Experimental psychology is a separate branch of psychological science that structures knowledge related to research problems in the field of psychology and how to solve them. This is a special scientific discipline on research methods in psychology.
The beginning of the discipline was associated with the need to bring psychology to the satisfaction of the main requirements for science. Any science has a subject of research, terminology, methodology.
Since the beginning of its application in science, the experimental method in psychology has provided an extension of the field of interests of science. It all started with the development of the principles of a psychophysiological experiment. The result was the transformation of psychology into an independent scientific discipline, which is designed to generalize knowledge of research methods that are relevant for all areas of psychological science. Experimental psychology is not just a classification of research methods, but develops them and studies the degree of their effectiveness.
To date, this discipline has reached a significant level of development, but does not stop developing. There is still no developed psychology view on the role of the experiment and its capabilities in scientific knowledge, which could be considered universally recognized.
The methodology of experimental psychology is based on general scientific methodological principles (determinism, objectivity, falsifiability) and principles specific to psychology (the unity of physiological and mental, the unity of consciousness and activity, the principle of development, the system-structural principle).
In the history of the development of experimental psychology, one can distinguish such key stages. XVI century - the birth of experimental methods of psychology. XVIII century - systematic experimentation in psychology with scientific goals. 1860 — the book "Elements of Psychophysics" by G. T. Fechner, which is considered the first work in the field of experimental psychology. 1874 — the book "Physiological Psychology" by W. Wundt. 1879 - founding of the Wundt laboratory and the creation of the first scientific psychological school. 1885 - publication of the work “On the Memory” of G. Ebbinghaus, which provides evidence of the connection of certain phenomena with certain factors through the solution of specific problems.
The method of experiment in psychology has become a decisive factor in the transformation of psychological knowledge, highlighting this science from philosophy into an independent branch of knowledge.
Experimental psychology represents various types and methods of studying the psyche using the method of experiments.
Scientists closely engaged in the study of mental functions in the late 19th century. These were the first steps in separating psychology from philosophy and physiology.
Of particular importance when working in this direction were the works of William Wundt. For the first time in the world, he created a psychological laboratory, which then received the status of an institute. A generation of specialists and scientists in experimental psychology emerged from these walls.
W. Wundt, in his first work on laboratory experiment methods to divide consciousness into separate elements to identify the relationship between them.
The experimental psychology laid down by Wundt was based on direct experience - phenomena and facts of consciousness available to direct observation. It was the experience that the researcher considered the subject of psychological science.
Experimental psychology explores the general laws of the processes of the psyche, and then proceeds to study individual changes in sensitivity, memory, associations, reactions, etc.
F. Galton investigated abilities, for which he developed diagnostic techniques that gave rise to testing, statistical methods for processing the results of psychological experiments, and mass questionnaires.
D. Kettel considered the personality as a set of empirically established (by the method of experiment) psychological characteristics.
Today, experimental psychology and its methods are widely used in completely different fields. The achievements of experimental psychology are based on the use of methods of biology, physiology, mathematics, and psychology.