Foundations of Psychological Science

This sequence explores the transition of psychology from philosophy to science, analyzing Structuralism, Functionalism, and Behaviorism through primary sources and historiographical methods. Students will evaluate the evolving standards of psychological evidence and connect historical debates to contemporary research.

Philosophical Precursors

Students explore the intellectual landscape prior to 1879, contrasting rationalism (Descartes) with empiricism (Locke/Hume) through primary source analysis and discussion of the mind-body problem.

Wundt's Laboratory

Focusing on the birth of experimental psychology, students recreate Wilhelm Wundt's reaction-time experiments to understand the specific methodology of Structuralism. They will attempt 'trained introspection' to record conscious experiences in response to stimuli.

William James and the Functionalist Perspective

Moving to the American context, students analyze William James's 'The Principles of Psychology' to contrast Functionalism with Structuralism. The lesson uses case studies of evolutionary adaptation to explain James's focus on the purpose of consciousness rather than its components.

The Behaviorist Turn: Rejecting Mentalism

This lesson covers the radical shift introduced by Watson and Skinner, who argued that psychology must only study observable behavior. Students review the 'Little Albert' experiment case study to discuss the ethical and methodological implications of this paradigm shift.

Synthesis: Tracing Historical Lineages in Modern Research

In this culminating workshop, students select a contemporary psychology research abstract and trace its methodological lineage back to one of the founding schools. They present a 'genealogy of ideas' map, demonstrating how modern cognitive science, evolutionary psychology, or behavioral therapy connects to the 19th-century debates.