Wilhelm Wundt was a German psychologist and philosopher, often regarded as the father of modern psychology. He established the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig in 1879, marking the separation of psychology from philosophy and physiology. Wundt focused on studying the mind through introspection, a method where individuals reported their thoughts and feelings in response to stimuli. Wundt's work laid the foundation for experimental psychology and influenced many future psychologists. He emphasized the importance of scientific methods in studying mental processes and contributed to the development of various psychological theories, including structuralism and voluntarism.