chapter 9 voluntarism structuralism and other early ap

8/13/2019 Chapter 9 Voluntarism Structuralism and Other Early AP

1/46

Voluntarism,Structuralism, and OtherEarly Approaches toPsychologyChapter 9


2/46


3/46

Wilhelm WundtMeasuring a Voluntary Process


4/46

Schools of Psychology

School : A group of scientists who sharecommon assumptions, goals, problems, andmethods.

Similar to Kuhns notion of paradigm. Some schools in Psychology Voluntarism

Structuralism Behaviorism Gestalt

Etc.


5/46

Empiricism- StructuralismLocke, Hume (Titchener, followers)

Rationalism- Voluntarism

Kant, Herbart Wundt, followers Psychophysics-Weber, Helmholtz

active mind understand mental process

& ones control of process wholism; not reductional

reductionalistic

sum of mental elements= consciousness laws: how elements combine

ORIGINS: Voluntarism & Structuralism

Zeitgeist : scientific;psychology strugglingfor recognition; is ita worthy science?


6/46

Voluntarism

Will: According to Wundt, that aspect ofhumans that allows them to direct their attention

anywhere they wish. Voluntarism : The name given to Wundt's schoolof psychology because of his belief that throughthe process of apperception, individuals could(voluntarily ) direct their attention towardwhatever they wished.


7/46

Wilhelm Maxmilian Wundt

Born at Neckarau, in Baden.Impressive lineage, but shy as a childFailed high school, teacher said work in thepostal serviceTried again in a new city and made itStudied medicine at Tbingen and Heidelberg(summa cum laude!)

Studied briefly with Johannes Mller at Berlinbefore joining the University of Heidelberg,where he became an assistant to the physicistand physiologist Hermann von Helmholtz


8/46

Wilhelm Maxmilian Wundt

While at Heidelberg, he wrote Contributions to a

Theory of Sense Impressions (1862) and Lectures onHuman and Animal Psychology (1863)

Took a one-year position at the University of ZrichOffered appointment to teach scientific philosophy atthe University of Leipzig

Initially taught courses in Anthropology, logic andlanguage.


9/46

Psychology is Born!!!!

It took him 4 years at Leipzig, but by 1879 hislaboratory was functioning.

The Institute for Experimental PsychologyNot listed in university catalog until 1883.Eventually, classes at the institute exceeded 250

Moved in 1882 to a nine room space.Given own building in 1897 (which he designed).Wundt supervised 186 doctoral theses at Leipzig


10/46
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://online.sfsu.edu/~foreman/itec800/finalprojects/annie/wundt.gif&imgrefurl=http://online.sfsu.edu/~foreman/itec800/finalprojects/annie/wundt.html&h=207&w=142&sz=21&hl=en&start=17&tbnid=bO-u7tfNm6KNbM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=72&prev=/images?q=wundt&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


11/46

Wilhelm Maxmilian WundtPsychologys Goals

Mediate Experience : Experience that isprovided by various measuring devices and is

therefore not immediate, direct experience.Data of other sciences, we might call themhypothetical constructs today.

Immediate Experience : Direct subjectiveexperience as it occurs.

Data of psychology


12/46

Wilhelm Maxmilian WundtWundts Use of Introspection

Introspection : Reflection on one's subjectiveexperience, whether such reflection is directed

toward the detection of the presence orabsence of a sensation (as in the case ofWundt and Titchener) or toward the detection of

complex thought processes (as in the cases ofBrentano, Stumpf, Klpe, Husserl, and others).Pure vs. Experimental Introspection
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cwu.edu/~warren/Unit2/Wundt3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cwu.edu/~warren/Unit2/Wundt.html&h=364&w=261&sz=19&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=IYDdPYvzRFgwFM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=87&prev=/images?q=wundt&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


13/46

Wilhelm Maxmilian WundtElements of Thoughts

Sensation : A basic mental experience that is triggered byan environmental stimulus.

Occurs when a sense organ is stimulated and the resultingimpulse reaches the brain.Described in terms of modality and quality.

Feelings : The basic elements of emotion that accompany

each sensation. Wundt believed that emotions consist ofvarious combinations of elemental feelings.Tridimensional Theory of Feeling : Wundt's contention thatfeelings vary along three dimensions: pleasantness-

unpleasantness, excitement-calm, and strain-relaxation.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cwu.edu/~warren/Unit2/Wundt3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cwu.edu/~warren/Unit2/Wundt.html&h=364&w=261&sz=19&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=IYDdPYvzRFgwFM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=87&prev=/images?q=wundt&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://online.sfsu.edu/~foreman/itec800/finalprojects/annie/wundt.gif&imgrefurl=http://online.sfsu.edu/~foreman/itec800/finalprojects/annie/wundt.html&h=207&w=142&sz=21&hl=en&start=17&tbnid=bO-u7tfNm6KNbM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=72&prev=/images?q=wundt&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


14/46

Wilhelm Maxmilian WundtPerception and Apperception

Though sensations and feelings are the elements ofconsciousness, they are rarely experienced inisolation.

Most often many sensations occur simultaneouslyand perception occurs.

Perception : Mental experience that occurs whensensations are given meaning by the memory of pastexperiences.

Perception is passive and involuntary.That part of a perceptual field a person attends to isapperceived.

Apperception is active and voluntary.


15/46

Wilhelm Maxmilian WundtCreative Synthesis

Creative Synthesis : The voluntary arrangementand rearrangement of mental elements that can

result from apperception.The voluntary nature with which attendedsensations can combine separates psychology

from physical sciences where the laws areinvoluntary.


16/46

Wilhelm Maxmilian WundtMental Chronometry

Donders Reaction Times

Donders, Franciscus Cornelius (1818-1889)Used reaction time to measure the time it took

to perform various mental acts.Reaction Time : The period of time betweenpresentation of and response to a stimulus.

A measure of the time required to performinternal processes.


17/46



Simple Reaction Time


18/46



Discrimination


19/46


20/46


Mental Chronometry : The measurement of thetime required to perform various mental acts.20% of Wundts early work involvedexpanding Donders work to new situations.


21/46


22/46

Vlkerpsychologie

Vlkerpsychologie : (translation,group or cultural psychology)

Wundt's 10-volume work, in whichhe investigated higher mentalprocesses through historical

analysis and naturalisticobservation.Took 20 years to write


23/46


24/46

Edward Bradford Titchener

Born in Chichester, EnglandWent to Oxford and became interested in

Experimental PsychologyWent to study at Leipzig with WundtOffered a faculty position at Oxford and Cornell

Chose Cornell because it had research facilities Created largest psychology doctoral program

in America Remained British, despite living life in America
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sepsych.org/images/Titchener2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sepsych.org/titchrner.htm&h=391&w=274&sz=49&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=C51sePWnWOLJoM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=86&prev=/images?q=titchener&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


25/46

Edward Bradford TitchenerPsychologys Goals

Psychology is the study of consciousness (sum

total of mental experience at a given moment).The mind is the accumulation of experiencesacross the lifetime.Psychologys goals are to determine the what ,how , and why of mental experiences.


26/46
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/2005/0305/images/titchener.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=1741&h=174&w=150&sz=5&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=q7uWJ5Yjdq3eEM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=86&prev=/images?q=titchener&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


27/46

Edward Bradford TitchenerTitcheners Use of Introspection

For Wundt, introspection was used to report thepresence or absence of a sensation in the presence or

absence of a physical event.Titcheners subjects had to search for the elementalingredients of their experience.

An introspectionist must report the basic, raw,elemental experience from which the complexexperience derives.

Stimulus Error : Letting past experience influence anintrospective report.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/2005/0305/images/titchener.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=1741&h=174&w=150&sz=5&hl=en&start=1&tbnid=q7uWJ5Yjdq3eEM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=86&prev=/images?q=titchener&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


28/46

Edward Bradford TitchenerMental Elements (the what )

Elemental processes of consciousness consistof sensations (elements of perceptions), images

(elements of ideas), and affections (elements ofemotions).Sensations and images could have the

properties of quality, intensity, duration,clearness, and extensity. Affections could have the attributes of quality,intensity, and duration, but not clearness orextensit .


29/46


30/46

d d df d h


31/46

Edward Bradford TitchenerContext Theory of Meaning

Context Theory of Meaning : Titchener'scontention that a sensation is given meaning bythe images it elicits. That is, for Titchener,meaning is determined by the law of contiguity.

Vivid sensations form a core and elicited

images (associated sensations) form acontext to give the core meaning.

Ed d B df d Ti h


32/46

Edward Bradford TitchenerThe Decline of Structuralism

Though elements of Voluntarism still exist,Structuralism is DEAD.

Introspection was subject to individual differences.Introspection was retrospectionIntrospecting itself changed the events.Structuralism excluded developments in anything

other than Titchnerian Experimental Psychology.Structuralists refused to seek practical knowledge.Structuralism was unable (and unwilling) toassimilate evolutionary thinking.


33/46

Other Early Approaches to PsychologyFranz Clemens Brentano

Italian by heritage, born inMarienburg, Germany.Many prominent relatives,including a brother who won aNobel prizeObtained a doctorate inphilosophy, then ordained intopriesthood (1864).

Dissertation titled, On theManifold Meaning of Being

According to Aristotle
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.infoamerica.org/teoria/imagenes/brentano.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.infoamerica.org/teoria/brentano1.htm&h=185&w=160&sz=10&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=UNZGnwEju9qvsM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=88&prev=/images?q=brentano&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


34/46


Initially taught at University of Wrzburg (1866)Quit priesthood, disagreed with infallibility of popeand criticized scholasticism (1873).

Professor of philosophy in University of Vienna (1874)Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint (1874)

Tried to get married!!!!! (1880)

Austrian church refused to accept his resignationHad to move to Leipzig for a year

Moved to Florence, Italy (1895)Protesting Italys entrance into WWI, he moved toZrich, Switzerland (1917).

O h E l A h P h l
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.infoamerica.org/teoria/imagenes/brentano.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.infoamerica.org/teoria/brentano1.htm&h=185&w=160&sz=10&hl=en&start=10&tbnid=UNZGnwEju9qvsM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=88&prev=/images?q=brentano&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


35/46


Act Psychology : The name given to Brentano's brand ofpsychology because it focused on mental operations orfunctions. Act psychology dealt with the interactionbetween mental processes and physical events.Intentionality : Mental acts always intend something. Thatis, mental acts embrace either some object in the physicalworld or some mental image (idea).Phenomenological Introspection : The type of introspectionthat focuses on whole and intact mental phenomena ratherthan on isolated mental elements.

O h l A h h l


36/46

Other Early Approaches to PsychologyCarl Stumpf

Studied under Brentano, and like Brentano, became apriest but couldnt accept the doctrine of papalinfallibility.Was chair of Psychology at the University of Berlin.

Wolfgang Kohler took the position after him.Max Wertheimer and Kurt Koffka studied withStumpf.The proper object of study were intact mentalphenomena, not mental elements

(phenomenology ).

O h E l A h P h l


37/46

Other Early Approaches to PsychologyCarl Stumpf

Clever Hans Phenomenon : The creation ofapparently high-level intelligent feats bynonhuman animals by consciously orunconsciously furnishing them with subtle cuesthat guide their behavior.

Rosenthal Effect (experimenter bias):Experimenters may provide subtle cuestelling participants how to act in an

experiment.

Other Early Approaches to


38/46

Other Early Approaches toPsychology

Edmund Husserl

Pure Phenomenology : The type ofphenomenology proposed by Husserl, thepurpose of which was to create a taxonomy ofthe mind. Husserl believed that before ascience of psychology would be possible, wewould first need to understand the essences ofthose mental processes in terms of which we

understand and respond to the world.

O h E l A h P h l


39/46

Other Early Approaches to PsychologyEdmund Husserl

Husserl wanted to create a taxonomy of themind by which all humans experiencethemselves, others, and the world.Mental Essences : Those universal, unchangingmental processes that characterize the mindand in terms of which we do commerce with thephysical environment.


40/46

Other Early Approaches to Psychology
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.moritz-schlick.de/_bilder/kulpe.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.moritz-schlick.de/biographie.html&h=205&w=143&sz=44&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=F3YTv-psAZvsPM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=73&prev=/images?q=kulpe&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


41/46

Other Early Approaches to PsychologyOswald Klpe

Imageless Thought

Disagreeing with Wundt, not all thoughts had tocome from a specific image, sensation, orfeeling.Systematic Experimental IntrospectionImageless Thoughts : According to Klpe, puremental acts without those acts having anyparticular referents or images.

Searching, doubting, confidence, andhesitation
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.moritz-schlick.de/_bilder/kulpe.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.moritz-schlick.de/biographie.html&h=205&w=143&sz=44&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=F3YTv-psAZvsPM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=73&prev=/images?q=kulpe&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=


42/46


43/46

Other Early Approaches to


44/46

Other Early Approaches toPsychology

Hermann Ebbinghaus

Born in Barmen, GermanyStudied at the Universities of Bonn, Halle, and Berlin

Influenced by Fechners Elements of PsychophysicsMemory: An Investigation in Experimental Psychology (1885)Principles of Psychology (1897)Outline of Psychology (1902)

Dedicated to FechnerPsychology has a long past, but only a shorthistory .

Other Early Approaches to Psychology


45/46

Other Early Approaches to PsychologyHermann Ebbinghaus

Did extended experimental work on memory.Used the nonsense syllable as a pure measure ofmemory to remove prior associations.Used one participant, himself.

Showed that complex mental phenomenon can be

studied experimentally.Overlearning, meaningfulness, distributed vs.massed practice.

Began to show laws of mental life.

Oth E l A h t P h l


46/46

Other Early Approaches to PsychologyHermann Ebbinghaus

chapter 9 voluntarism structuralism and other early ap

Documents