Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener - HCC Learning Web

STRUCTURALISM:
Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920):
•Established first first Psychology Lab Lab in in
Germany.
•Defined psychology as as the the science of of human
mind mind and and consciousness.
•Used the the method of of objective introspection
to to identify the the basic basic mental elements.
Edward Titchener (1867-1927):
•Transferred Wundt’s ideas ideas to to America.
Psychology - Dr. Hsu

William James (1842-1910)
FUNCTIONALISM
William James
William James (1842-1910):
•Published “Principles of of Psychology” in in
1890. The The book book covers a wide wide range of of
topics, opening up up the the field field of of psychology.
•Opposed Wundt’s elemental approach,
believed that that “consciousness is is a constant
flow”.
•Believed that that psychology should focus on on
the the usefulness (or (or functions) of of mental
(learning and and perceptual) abilities -functionalism.
Psychology - Dr. Hsu

John B. Watson (1878-1958)
BEHAVIORISM:
John B. Watson
John B. Watson (1878-1958):
•Argued strongly against structuralism and and
contended that that psychology should focus focus only only on on
measurable and and observable behavior -behaviorism.
•Defined psychology as as the the science of of behavior.
•The •The task task of of psychologists is is to to establish the the
laws laws of of behavior: S (stimulus) ------ ------ R
(response).
•Believed in in the the dominant influence of of learning
and and environment as as opposed and and heredity.
Psychology - Dr. Hsu

B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)
BEHAVIORISM:
B. F. Skinner
B. F. F. Skinner (1904-1990):
•A •A strong believer of of behaviorism.
•Contributed enormously in in the the area area of of
operant conditioning --learning learning by by the the
consequences of of behavior.
•Emphasized the the roles roles of of reinforcement and and
punishment in in shaping and and modifying
behavior.
Psychology - Dr. Hsu

PSYCHOANALYSIS:
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
•Founder of of Psychoanalysis --a a personality
theory and and an an approach to to psychotherapy.
•Stressed the the importance of of unconscious
motives.
•Emphasized the the roles roles of of early early childhood
experience (psychosexual stages).
Psychology - Dr. Hsu

GESTALT PSYCHOLOGY:
Max Wertheimer (1880-1943)
Max Wertheimer
Max Wertheimer (1880-1943)
•Focused on on perception and and how how perception
influences thinking and and problem solving.
•“Gestalt” means means whole, configuration, pattern,
and and Gestalt psychologists illustrated how how we we
tend tend to to perceive separate pieces pieces of of information
as as integrated wholes.
•Opposed Wundt’s approach in in searching for for
basic basic mental elements, because “the “the whole whole is is
more more than than the the sum sum of of its its parts”.
Psychology - Dr. Hsu

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY:
Carl Rogers (1902-1987)
Carl Rogers
Carl Rogers (1902-1987):
•Founder of of client-centered or or person-centered
therapy.
•Believed that that human nature nature is is innately good. good.
•Emphasized the the uniqueness of of human, growth
potential, and and human’s capacity for for choice and and
health.
•Emphasized the the importance of of each each person’s
subjective experience and and perception of of the the
world.
Psychology - Dr. Hsu

HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY:
Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
Abraham Maslow
A. Maslow (1908-1970):
•Proposed a a hierarchy of of human needs, needs, from from the the
lowest level level of of physiological needs needs to to the the
highest level level of of self-actualization need. need.
•Studied individuals who who exemplified selfselfactualization --who who used used their their talents and and
abilities to to their their fullest.
•Believed each each person’s potential in in selfselfactualization. Psychology - Dr. Hsu

COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY:
Computer Revolution
Computer Revolution
Cognitive Psychology:
•“Computer Revolution” advanced psychology
in in the the study study of of thinking, mental processes, and and
problem solving.
•Cognitive psychologists apply apply informationprocessing
approach to to the the study study of of human
cognition.
•Cognitive psychologists believe that that computer
can can serve serve as as a a useful useful model model for for understanding
how how human processes information.
Psychology - Dr. Hsu

Time Span Pioneer / Main Event School of Thought
1879 - Wilhelm Wundt Structuralism
1910 William James Functionalism
1910 -1930
History of Psychology
Edward Titchener Structuralism
John B. Watson Behaviorism
Max Wertheimer Gestalt Psychology
Sigmund Freud Psychoanalysis
1930 - B. F. Skinner Behaviorism
1970 Carl Rogers & A. Maslow Humanistic Psychology
1970 - Computer Revolution Cognitive Psychology
Present Brain Research and Imaging Physiological Psychology
Psychology - Dr. Hsu