Definition of Psychology and Related Concepts

Essence of Psychology Definition of Psychology and Related Concepts The word "psychology" is derived from two Greek words: psyche (mind, soul, or spirit) and logos (study, knowledge, or discourse). Therefore, psychology epistemologically refers to the study of the mind, soul, or spirit. Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and the underlying mental processes. This definition has three key aspects: Science: psychology uses scientific methods to study behavior and mental processes in both humans and animals. Behavior: refers to all of our outward or overt actions and reactions, such as talking, facial expressions, movement, etc. Mental processes: refer to all the internal, covert activities of our minds, such as thinking, feeling, remembering, etc. Goals of Psychology The goals of psychology can be summarized as follows: To understand human behavior and mental processes To predict human behavior and mental processes To control or modify human behavior and mental processes Historical Background and Major Perspectives in Psychology Perspective Description Structuralism Functionalism Psychoanalysis Focuses on the structure of the mind and conscious experience Focuses on the function of the mind and behavior Focuses on the unconscious mind and its role in shaping behavior Focuses on observable behavior and rejects the study of mental processes Focuses on the inherent value and dignity of individuals Behaviorism Humanism Branches/Subfields of Psychology Clinical Psychology: deals with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders Cognitive Psychology: deals with mental processes such as perception, attention, and memory Developmental Psychology: deals with human development across the lifespan Social Psychology: deals with how people think, feel, and behave in social situations Neuropsychology: deals with the relationship between the brain and behavior Research Methods in Psychology Method Description Experiments Surveys Observational Studies Case Studies Correlational Studies involve manipulating variables to study their effect on behavior involve collecting self-report data from participants involve observing behavior in natural or controlled settings involve in-depth analysis of a single individual or case involve studying the relationship between variables## Goals of Psychology Psychology has four main goals: description, explanation, prediction, and control. Description Description involves observing behavior and noticing everything about it. It is a search for answers to questions like "What is happening?", "Where does it happen?", "To whom does it happen?", and "Under what circumstances does it seem to happen?" Explanation Explanation is about trying to find reasons for the observed behavior. This helps in the process of forming theories of behavior. Prediction Prediction is about determining what will happen in the future. Control Control or modify or change the behavior from undesirable one to a desirable one. Historical Background and Major Perspectives in Psychology Psychology is a relatively new field in the realm of the sciences, only about 125 years old. It began as a science of its own in 1879 in Leipzig, Germany, with the establishment of a psychology laboratory in the University of Leipzig by Wilhelm Wundt. Early Schools of Psychology A school of thought is a system of thinking about a certain issue, say, for example, about human behavior or mind. Structuralism Structuralism views psychology as a study of the structure of the mind. It is an expansion of Wundt's ideas by his student named Edward Titchener (1867-1927). Key Points Description Goal Method Focus To find out the units or elements that make up the mind Introspection Analyzing mental structure Functionalism Functionalism views psychology as a study of the function of the mind. The founder of this school of thought is William James (1848-1910). Key Points Description Goal Method Focus To understand how the mind allows people to function in the real world Questionnaires, mental tests, and objective descriptions of behavior Adaptive functions of the mind Gestalt Psychology Gestalt Psychology views psychology as a study of the whole mind. Max Wertheimer and his colleagues founded this school of thought in Germany in the 20th century. Key Points Description Goal Method Focus To understand the mind as a whole pattern of sensory activity Objective descriptions of behavior The whole is greater than the sum of its parts Behaviorism Behaviorism views psychology as a study of observable and measurable behaviors. John B. Watson is the founder of behaviorism.