Wilhelm Wundt: Pioneer Of Psychology 

  The task of psychology is to study the Conscious experience as it occurs in everyday life

Wilhelm Wundt

For ages, the human mind has been fascinated by psychology. Psychology is a term used for the study of mind and behaviour. Wilhelm Wundt was a German physiologist. Due to his works and theories, he gracefully earned the title of “Father Of Experimental Psychology”. He was born on 16th August 1832, in Germany. 

In addition to this, sources tell that Wilhelm Wundt was the first person to build a laboratory for his psychological research in 1879 in Leipzig, Germany. Wundt’s theories gave a new turn to psychology as a scientific discipline. It was he who changed the understanding of mind and behaviour. In this article, we’re going to discuss how Wundt brought the term “Psychology” into existence. And how his teachings captivated the hearts. 

Early Life And Career

When he was six years old, he was relocated with his family to a small village called Heilsheim. He was the fourth child. His lineage is intelligent did he. His nature and character were introverted and reserved. For further education, he attended the University Of Heidelberg, Germany. ( 1856 ) . Secondly, he made the first academic journal for psychological research called “ Philosophische Studien “ to publish his research.

A survey was published in American Psychologist in 1991 in which Wundt’s ranking was first for “all-time eminence”. He was born at a time when the German economy was quite stable. He also won the award called – Bavarian Maximilian Order For Science And Art. Later on, he received his medical degree and moved to Berlin under the guidance of Johannes Muller. This was the phase when he was influenced by Muller and decided to start pursuing a career in experimental psychology. He published his work in 1862.

The Birth Of Experimental Psychology

Wundt established Experimental Psychology, which focuses on studying human thoughts, feelings, and actions through empirical research methods. This branch of psychology is closely connected with understanding the workings of the mind. Our mind is a complicated place. It needs a scientific method to deal with complexity and confusion. In experimental psychology, human behaviour is recorded. According to Wundt, external things affect our feelings. He bought the concept of Introspection. 

He believed that the inward look could unleash more information. Wundt also trained his participants to think back on their personal experiences and use introspection to study how people behave. Wundt found introspection a path to sense images and feelings that resemble sensations. Introspection tends to reflect and observe their thoughts while experiencing the present moment. Introspection is a way of life to make sense of the world we are living in. And it has two natures. One is reflective. Others are subjective. It is the subjectivity that has been criticized in psychology. 

For instance, if your psychologist instructs you to close your eyes and imagine feeling the warmth of the sun while taking deep breaths, the gentle breeze serves as a mirror of your thoughts and experiences. This prompts introspection, as you begin to reflect on why similar situations have occurred in the past. 

Structuralism

Structuralism is often called the first school of thought in psychology. It means breaking down the thought processes and analyzing them one by one. Wundt believed the thought process can also be broken into small parts by pondering over experiences. He led structuralism to discover the connections between the mind and the nervous system. But later on, the structuralism had been criticised by other psychologists. Because it ignored some aspects of human behaviour such as environmental influences. 

Cultural Psychology

Wundt acknowledged the profound influence of culture on the human mind. Thus, he pioneered the field of cultural psychology, driven by his understanding of cultural impact. He delved into the interplay between cultural practices and traditions, comparing them with our cognitive processes and mental functions.

He believed that cultural traditions played an important role in shaping human psychology. Cultural development is a key to thought processing for a human. Secondly, he busted some myths across cultures. By going beyond the human mind, Wundt gave us more understanding of human experience. By connecting mental processes and the cultural context, he shaped cultural psychology.

Wilhelm Wundt’s dedication towards psychology was beyond anything. It is he who set the records of scientific exploration of human thoughts and behaviours. His legacy will remain unmatched for decades. Wundt’s works remind us to understand the psychology behind our thought processes and the complexities behind human behaviours.