SRUCTURALISM: CONTRIBUTION OF WUNDT AND TITCHENER

B.A. IInd (Honors), (Lecture Series-1)

(Paper-IVth Systems in Psychology)

By
Dr. Masaud Ansari
Department of Psychology,
A.P.S.M. College, Barauni
L. N. M. University, Darbhanga 1 6th S E PT E MBER 2020
Structuralism

Edward Bradford Titchener (11 January 1867– 3 August 1927) was an English psychologist who
studied under Wilhelm Wundt for several years. Titchener is best known for creating his version of psychology
that described the structure of the mind: structuralism.

IN 1879 this attempt to understand the structure or characteristics of the mind was known as
structuralism. Wundt established his psychology laboratory at the University at Leipzig in 1879. In this
laboratory, Wundt and his students conducted experiments on, for example, reaction times.

Structuralism in psychology is a theory of consciousness developed by Wilhelm Wundt and his student
Edward Bradford Titchener. This theory was challenged in the 20th century It is also known as STRUCTURAL
PSYCHOLOGY
Meaning of Structuralism

Schultz (2012): examination Of one’s own conscious Thoughts and feelings. Schultz (2012): the process
of Directly examining one’s own Conscious mental state and Process.

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
Conti…

Introspection

Wundt believed that the mind could be broken down into structures by classifying conscious
experiences into small parts that could be analyzed, similar to other sciences. Titchener decided to scrap
Wundt's brand of psychological study because conscious experiences aren't as easy to control in an experiment
as behavior is. Rather than focusing on obtaining quantitative measurements, Titchener prioritized observation
and analysis.

An example of structuralism is describing an apple. An apple is crisp, sweet, juicy, round, and hard.
Another example of structuralism is describing your experience at the ocean by saying it is windy, salty, and
cold, but rejuvenating.
Postulates of Structuralism

In 1898 Titchener published a research article entitled ‘The Postulates of Structural Psychology’, this
research article is considered as milestone of formal foundation of structuralism. Main characteristics of
structural psychology:

1. Subject matter of psychology

2. Methods of psychology
3. Principles of selection
4. Principles of connection
5. Emotion
6. Thinking
7. Mind body problem
1. Subject matter of psychology
i. According to Titchener starting of every science is ‘experience’. Titchener believe that every ‘experience’ is
immediate.

ii. Subject matter of psychology is the experience depend upon experiencing person.

iii. Titchener differentiate between mind and consciousness: since birth to death experiences are called “MIND”
while experiences of a particular duration is called “CONSCIOUSNESS”.

iv. Titchener's theory began with the question of what each element of the mind is. He concluded from his
research that there were three types of mental elements constituting conscious experience:

▪ Sensations (elements of perceptions),

▪ Images (elements of ideas), and
▪ Affections (elements of emotions)
Conti…
According to Titchener There are some characteristics of consciousness. Whereas, Wundt mention two
characteristics namely ‘quality and intensity’ while Titchener included two additional qualities namely ‘duration
and clarity’ These elements could be broken down into their respective properties, which he determined were

▪ Quality: standard
▪ Intensity: property
▪ Duration: time period
▪ Clarity: understanding of colour
2. Methods of Psychology (used in structuralism)

i. Observation: self observation of one’s mental state- unbiased, untired/fresh, unprejudiced, controlled, and
positive attitude.
ii. Introspection: it is the examination of the one’s own consciousness, thoughts and feelings.
3. Principles of selection

i. Titchener tried to understand that why an individual select a particular stimulus to concentrate. According
to him there are three stages of attention:
a. Involuntary or primary attention (unwillingly: sudden sound etc.)
b. Voluntary or secondary attention (willingly: interested to concentrate)
c. Habitual involuntary attention (bound to concentrate)
4. Principles of connection

i. Titchener emphasized on Law of contiguity/proximity

ii. Titchener emphasized on Law of synthesis (amalgamation)
iii. Titchener developed a theory of meaning (Context theory of meaning) in 1915. According to this theory
emotional state is depend upon the context of incident.
5. Emotion

i. According to Titchener emotion is a strong state caused by the development of internal sensitivity. To study
the feelings Titchener developed two methods:
(a) Method of impression: we use this method when we need to compare feelings e.g. pleasant or
unpleasant colours.
(b) Method of expression: when we try to study breathing rate, heart beat rate, voice tone/pitch then we
use method of expression.
6. Thinking

i. According to Titchener thinking is based upon ‘image’ without any image one can not think.
ii. He believe that ‘will’ is an amalgamation of images.
iii. He believe that the perspective of thinking is unconscious.
iv. He accept that content is a factor which make meaningful to the sensitive and imaginal aspects of
consciousness.
Wundt and Structuralism
Wilhelm Wundt instructed Titchener, the founder of structuralism, at the University of Leipzig. The
'science of immediate experience' was stated by him. This simply means that the complex perceptions can be
raised through basic sensory information. Wundt is often associated in past literature with structuralism and the
use of similar introspective methods. Wundt makes a clear distinction between pure introspection, which is the
relatively unstructured self-observation used by earlier philosophers, and experimental introspection. Wundt
believes this type of introspection to be acceptable since it uses laboratory instruments to vary conditions and
make results of internal perceptions more precise.
The reason for this confusion lies in the translation of Wundt's writings. When Titchener brought his
theory to America, he also brought with him Wundt's work. Titchener translated these works for the American
audience, and in so doing misinterpreted Wundt's meaning. He then used this translation to show that Wundt
supported Titchener's own theories. In fact, Wundt's main theory was that of psychological
voluntarism (psychologische Voluntarismus), the doctrine that the power of the will organizes the mind's content
into higher-level thought processes.
Comparison between Wundt and Titchener

Similarities
i. According to Wundt and Titchener subject matter of psychology is ‘consciousness’.
ii. Both psychologists admit that introspection, observation and experimentation are important and
prominent methods of psychology.
iii. Both psychologists were on the same platform that Physical and Mental events has clear distinction.
iv. Both psychologists worked together to prove that psychology is a Experimental study.
Conti…

Differences
i. Wundt believe that consciousness has two parts: sensation and affection while Titchener believe that
consciousness has three parts: sensation, affection and image.
ii. According to Wundt consciousness has two attributes: quality and intensity while according to Titchener
consciousness has four attributes: quality, intensity, duration and clarity.
iii. Titchener believe that psychology has no Practical aim of the study and rejects the applied aspect of the
psychological studies.
iv. Wundt is known as an institution instead of an individual because he has taught/train many other
psychologists while Titchener is known only as an individual.
Criticism of Structuralism

i. Not feasible
ii. Can’t be measured like intelligence, attitude, personality
iii. Introspection lacks generality.
iv. It was too concerned with the internal behaviour.
v. Study the structure of mind is too subjective.
vi. It is not directly observable.
vii. This also received criticism from the Gestalt school of psychology, which argues that the mind cannot be
broken down into individual elements.
viii. structuralism was criticized for excluding and ignoring important developments happening outside of
structuralism. For instance, structuralism did not concern itself with the study of animal behavior,
and personality.
Conclusion

1. It is the first and major school of psychology.

2. Structuralism also influenced Experimental Psychology.
3. It provide base for the study of mind under its elements.
4. Titchener subdivided consciousness into three domains:
i. PHYSICAL SENSATION-ELEMENTS OF PERCEPTION
ii. IMAGES- ELEMENTS OF IDEAS
iii.FEELINGS- ELEMENTS OF EMOTIONS