Final answer:
Psychology emerged as a distinct scientific discipline in the late 1800s with the work of Wilhelm Wundt and William James, evolving from its philosophical roots to incorporate empirical methods and focusing on individual mental processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Psychology did not become widely recognized as a separate scientific discipline until the late 1800s. The field's experimental roots developed in the 19th century, placing it at a juncture between philosophy and the natural sciences. Pioneers such as Wilhelm Wundt and William James are credited with founding psychology as a science that diverged from philosophy, bringing a new emphasis on empiricism to the study of the mind. Wundt's structuralist approach sought to break down cognitive experiences into their component parts through introspection. This shift was part of a larger movement recognizing the need for a systematic understanding of individual mentality, perception, and psyche during a period of significant social changes.
In acknowledgement of the biological and social factors that influence behavior, psychology incorporates aspects of natural sciences like biology and also aligns with the social sciences. Psychology's reach has expanded globally, with experimental psychology laboratories emerging around the world, including those established by researchers such as Horatio Piñero in Argentina and Gunamudian David Boaz and Narendra Nath Sen Gupta in India, thus becoming a diverse and international discipline.