Replication and Pedagogy in the History of Psychology V: The Metronome and Wilhelm Wundt’s Search for the Components of Consciousness

Abstract

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920 believed that consciousness was represented by the interconnection of psychical processes comprised of temporal elements and compounds. To explore these processes, Wundt used a metronome to measure the amount of information that passed into consciousness across time. The current project replicated some of his procedures, to better understand the role of introspection and the complexity of the metronome task for experimenters and observers. The results of the replication were mixed, but the replication helped provide insights into Wundt's procedures and their relationship to his theories.

On making sense. An exploration of Wundt’s apperceptionist account of meaningful speech

“…6–7). This kind of immediate recognition, Wundt reasoned, is only possible on condition that consciousness has grasped the row as a single whole, that is, “the complete initial pattern must be present in consciousness to make a correct comparison” (Wundt, ; Ayala et al, , p. 529). In other words, the comparison of rows of beats is not based upon a recollection of the entire succession of beats in the previous row, but rather on the immediate recognition of the unitary temporal idea [Gesammtvorstellung] or total feeling [Totalgefühl] of rhythm that was formed through the synthetic combination of single beats.…”

“…For a detailed discussion of the rationale and precise methodology of the metronome experiments, see Ayala, Borawski, and Miller ().…”

“…The first is the analysis of composite processes; the second is the demonstration of the combinations into which the elements discovered by analysis enter; the third is the investigation of the laws that are operative in the formation of such combinations." 24 For a detailed discussion of the rationale and precise methodology of the metronome experiments, see Ayala, Borawski, and Miller (2008). 25 Although this basic starting point seems quite straightforward, it might seem a bit peculiar in light of Wundt's criticism of atomistic approaches to the mind (see Section 2), and the associated "fallacy of elementaristic reduction" (Danziger, 2001a).…”

Editorial for Special Issue “Psychophysiology and Experimental Psychology”

“…Therefore, Wundt arranged for the manufacture of appropriate apparatus and instruments, such as tachistoscopes, chronoscopes, kymographs, pendulums, etc., and set the task of developing applications for the instruments (Nicolas & Ferrand, 1999). For example, participants would be exposed to a specific stimulus (e.g., a light or the sound of a metronome) and asked to report their sensations, measuring reaction times and the duration of mental processes (Ayala et al, 2008;De Leo, 2006). However, despite the use of precise and elegant techniques of measurement (based on Fechner's methods), research methods and equipment available during that time were significantly different from modern experimental laboratories and current research methods.…”