Two approaches to psychology

1. Two approaches to psychology • Structuralism • Similar to anatomy • Purpose = analysis of the human mind • Functionalism • Similar to physiology • Purpose = examination of how the mind operates

2. E. B. Titchener (1867-1927) • Fascinated by evolutionary biology at Oxford • Studied in Wundt’s laboratory in Leipzig • Finished Ph.D. in only 2 years! • Accepted offer to move to America and teach at Cornell University

3. “How to fail in laboratory psych” • Cherish the belief that your mind is different than all other minds. • Call upon the instructor at the slightest provocation. • Tell the instructor that the science is very young, and that what holds for one mind does not necessarily hold for another. • Work as noisily as possible. • Describe your telepathic experiences. • Always be a quarter of an hour late for lab.

4. The Experimentalists • Club created to provide a means for researchers to present their work • Met for two or three days every spring, in one another’s labs • All members were men (in tradition of English gentleman’s club)

5. Titchener’s structuralism • Goals of analysis, synthesis, explanation • Sensation and perception dominated his work • Systematic experimental introspection as primary methodology • Rely on memory; delay the introspection • Break experience into stages • “Acquire the introspective habit”

6. Functionalism:Elements of consciousness • Sensations • Basic elements of perception • Have attributes of quality, intensity, duration, clearness • Images • Basic elements of ideas • Affections • Basic elements of emotions • Only two fundamental qualities: pleasant & unpleasant

7. Chicago functionalists:John Dewey (1859-1952) • 1896: “The Reflex Arc Concept in Psychology” • Progressive education theories • Established a “laboratory school” at Chicago in 1896 • Believed in learning by doing, rather than rote memorization and drill • Eventually left Chicago because of a dispute over leadership of the lab school

8. Chicago Functionalists:James Angell (1869-1949) • Student of Dewey’s at Michigan • Became chair of psychology dept. when Dewey left (and psych became separated from philosophy) • Believed that the function of consciousness was to allow individual to adapt to novel situations

9. Chicago Functionalists:Harvey Carr (1873-1954) • Most of his research involved maze learning • Directed student dissertations in comparative psychology, learning, and space perception • Ran psychology lab at Chicago and later chaired the department after Angell

10. Columbia Functionalists:Edward Thorndike (1874-1949) • Transitional figure between comparative psychologists and later behaviorists • Inspired by William James’ text; later studied under James at Harvard • Initial studies of learning involved baby chicks in mazes

11. Thorndike & “trial and error” learning • Worked with cats, other animals learning to escape from “puzzle box” • Formulated “Law of Effect”: early notion of reinforcement • Behaviors that lead to a pleasing effect are likely to be repeated • Behaviors that lead to unpleasant consequences are unlikely to be repeated

12. Columbia Functionalists:Robert Woodworth (1869-1962) • Also studied under James at Harvard • Research (with Thorndike) on “transfer of training” • Critical of simple Stimulus-Response view of behavior, arguing instead for a Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) view • Introduced the idea of “drive” as motivator • First to use terms “independent variable” and “dependent variable” in modern sense