The experiment is an integral part of modern psychology. Application of experimental methods allowed psychology to be issued in independent science.
Instruction
1. There is a concept of experimental psychology which is not an independent type of psychology, and represents the general methodological approach which is carried out within the different fields of psychological science. The concept experimental psychology is applied to designation of different types of scientific and psychological researches when which carrying out experimental methods are applied.
2. Experimental methods in psychology, as a rule, come down to laboratory researches less often to natural. During the researches the preliminary planning and the organization of the experiments relating to the different fields of psychology, in particular, applied takes place. Within experimental psychology, for example, effective methods of studying psychophysiology of feelings — language, thinking, memory, training, attention, perception, understanding, development are developed. Also experimental approaches are more and more actively applied in social psychology and in studying emotions and motivations.
3. The psychology as experimental science, is based on a number of the principles: general scientific methodological and specific, connected directly with psychology. The principle of determinism (the behavior of the person is caused by certain reasons), the principle of objectivity (independence of an object of knowledge of the learning subject) and the principle of falsifiability belong to the first group (by practical consideration the theory applying for scientific character can be refuted). The second group includes the principle of unity psychological and physical, the principle of unity of activity and consciousness, the principle of development (the mentality of the subject develops throughout a story and with change of genes), the system and structural principle (the mental phenomena are considered as complete processes).
4. The first data on carrying out psychological experiments belong to the 16th century. The book by G.T. Fekhner "Psychophysis elements" (1860) is considered the first work on experimental psychology. The first scientific psychological school began the work in Vundta laboratory in 1879. Further the experimental party of psychological science proved more and more actively, and laboratories began to appear worldwide.
5. The psychology as experimental science finds for itself application in the field of training and education, in lawsuit, in medical practice, in economic life, art, etc. It helps to resolve various questions and problems, relying on results of pilot studies.