11

Early German Early German PsychologistsPsychologists

22

Early Anticipation of WundtEarly Anticipation of Wundt

Johann Kruger – 1756Johann Kruger – 1756 An Attempt at an Experimental An Attempt at an Experimental

PsychologyPsychology An anticipation because it was lost or An anticipation because it was lost or

ignored until 1950’signored until 1950’s Appears to be more similar to modern Appears to be more similar to modern

psychology that Wundt’s psychologypsychology that Wundt’s psychology

33

PsychophysicsPsychophysics

An attempt to understand the relationship between An attempt to understand the relationship between the physical world and the psychological worldthe physical world and the psychological world

Measured mental events and compared them to the Measured mental events and compared them to the measurement of physical events – show that they measurement of physical events – show that they covarycovary

Changing the value of a physical event in some way Changing the value of a physical event in some way will systematically change the value of the will systematically change the value of the psychological eventpsychological event

Two important contributors to psychologyTwo important contributors to psychology Ernst WeberErnst Weber Gustav FechnerGustav Fechner

44

Ernst WeberErnst Weber

Two-point thresholdTwo-point threshold

Weight discrimination – just noticeable Weight discrimination – just noticeable difference (JND)difference (JND)

Weber’s Law – 1Weber’s Law – 1stst quantitative law in quantitative law in psychology and 1psychology and 1stst statement of a statement of a systematic relationship between physical systematic relationship between physical stimulus and psychological experiencestimulus and psychological experience

55

Gustav FechnerGustav Fechner

Built upon the ideas of WeberBuilt upon the ideas of Weber

Developed 3 important research Developed 3 important research methodsmethods Method of limits Method of limits Method of constant stimuliMethod of constant stimuli Method of adjustmentMethod of adjustment

66

Fechner (cont.)Fechner (cont.)

Developed the term psychophysicsDeveloped the term psychophysics

Monism – the mental and physical are simply Monism – the mental and physical are simply 2 aspects of the same reality; not separate 2 aspects of the same reality; not separate entitiesentities

ElementesElementes (1860) – identified as the beginning (1860) – identified as the beginning of experimental psychology by some of experimental psychology by some historianshistorians Mental processes could be quantified (measured)Mental processes could be quantified (measured) Mental events could be examined using the Mental events could be examined using the

precision of scientific methodsprecision of scientific methods

77

Hermann EbbinghausHermann Ebbinghaus Philosopher who spent time teaching and Philosopher who spent time teaching and

travelingtraveling

Read Fechner’s Read Fechner’s ElementeElemente and converted to and converted to the study of psychologythe study of psychology

His goal was to study higher mental His goal was to study higher mental processes using methods similar to processes using methods similar to psychophysicspsychophysics

11stst person to systematically study memory person to systematically study memory

88

Ebbinghaus’ MethodsEbbinghaus’ Methods

Highly original – he had no one to Highly original – he had no one to learn fromlearn from

Best known for his use and invention Best known for his use and invention of nonsense syllables to study of nonsense syllables to study memory unaffected by previous memory unaffected by previous learninglearning

99

Areas of ResearchAreas of Research

1.1. What is the relationship between amount of What is the relationship between amount of material to be remembered and time needed to material to be remembered and time needed to learn itlearn it Measured increases in number of repetitions to master Measured increases in number of repetitions to master

list of nonsense syllables of different lengthslist of nonsense syllables of different lengths

2.2. What is the relationship to the amount of What is the relationship to the amount of learning and the amount remembered?learning and the amount remembered? Used a relearning paradigm Used a relearning paradigm Formed 7 lists of 16 nonsense syllables, repeated them Formed 7 lists of 16 nonsense syllables, repeated them

0, 8 ,16 . . . 64 times. 24 hours later measured # of 0, 8 ,16 . . . 64 times. 24 hours later measured # of repetitions to relearn each list discovered over learningrepetitions to relearn each list discovered over learning

1010

Other Areas of InterestOther Areas of Interest

What is the relationship between the passage of What is the relationship between the passage of time and loss from memory?time and loss from memory? Relearned lists 0, 20, 60 minutes . . . 31 days after Relearned lists 0, 20, 60 minutes . . . 31 days after

learning. Amount of savings measured – comparison learning. Amount of savings measured – comparison of repetitions to learn and to relearn listsof repetitions to learn and to relearn lists

Less known but verified by much later researchLess known but verified by much later research Distributed learning better than mass learningDistributed learning better than mass learning Active learning better than passive learningActive learning better than passive learning Meaningful material easier to learn that meaninglessMeaningful material easier to learn that meaningless Information learned before sleeping better Information learned before sleeping better

remembered than material learned at other timesremembered than material learned at other times

1111

Later Criticisms of Later Criticisms of EbbinghausEbbinghaus

Experiments lacked ecological Experiments lacked ecological validity – use of nonsense syllables validity – use of nonsense syllables instead of real wordsinstead of real words

Use of a single subject; himselfUse of a single subject; himself

However, most of his findings are still However, most of his findings are still accurate todayaccurate today

1212

Ebbinghaus as a Foundation for Ebbinghaus as a Foundation for BinetBinet

He developed analogy tests and He developed analogy tests and completion tests to test childrencompletion tests to test children

Analogy exampleAnalogy example July is to May as Saturday is to July is to May as Saturday is to .

Completion exampleCompletion example Big things are heavier than Big things are heavier than ..

Child’s answer timed and evaluated for Child’s answer timed and evaluated for appropriatenessappropriateness

Similar items used by Binet in his Similar items used by Binet in his intelligence testsintelligence tests

1313

Franz BrentanoFranz Brentano

Important but not well knownImportant but not well known

Dominican priest who left the church Dominican priest who left the church because of his inability to accept the because of his inability to accept the infallibility of the popeinfallibility of the pope

1414

Franz Brentano’s Franz Brentano’s PsychologyPsychology

1.1. Placed more importance on logic than Placed more importance on logic than experimentationexperimentation

2.2. Believed that once important Believed that once important observation were completed psychology observation were completed psychology would change very littlewould change very little

3.3. Psychology should be the study of Psychology should be the study of mental acts – not the products of mental mental acts – not the products of mental processesprocesses

4.4. He rejected introspection – proposed He rejected introspection – proposed the use of imaginationthe use of imagination

1515

Brentano’s Legacy Brentano’s Legacy

Not very well know primarily due to a Not very well know primarily due to a lack of writinglack of writing

Greatest contribution was his impact Greatest contribution was his impact on his students such as Carl Stumpf on his students such as Carl Stumpf and Christian von Ehrenfelsand Christian von Ehrenfels

1616

Carl StumpfCarl Stumpf

Greatest contributions were to the study of Greatest contributions were to the study of auditory perceptionauditory perception

Most famous for his role in the case of Most famous for his role in the case of “Clever Hans”“Clever Hans”

Founded the psychology laboratory at the Founded the psychology laboratory at the University of Berlin that competed with University of Berlin that competed with Wundt’s for prestigeWundt’s for prestige

1717

Influences on StumpfInfluences on Stumpf

Ernst Mache – studies showing that a Ernst Mache – studies showing that a perception is more than the individual perception is more than the individual elements or sensationselements or sensations Mache bands Mache bands

Christian von Ehrenfels – coined the term Christian von Ehrenfels – coined the term “Gestalt” to describe the organization of “Gestalt” to describe the organization of an experiencean experience Musician and composer who showed that Musician and composer who showed that

melody played on a piano in one key, and then melody played on a piano in one key, and then played in a second key or on a trumpet played in a second key or on a trumpet sounded different but were perceived as the sounded different but were perceived as the same melodysame melody

1818

Stumpf’s PsychologyStumpf’s Psychology

Mental phenomena not consciousness should be Mental phenomena not consciousness should be studied by psychology – study the whole not the studied by psychology – study the whole not the partsparts

Studied tha combination of pure tones into Studied tha combination of pure tones into complex tonescomplex tones Two pure tones presented together produce an Two pure tones presented together produce an

experience distinctively different from the separate experience distinctively different from the separate tonestones

Attacked by Wundt who said as Titchner would Attacked by Wundt who said as Titchner would have said “these findings occurred as the result have said “these findings occurred as the result of using “improperly trained” observers”of using “improperly trained” observers”

1919

Oswald KulpeOswald Kulpe

Oswald KOswald Kuuple, a student of Wundt ple, a student of Wundt founded the Wurzburg School of founded the Wurzburg School of psychologypsychology

He gradually moved away from a He gradually moved away from a Wundtian perspective to one more Wundtian perspective to one more similar to Stumpfsimilar to Stumpf

2020

Kulpe’s PsychologyKulpe’s Psychology

Refuted much of Wundt’s psychology, but Refuted much of Wundt’s psychology, but without the vicious attackswithout the vicious attacks

Important findingsImportant findings Imageless thought – some thoughts required no Imageless thought – some thoughts required no

images or sensations – doubting, searching, etc.images or sensations – doubting, searching, etc. Complex mental processes can be studiedComplex mental processes can be studied Phenomena of mental setsPhenomena of mental sets Stressed the importance of motivation in Stressed the importance of motivation in

problem solvingproblem solving

2121

Decline of the Wurzburg Decline of the Wurzburg SchoolSchool

The clash of scientific ideas between The clash of scientific ideas between Wurzburg – Stumpf and wundt – Wurzburg – Stumpf and wundt – Titchner eventually led to the decline Titchner eventually led to the decline of bothof both

The Wurzburg school died when The Wurzburg school died when Kulpe died in 1915; as structuralism Kulpe died in 1915; as structuralism died when Titchner dieddied when Titchner died

2222

Obscurity of Many Early Obscurity of Many Early German PsychologistsGerman Psychologists

WWI – many went into the armed forces or WWI – many went into the armed forces or their students left for the wartheir students left for the war

Loss of students meant their was no one to Loss of students meant their was no one to continue their workcontinue their work

American focus on functionalism and American focus on functionalism and behaviorism gave less importance to these behaviorism gave less importance to these German’s cognitive perspectivesGerman’s cognitive perspectives