Historical Approaches to Psychology Structuralism –Wilhelm Wundt; interested in basic elements of human experience
· Introspection – Recording/reporting of thoughts
· Developed lab for studying psychology Functionalism – William James
· Thinking, feeling, learning and remembering have one function à Help humans survive as a species
· Conscious mind and goals are the purposes of behavior Inheritable Traits – Francis Galton
· Inherit traits genetically
· Studied biographies as research for beliefs
· Believed that “greatness” can only be passed genetically from people who possess those traits
· Controversial
· Continued the debate of Nature vs. Nurture Gestalt Psychology Gestalt means “whole pattern”
· People see the world more in patterns than they do in parts
· Looking at the whole person helps to explain behavior
· Spring board for the “Cognitive” approach to Psychology P.25­28 – Read about current occupations within psychology