How does mediate experience differ from immediate experience in Wundt's view?

In Wundt's view, mediate experience is distinct from immediate experience primarily because it encompasses the effects of past experiences and cultural context on our perceptions. Mediate experience is influenced by prior knowledge, memories, and social factors, leading to a more interpretive understanding of sensory inputs. For instance, when seeing an object, the perception is not only based on the sensory information received but also shaped by prior experiences, thoughts, and cultural conditioning. This concept is foundational to Wundt's idea that psychology requires an understanding of such influences to interpret human experiences meaningfully.

Immediate experience, on the other hand, refers to raw, direct sensory experiences devoid of such contextual interpretations. This type of experience is more about the basic perception of stimuli as they are encountered, without the layers of meaning that mediate experience introduces.

Overall, mediate experience’s relationship with prior knowledge and context underscores the complexity of human perception in Wundt's psychological framework, highlighting how our understanding of the immediate is always filtered through our past.