Certainly! Let's address the first three questions from the provided text.
- What is the basic flaw associated with introspection?
Introspection, the examination of one's own conscious thoughts and feelings, has a fundamental flaw: it is inherently subjective. This subjectivity means that introspective reports can vary significantly between individuals, making it difficult to achieve consistent and reliable data. Additionally, introspection relies heavily on the individual's ability to accurately self-report, which can be influenced by biases and lack of self-awareness. This lack of objectivity and replicability is why introspection is often criticized as a scientific method.
- The $\qquad$ approach to psychology emphasized the practical nature.
The answer is likely "functionalism." The functionalist approach to psychology, which emerged in the late 19th century, emphasized the practical nature of mental processes and behavior. Functionalists were interested in understanding how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments. This approach was in contrast to structuralism, which focused on breaking down mental processes into their most basic components.
- Psychoanalysis has been widely criticized because its assertions cannot be tested.
Psychoanalysis, founded by Sigmund Freud, has faced criticism primarily because many of its core concepts, such as the unconscious mind, defense mechanisms, and the Oedipus complex, are difficult to empirically test and measure. The lack of falsifiability and empirical support for many psychoanalytic theories has led to skepticism within the scientific community. Critics argue that for a theory to be scientifically valid, it must be testable and subject to potential refutation, which is often not the case with psychoanalytic assertions.