Introduction:
According to the American Psychological Association, psychology is the study of the mind and behavior.
The Greek word psyche, which means spirit or soul, is where the word psychology comes from. The term "psychology final "'s "ology" stems from the Greek word "ologia," which means "study" or "research." In his book Psichiologia de ratione animae humanae (Psychology, on the Nature of the Human Soul), the Croatian humanist and Latinist Marko Maruli used the Latin word psychology for the first time.
This occurred in the late 15th or early 16th century. The term
"psychology" was first used in English by Steven Blankaart in The
Physical Dictionary in 1694. "Anatomy, which treats the body, and
psychology, which treats the soul," according to the dictionary.
Psychology was coined by William James in 1890 as "the science of mental life, both of its phenomena and their conditions." This definition has been widely used for many years.
Radical behaviorists like John B. Watson, who claimed in 1913 that the field is a "natural science" with the theoretical objective "of the prediction and control of behavior," challenged this interpretation.
Since James gave a definition of "psychology," scientific experimentation is now more firmly implied by the term. Folk psychology is the knowledge of human mental states and behaviors by regular people as opposed to psychological specialists.
History of Psychology:
Philosophy and biology were the ancestors of early
psychology. These two topics have been discussed at length as far back as the
early Greek philosophers Aristotle and Socrates.
Greek term psyche, which means "life" or
"breath," is the root of the English word "psychology." The
word can also be derived to signify "self" or "soul."
When Wilhelm Wundt founded the first experimental psychology
lab in Leipzig, Germany, in 1879, psychology actually began to emerge as a distinct
and autonomous area of study.
Different schools of thought have developed over
psychology's history to explain the human mind and behavior. In some instances,
particular schools of thought gained popularity and came to predominate the
psychology industry for a while.
What is psychology?
A psychologist's duties can include everything from helping
people with anxiety to giving businesses advice on how to create stronger
teams. Because of
the complexity of the human mind, illnesses related to it can be challenging to
cure.
Like a skin rash or a heart defect, thought processes,
emotions, memories, dreams, perceptions, and so forth cannot be physically
observed.
Many psychological theories are founded on the observation
of human behavior, despite the fact that physical indications of some mental
health conditions can be seen, such as the plaques that appear with Alzheimer's
disease.
A professional psychologist will meet with patients, do
evaluations to determine what issues are troubling them and what may be the
cause of those issues, and then propose or give treatment, such as counseling
and psychotherapy.
Psychologists might also play other functions. They may
conduct research to advise health authorities and other bodies on social and
other initiatives, evaluate kids who struggle in school, conduct workshops on
bullying prevention, collaborate with hiring teams in businesses, and much
more.
Major schools of thought:
Some of the main schools of psychological thought are listed here.
Structuralism :
The first school of thought was structuralism, developed by Wundt and Titchener, but others soon followed.
Functionalism:
William James, a pioneering psychologist, and philosopher, was connected to the functionalist school of thought, which emphasized the function of human awareness and action.
Psychoanalysis:
These early schools of thinking quickly gave way to a number of dominant and significant methods of psychology, including psychoanalysis. The focus of Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis was on the influence of the unconscious mind on human behavior.
Behaviorism:
The behavioral school of thinking aims to make psychology the study of observable behaviors rather than internal factors that impact behavior.
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain. - Vivian Greene
Humanistic psychology:
Later, the emphasis of the humanistic approach was on the value of self-actualization and personal development.
Cognitive psychology:
In the 1960s and 1970s, the
cognitive revolution stimulated research into the inner workings of the mind,
including reasoning, decision-making, language acquisition, and memory.
Even though these schools of thought are occasionally seen as rival forces, each one has advanced our knowledge of psychology.
Branches of psychology:
Distinct psychological approaches have different functions. Although there isn't a set manner to categorize them, there are a few typical varieties.
Applied psychology
In order to comprehend, anticipate, and treat issues with
adjustment, handicap, and discomfort, clinical psychology combines science,
theory, and practice. It encourages personal growth, adaptation, and
adjustment.
A clinical psychologist focuses on the cognitive, emotional,
biological, psychological, social, and behavioral elements of human performance
over the course of an individual's life, in contexts of various cultures and
socioeconomic levels.
Clinical psychology can support an individual's well-being
and personal growth by assisting in the understanding, prevention, and relief
of discomfort or dysfunction that is psychologically based.
Clinical psychologists' primary areas of focus include
psychological assessment and psychotherapy, but they also frequently work in
research, education, forensic testimony, and other fields.
Cognitive psychology
Investigating internal mental processes including memory,
learning, problem-solving, and language is the focus of cognitive psychology.
It examines how humans see the world, communicate, learn, and remember. It has
connections to linguistics, philosophy, and neuroscience.
Cognitive psychologists study people's information
gathering, processing, and storing processes.
Practical uses include ways to enhance memory, raise
decision-making precision, or set up educational initiatives to promote
learning.
Developmental psychology
This is the scientific study of the regular psychological
alterations a person goes through throughout the course of their life, also
known as human development.
It concentrates on teenagers, adults, and older individuals
in addition to infants and young children.
Motor capabilities, problem-solving abilities, moral
awareness, language acquisition, emotions, personality, self-concept, and
identity formation are among the factors.
It also contrasts innate brain processes with learning
through experience and examines how a person's traits interact with their
environment and how this affects their development.
The study of development shares grounds with disciplines like
language.
Evolutionary psychology
The study of evolutionary psychology examines how
psychological changes made during the course of human development have impacted
behavior, such as language.
Numerous psychological characteristics of people, according
to an evolutionary psychologist, are adaptive in that they have helped humans
survive for countless generations.
Forensic psychology
Applying psychology to legal proceedings and criminal
investigations is known as forensic psychology.
Forensic psychologist works in the criminal justice system
and civil courts using psychology as a scientific discipline.
It entails evaluating the psychological elements that could
have an impact on a situation or conduct and presenting the results in court.
Health Psychology
Medical psychology or behavioral medicine are other names
for health psychology.
It looks at how social context, biology, and behavior
interact to affect health and illness.
A health psychologist will concentrate on the whole person
and what influences their health condition as opposed to a doctor, who
frequently focuses first at the biological origins of an illness. This may
include things like their socioeconomic position, education, and background as
well as actions that might affect the sickness, such following directions and
taking medication.
In clinical settings, health psychologists frequently
collaborate with other medical specialists.
Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology examines how the brain's composition and
operation relate to actions and mental processes. If a problem involves brain
lesions and tests that involve monitoring electrical activity in the brain,
neuropsychology may be involved.
If a person has suspected or confirmed brain damage, such
as a stroke, a neuropsychological test is conducted to identify whether they
are likely to develop behavioral issues in the future.
A doctor may be able to treat a patient based on the
findings in order to assist them in perhaps recovering from cognitive loss.
Occupational psychology
The performance of individuals at work and during training
is evaluated, and recommendations are made, by organizational or occupational
psychologists.
They assist businesses in understanding how people and
groups behave at work and in identifying more efficient methods to operate.
Effectiveness, efficiency, job happiness, and staff
retention can all be enhanced with the use of this information.
Social Psychology
Science-based methods are used in social psychology to analyze
how social factors affect people's behavior. It aims to clarify how the actual,
fictitious, or suggested presence of other people affects our emotions,
actions, and thoughts.
A social psychologist examines leadership, hostility,
discrimination, nonverbal conduct, group behavior, and social perception.
Understanding social behavior is thought to depend on social observation and
interaction.
Military, consumer, educational, cross-cultural, and
environmental psychology are further subfields. The number of branches keeps
expanding.
Freud and his follower:
The psychoanalytic ideas and therapeutic techniques established by Vienna-trained physician Sigmund Freud and his numerous students—starting in the early 20th century and lasting for many decades—were at the same time challenging the conventional understanding of human nature as primarily rational.
The unconscious and its frequently socially unacceptable
illogical drives and wants, notably the sexual and aggressive, were the driving
force behind much of human behavior and mental illness, according to Freudian
thought, which put reason in the background. Clinical practitioners using this
theory adopted the therapeutic goal of making the unconscious conscious.
According to Freud, a lot of what people feel, think and do is unconscious, motivated by self-preservation, and uncontrollable. A large portion of it also reflects early childhood tensions that manifest as intricate patterns of seemingly contradictory behaviors and symptoms.
His adherents, the ego psychologists, highlighted the significance of both an individual's psychological defensive systems as well as higher-order cognitive processes and functions (such as competence motivation, self-regulatory capacities, etc.).
They also switched their attention to the functions of secure attachment and
interpersonal relationships in mental health and adaptive functioning, and they
were the first to analyze these processes in a clinical context.
A brief summary of psychology:
- The study of behavior and
the mind is known as psychology.
- Psychology comes in many forms, including cognitive, forensic, social, and developmental psychology.
- A psychological evaluation and course of treatment may be advantageous for someone who suffers from a mental health disorder.
- A psychologist could recommend therapy that emphasizes behavioral modifications.
- A psychiatrist is a medical professional who tends to concentrate more on the medical treatment of mental health problems.
