Final answer:
Wilhelm Wundt is credited with founding psychology as an independent science by creating the first laboratory for psychological research and developing structuralism. His work, alongside William James' contributions and other historical figures like Margaret Floy Washburn and Mary Whiton Calkins, solidified psychology's status as a scientific discipline separate from philosophy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Wilhelm Wundt is often regarded as the founder of psychology as an independent science due to his establishment of the first laboratory for psychological research and his structuralist approach to studying the human mind. Wundt's structuralism posited that understanding our cognitive experiences involves breaking them down into their elemental parts and examining these parts through introspection. Simultaneously, William James, often considered the father of American psychology, laid foundational work in functionalism, contrasting Wundt's views by emphasizing the purpose of mind and behavior in adapting to the environment.
The distinction of psychology from philosophy and its advancement as a scientific discipline owe much to these scholars' early work in the late 19th century. A parallel can be drawn with other historical figures such as Margaret Floy Washburn, the first woman to earn a PhD in psychology, and Mary Whiton Calkins, who despite being denied a PhD, made significant contributions to memory research and established one of the first experimental psychology labs in the U.S. Likewise, psychology's expansion globally can be exemplified by the establishment of experimental labs in South America by Horatio Piñero and in India by Gunamudian David Boaz and Narendra Nath Sen Gupta, highlighting the international recognition of psychology as a science.