands that our need for food and
pleasure are met immediately.
What is the ego?
EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS VERIFIED LATEST UPDATE
When did the emergence of psychology as a science occur?
When Wilhelm Wundt set up the first psychology department at the University of Leipzig in 1879.
Who was Wilhelm Wundt?
A German professor who taught biology and philosophy.
What is Wilhelm Wundt commonly referred to as?
Father of psychology
Why is Wilhelm Wundt the 'father of psychology'?
He set up the first psychology laboratory in the world at the University of Leipzig in Germany in 1879 and
wrote the first psychology textbook 'Principles of physiological psychology'.
How did Wundt define psychology?
Study of the mind. He wanted to develop a theory of the components of the mind.
What methods did Wundt use?
Scientific methods in his lab. Lab experiments were used to study mental processes.
,How many times were Wundt's experiments replicated?
Many times
What were the responses of Wundt's participants to the same stimuli like?
Often varied from one replication to the next. The findings also varied between participants.
How did Wundt study the mind?
He used a technique called introspection where participants reported their own mental responses. Much
of Wundt's research was on the topic of perception, especially reaction time. For example, he presented
participants with a sensory stimulus (a light or sound) and participants were asked to report when they
first perceived the stimulus. This allowed Wundt to calculate the time it takes for people to perceive
sensory events.
How influential was Wundt? Give examples of how he has influenced psychology
• Wundt established psychology as a separate scientific subject and taught students who later set up
psychology departments at universities around the world.
• Wundt's use of scientific methods (lab experiments) influenced later approaches to psychology
including the behaviourist and cognitive approaches.
• Few of Wundt's specific theories have had a lasting impact on psychology.
• Introspection fell out of use in psychology because the findings were not always replicable.
Evaluation of Wundt's role in the emergence of psychology as a science
- Scientific credibility of Wundt's methods
- Scientific credibility of Wundt's findings or introspection
- Influence
,Scientific credibility of Wundt's methods (Evaluation of Wundt's role in the emergence of psychology
as a science)
Wundt's research methodology was considered scientifically credible. This is because the research
method he preferred to use was lab experiments. Therefore, it was easy to replicate his studies in the
exact same way as the researcher has full control of the environment. This allowed Wundt to check the
replicability of the findings.
Scientific credibility of Wundt's findings or introspection (Evaluation of Wundt's role in the emergence
of psychology as a science)
However, Wundt's findings were not considered scientifically credible. This is because his findings were
not replicable due to participants reacting differently to the same stimuli from one replication to the
next and findings also varied between participants. Introspection is not considered a scientific way to
investigate mental processes as people are required to report their own mental processes which is
subject to human error and bias.
Influence (Evaluation of Wundt's role in the emergence of psychology as a science)
There are several reasons why Wundt was influential in the emergence of psychology as a science. First,
he set up the first psychology department at the university of Leipzig in Germany in 1879. Here he
established psychology as a separate science and taught students who later set up psychology
departments in Universities around the world. Also, he wrote the first ever psychology test book called
'Principles of physiological psychology'. Additionally he used scientific methods such as lab experiments
which influenced later approaches to psychology, including the behaviourist and cognitive approaches.
However, Wundt's influence on later psychology was limited. For example, few of Wundt's specific
theories have had a lasting impact on psychology. Additionally, introspection fell out of use in psychology
because the findings were not always reliable.
, What is the Psychodynamic approach?
Investigates the unconscious mind and its effects on behaviour.
Who was the founder of the Psychodynamic approach?
Sigmund Freud
What is the unconscious?
Part of the mind which is outside conscious awareness
What does the unconscious contain?
• Instinctive sexual and aggressive urges
• Traumatic memories which are too distressing for the conscious mind to deal with.
Name the process in which traumatic memories are placed in the unconscious?
Repression
What can the contents of the unconscious lead to?
Distressing emotions such as anxiety and low mood which affect a person's behaviour.
Name the three parts personality is made up of according to Freud
The id, ego and superego
What is the id?
An unconscious part of the mind that is present from birth. It demands that our need for food and
pleasure are met immediately.
What is the ego?
