L8 German psychologists - University of Northern Iowa

German
Psychologists

(Lesson 8)

Dr Otto H MacLin

Psychology Department
University of Northern Iowa

Leipzig Fechner

Absolute Threshold
Difference Threshold
Method of Limits
Method of Constant Stimuli
Method of Adjustment

Chronoscope Wundt's rotatory apparatus for
"Complication" studies

Wundt's pendulum Wundt's
apparatus perimeter

Wundt's eye Wundt's sound
motion interrupter

demonstrator Wundt-style
tachistoscope
Wundt's Beat(making) Apparatus

Wundt

Founder of Experimental Psychology

„ Promoted it!

Worked for Helmholtz

„ Research assistant

Prolific writer
Leipzig mid-forties

„ And stayed on

‘First Lab’

„ Soon to be copied world wide

Wundt

Wundt Wundt

Introspection Mental Chronometry

„ Self-observation „ Helmhotlz neural transmissions
„ Relied too much on memory
Personal Equation
Internal perception v. Self-observation
„ Adjustment
„ Immediate responding „ Astronomy

Volkerpsychologie (Folk psychology) Subtractive Method

„ Language & Culture „ Donders – Complication Experiment
„ Language studies preceded Chomsky „ Assumes serial processing
„ Reaction times increase w/ each process
Journal Editor

Wissenschaft Ebbinghaus - Forgetting

Emphasizing scholarly research Experimental Study of Memory

„ Combined Teaching & Academic Freedom „ Higher mental process
„ Pursue Research w/o Fear of Censure „ Could it be done?

Physiologists thrived in this environment Nonsense Syllables (CVC)
Methods from Physiologists
9Measurement „ Ex dof, siq, xar
9Replicability
9Public Data Serial Learning
9Controlled Tests
„ List

Forgetting – Savings Method

„ Should learn the list faster the next time

Muller

Muller

Most contributions through his students
Retroactive learning

„ Retro = before
„ 2nd list interferes with 1st list

Jost’s Law

„ Practice increases older associations

Memory Drum

„ Invention to display timed lists

Assessment

Put everything away
No Talking
Do not remove assessments from class