Final answer:
The first modern laboratory in psychology was developed by Wilhelm Wundt, who is recognized as a founding figure of the discipline and established the structuralist approach.
Step-by-step explanation:
Wundt, often regarded as the father of experimental psychology, established his psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig in 1879. In this lab, he and his students conducted groundbreaking experiments on processes such as reaction times to various stimuli, and Wundt's work was seminal in separating psychology as an independent scientific discipline distinct from philosophy. His methodology involved using introspection or 'internal perception' to objectively examine conscious experiences, with an emphasis on measuring reactions to physical stimuli such as light, images, or sound with precision. Wundt's approach laid the groundwork for the structuralist school of thought in psychology.