Final answer:
Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology laboratory and created structuralism, focusing on introspection. William James developed functionalism, combining introspection with objective analysis to understand mental processes' adaptive functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Roles of Wilhelm Wundt and William James
Wilhelm Wundt is often regarded as the “father of experimental psychology.” He established the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig in 1879, signaling the separation of psychology from philosophy and its establishment as a unique scientific discipline. His approach to psychology, known as structuralism, involved analyzing the human mind by breaking down experiences into their basic elements through a process known as introspection, which he sought to measure using scientific methods.
William James, on the other hand, played a critical role in the development of psychology in the United States. As a proponent of functionalism, he viewed psychology as the study of how mental processes serve adaptive functions for an organism. James blended introspective methods with a more objective analysis of mental activities, including the examination of anatomy and physiology, to understand the function of behavior in adapting to the environment.
Their pioneering work laid the groundwork for future psychological research, establishing key paradigms and methods still influential today.