Structuralism and Functionalism

Structuralism was the first school of psychology and focused on breaking down mental processes into the most basic components. Researchers tried to understand the basic elements of consciousness using a method known as introspection. Wilhelm Wundt, founder of the first psychology lab, is often associated with this school of thought despite the fact that it was his student Edward B. Titchener who first coined the term to describe this school of thought.

Functionalism formed as a reaction to the structuralism and was heavily influenced by the work of William James and the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin. Functionalists sought to explain the mental processes in a more systematic and accurate manner. Rather than focusing on the elements of consciousness, functionalists focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior. Functionalism also emphasized individual differences, which had a profound impact on education.

1. Foundations Psychological of Guidance Counseling J e e l C h r i s t i n e C. d e E g u r r o l a

2. Structuralism Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) German physiologist who was trained in medicine. Specialized in the scientific study of human consciousness . E stablished the first psychological laboratory at the University of Leipzig in Germany in 1879. Invented his own laboratory equipments Proponent

3. Structuralism Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) Tachistoscopes , chronoscopes, electrical stimulators, pendulums, timers and sensory mapping devices. In 1879 he began experiments that were not part of his teaching – he marks this as the beginning of his lab Proponent

4. Structuralism Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) Often identified as “the world’s first true psychologist” and the “Founder of Psychology.” Also identified as the “Father of Experimental Psychology” Wundt with his lab research assistants Proponent

5. Wundt's aim was to record thoughts and sensations, and to analyze them into their constituent elements Wundt founded   voluntarism , the processing of organizing the mind Structuralism During his academic career Wundt trained 186 graduate students (116 in psychology ). Edward Titchener , who described his system as  Structuralism , or the analysis of the basic elements that constitute the mind. Edward Bradford Titchener (1867-1927) Proponent

6. Structuralism had its roots in earlier work in physiology. Scientists there (e.g. Gustav Fechner) had found success in studying sensory perception by manipulating stimuli and having subjects report back their experience. Wundt adopted this general approach for his new science Structuralism Paradigm

7. Wundt defined psychology as the study of the structure of conscious experience. The goal was to find the 'atoms' of conscious experience, and from there to build a knowledge of how the atoms combine to create our experience. Wundt hoped to thus emulate the success of the natural sciences Structuralism Subject Matter of Psychology

8. A s psychology was defined as the study of experience, and as an outside observer cannot gather information on subjective experience, Wundt turned to introspection ( experimental self-observation) as the tool for gathering data. Researchers were trained with specific criteria for becoming skilled introspectors . Structuralism Methods of Psychology

9. Structuralism Structuralism was the study of the most basic elements, that make up our conscious mental processes . Elements of the Mind: Sensations Perceptions Conclusion

10. Structuralism Sensations are relatively meaningless bits of information that result when the brain processes electrical signals that come from the sense organs Perceptions are meaningful sensory expreriences that results after the brain combines hundreds of sensations. Conclusion

11. William James (1842-1910) Functionalism American pragmatist and Psychologist Went to Germany and met Wundt and Helmholtz Brought Functionalism in the US F irst American psychologist Father of American Psychology Proponent

12. Functionalism William James (1842-1910) Proponent Wrote the first general text book on psychology, The Principles of Psychology (1890) He moved from psychology to philosophy. He took a strong individualistic perspective rooted in individual experience .

13. Functionalism William James (1842-1910) Proponent He argued forcibly against the structuralist position that conscious can be broken into constituent parts. Coining the phrase 'stream of consciousness', James proposed that mental life is a unity that flows and changes . Consciousness is a continuum

14. Functionalism William James (1842-1910) Proponent In Principles of Psychology he presented illuminating ideas concerning consciousness, attention, memory, habits, and emotions . Emotions are caused by physiological changes

15. Functionalism  Psychology is the study of mental activity (e.g. perception, memory, imagination, feeling, judgment). Mental activity is to be evaluated in terms of how it serves the organism in adapting to its environment. Focuses on the functions of the mind Study of how a mental process operates.  Study of how the mental process functions in the evolution of the species, what adaptive property it provides that would cause it to be selected through evolution. Subject Matter of Psychology

16. Functionalism Mental acts can be studied through introspection, the use of instruments to record and measure O bjective manifestations of mind, through the study of its creations and products A nd through the study of anatomy and physiology. Methods of Psychology

17. Functionalism Functionalism was the study of the function rather than the structure of consciousness, was interested in how the minds adapt to our changing environment Attention , Memory , and Emotion Conclusion

18. Book Macapagal , M.E.J. (2007). General Psychology for Filipino College Students. Manila, Ph : Ateneo University Press . Mangal , S.K. (2013). General Psychology. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Plotnik , R. & Kouyoumdjian , H. (2011). Introduction to Psychology. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning . Internet University of Utah Department of Psychology. ( n.d. ). Wilhelm Wundt and Structuralism . In: A Brief History of Psychology. Retrieved from : http :// www.psych.utah.edu/gordon/Classes/Psy4905Docs/PsychHistory/Cards/Wundt.html University of Utah Department of Psychology. ( n.d. ). William James and Functionalism . In: A Brief History of Psychology. Retrieved from : http://www.psych.utah.edu/gordon/Classes/Psy4905Docs/PsychHistory/Cards/James.html References

19. Guidance Counseling Psychological Foundations of