Wundt, Wilhelm, << voont, VIHL hehlm >> (1832-1920), a German scholar, is known as the father of modern psychology. He was the first scientist to consider psychology as a distinct discipline apart from philosophy or physiology. Wundt emphasized the use of scientific methods in psychology. He believed that psychology should be studied through both laboratory experimentation and introspection (self-observation). His views expanded psychological research into such areas as education, human development, and animal behavior.
Wundt was born on Aug. 16, 1832, in Neckarau, near Mannheim. He studied medicine and physiology at universities in Tubingen, Berlin, and Heidelberg, where he received his doctorate in 1855. From 1875 until his death, he taught at the University of Leipzig , where he founded the first laboratory for experimental psychology. Wundt wrote hundreds of articles and books on a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, hypnosis, and social psychology. He died on Aug. 31, 1920.
See also Psychology (History) .
