Psychology is the science[1] of mind and behavior.[2] Its immediate goal is to understand behavior and mental processes by researching and establishing both general principles and specific cases.[3] For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society. Psychology: It is the study of the mind and mental processes, especially in relation to behavior. There are a number of fields of psychology.
The word "psychology" is the combination of two terms - study (ology) and soul (psyche), or mind. The derivation of the word from Latin gives it this clear and obvious meaning:
The study of the soul or mind.
This meaning has been altered over the years until today, this is not what the word means at all. The subject of psychology, as studied in colleges and universities, currently has very little to do with the mind, and absolutely nothing to do with the soul or spirit.
Let's see what a few dictionaries have to say and how a word could alter and lose it's true and actual meaning.
"Psyche" is defined as:
1. The spirit or soul.
2. The human mind.
3. In psychoanalysis, the mind functioning as the center of thought, emotion, and behavior.
And defining "soul", we have:
1. the spiritual or immortal elements in a person.
2. a person's mental or moral or emotional nature.
Functionalism was developed at the University of Chicago. It was lead by John Dewey and James Angell. It also developed at the Harvard University with William James. Functionalist are involved in studying the functions of consciousness. They believed that the learning process was aided by consciousness. The study of functionalist also deals with personality, intelligence and other practical problem related to the field of education. The functionalist are interested in the learning process because the learning process is one of the means of adjustment of man to the environment where he live.
Gestalt Psychology is lead by Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Wertheimer and Koffha (German psychologist). The Gestalt psychologist analyzes experience by configuration, whole or pattern. These psychologist give importance to the wholeness in the process of learning. They give emphasis that the whole is greater than the sum to its parts. Furthermore, they give emphasis of form in perception,they believed that shapes and forms need to be describe by the organization of the entire perceptual field.
Behaviorism was lead by John B. Watson. He is a professor of psychology at John Hopkins university. The psychologists believed that psychology should be concerned with behaviors. They stressed that behaviors are observable and they are not conscious experience that is subjective and only known to the person involved.
Psychoanalysis was developed by Dr. Sigmund Freud. He developed this theory explaining the physical, nervous and emotional disorders with the organic explanations. Sigmund Freud is interested on the sub-conscious mind.
Humanism as contrary to the humanist and the behaviorist believed that every person is destined to be good. This psychologist also believed that criminality as well as delinquency are just caused by the environment that they claimed to be unhealthy and are inadequate for the proper development of the individual. Humanist believed that every individual has desire for what is good.
Cognitive Psychology is a blend of humanism and behaviorism. It gives special attention on thought process, the reasoning as well as problem solving. Cognitive psychologist are concerned on understanding the basic methods of the operation of the human brain.
The word "psychology" is the combination of two terms - study (ology) and soul (psyche), or mind. The derivation of the word from Latin gives it this clear and obvious meaning:
The study of the soul or mind.
This meaning has been altered over the years until today, this is not what the word means at all. The subject of psychology, as studied in colleges and universities, currently has very little to do with the mind, and absolutely nothing to do with the soul or spirit.
Let's see what a few dictionaries have to say and how a word could alter and lose it's true and actual meaning.
"Psyche" is defined as:
1. The spirit or soul.
2. The human mind.
3. In psychoanalysis, the mind functioning as the center of thought, emotion, and behavior.
And defining "soul", we have:
1. the spiritual or immortal elements in a person.
2. a person's mental or moral or emotional nature.
Branches of Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Abnormal behavior is defined as behavior that is considered to be maladaptive or deviant by the social culture in which it occurs. Though disagreement exists regarding which particular behaviors can be classified as abnormal, psychologists have defined several criteria for purposes of classification. One is that the behavior occurs infrequently and thus deviates from statistical norms. Another is …Applied Psychology
Applied psychology can be best understood by comparing it to the area of psychology known as basic psychology, which is concerned with answering questions about behavior through psychological theory and research. Applied psychology utilizes this knowledge to actively intervene in the treatment of individuals with mental or emotional disorders, and is also employed in business, education, and gover…Counseling Psychology
While the counseling psychologist may diagnose, assess, and treat adjustment difficulties, they often address problems which are more moderate than those encountered by the clinical psychologist. Clients of counseling psychologists are people who need help coping with the stresses of everyday life, and the focus is on strengthening their existing resources rather than overcoming disorders or defic…Cross-Cultural Psychology
Studies in this discipline attempt to expand the compass of psychological research beyond the few highly industrialized nations on which it has traditionally focused. While definitions of what constitutes a culture vary widely, most experts concur that "culture" involves patterns of behavior, symbols, and values. The prominent anthropologist Clifford Geertz has described culture as &…Developmental Psychology
Developmental psychologists study how characteristics and behaviors first appear and how and when they change. They study the relationships between different types of development, such as cognitive and social, as well as individual variations in development, both normal and deviant. Initially, developmental psychology focused on childhood but was subsequently expanded to cover changes that occur o…Differential Psychology
The earliest research in the field of differential psychology began in the late nineteenth century with Francis Galton's investigation of the effects of heredity on individual intelligence and his pioneering work in intelligence testing, which was further advanced by James McKeen Cattell and Alfred Binet. It was Binet who developed the first standardized intelligence test. Growth in related…Educational Psychology
Educational psychology departments in many universities provide training to educators, school psychologists, and other educational professionals. Applied research in this field focuses on how to improve teaching, solve learning problems, and measure learning ability and progress. Other concerns of educational psychology include cognitive development, the dynamics of pupil behavior, and the psychol…Ethology
The pioneering work of Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen in the 1930s established a theoretical foundation for ethology, which has had an effect on such wide-ranging disciplines as genetics, anthropology, and political science in addition to psychology. Ethologists believe that an animal must be studied on its own terms rather than primarily in relation to human beings, with a focus on its normal b…Etiology - The change in theory
Psychological etiology refers to the scientific investigation into the origins of a disorder that cannot be explained biologically. Etiology is complicated by the fact that most disorders have more than one cause. Early etiological theories were the Freudian and post-Freudian psychoanalytic beliefs. Sigmund Freud attributed mental or neurotic disorders to deep-seated or hidden psychic motivations.…Existential Psychology - History of the movement
Existential psychology is an approach to psychology and psychotherapy that is based on several premises, including: understanding that a "whole" person is more than the sum of his or her parts; understanding people by examining their interpersonal relationships, understanding that people have many levels of self-awareness that can be neither ignored nor put into an abstract context, …Experimental Psychology
Experimental psychologists work to understand the underlying causes of behavior by studying humans and animals. Animals are studied within and outside laboratory settings for a variety of reasons. A researcher may wish to learn more about a particular species, to study how different species are interrelated, to investigate the evolutionary significance of certain behaviors, or to learn more about …Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychologists often work within the judicial system in such diverse areas as determining an inmate's readiness for parole; evaluation of rehabilitation programs; criminal competency; tort liability and damages; eyewitness testimony and evidence; jury selection; and police training. Forensic psychology may also be employed in other areas of jurisprudence, including patent and tradem…Gestalt Psychology
The Gestaltists were at odds with the popular school of psychology of the day, known as structuralism, whose proponents believed that the mind consists of units or elements and could be understood by mapping and studying them in combination. The Gestalt psychologists believed that mental experience was dependent not on a simple combination of elements but on the organization and patterning of expe…Health Psychology
Health psychology is a diverse area with a variety of emphases. Medical psychology focuses on the clinical treatment of patients with physical illnesses, offering practical advice people can use in order to improve their health. While there is special emphasis on psychosomatic disorders—those that have traditionally been most closely related to psychological factors—the current trend…Humanistic Psychology - Theories and therapeutic applications, Research
Humanistic psychology evolved in the 1960s as a reaction to psychodynamic psychology and behaviorism. Humanists objected to the pessimistic view of human nature advocated by psychodynamic psychologists who saw the selfish pursuit of pleasure as the root of all human behavior. They also felt that the behaviorists' beliefs that all human behavior is the product of environmental influences red…Industrial Psychology
Some industrial psychologists, also called personnel or organizational psychologists, may be employed by companies to administer tests which measure employee aptitudes or skills in hiring and placement programs. Others work for consulting firms which offer their services to companies on a contractual basis to solve specific problems. The projects which they work on may include facilitating interpe…Media Psychology - What does psychology have to do with media?, Processing information
According to reports the average American household has the television on for about seven hours a day. It is also reported that young people are increasingly turning to the Internet as a form of escape and information-gathering. The movie industry spends billions of dollars on new films every year. Advertising currently has more outlets, like television, billborads, magazines, radio, the Internet,…Metapsychology
Metapsychology describes the effort to construct or to postulate a systematic and comprehensive set of general principles encompassing all of psychology, specifically including elements that are theoretical in addition to elements that are considered to have been empirically demonstrated; also known as nomothetic psychology. In classical Freudian psychoanalytical theory, the term metapsychology is…Occupational Therapist
Occupational therapists help persons with both physical and emotional problems as well as learning difficulties. Although occupational therapy was initially associated with reintegrating veterans of First and Second World Wars into the work force, the term "occupation" used in the context of this profession actually refers to any activity with which persons occupy their time. Occupat…Parapsychology
The study of paranormal activities and phenomena has been riddled with controversy since its conception. It is claimed that some people, utilizing senses beyond the ordinary, exhibit powers that cannot be explained by traditional science. Skeptics of the paranormal point to the fact that in over a century since the first serious studies of the paranormal began, usually dated to the opening of the …Philosophical Psychology
One of the central questions in philosophical psychology has been the relationship between the mind and body, a perennial area of inquiry throughout the history of philosophy. Other topics considered in this discipline include memory, perception, and consciousness; the nature of the self; the existence of free will; the relationship between thought and emotion; and so-called irrational phenomena, …Physiological Psychology
The area of experimental known as physiological psychology has evolved in the 1990s. Increasingly, the field is being referred to as behavioral neuroscience, replacing physiological psychology and biological psychology. Nonetheless, the goals of psychologists in this field remain the same: to utilize basic research to explain behavior in physiological terms, working on the assumption that for ever…Psychiatry/Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists treat patients privately and in hospital settings through a combination of psychotherapy and medication. There are about 41,000 practicing psychiatrists in the United States. Their training consists of four years of medical school, followed by one year of internship and at least three years of psychiatric residency. Psychiatrists may receive certification from the American Board of P…Psychoanalysis - Psychoanalysis and the development of personality, Freud's critics
Developed in Vienna, Austria, by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), psychoanalysis is based on an approach in which the therapist helps the patient better understand him- or herself through examination of the deep personal feelings, relationships, and events that have shaped motivations and behavior. Freud developed his theories during the end of the 19th and the early part of the 20th centuries in Vienna…Psychology/Psychologist
As psychology has grown and changed throughout its history, it has been defined in numerous ways. As early as 400 B.C., the ancient Greeks philosophized about the relationship of personality characteristics to physiological traits. Since then, philosophers have proposed theories to explain human behavior. In the late 1800s the emergence of scientific method gave the study of psychology a new focus…Psychophysics - CONCEPTS IN PSYCHOPHYSICS
Psychophysics originated with the research of Gustav Fechner (1801-1887), who first studied the relationship between incoming physical stimuli and the responses to them. Psychophysicists have generally used two approaches in studying our sensitivity to stimuli around us: measuring the absolute threshold or discovering the difference threshold. In studying the absolute threshold using the method of…Psychosurgery
Psychosurgery involves severing or otherwise disabling areas of the brain to treat a personality disorder, behavior disorder or other mental illness. The most common form of psychosurgery is the lobotomy, where the nerves connecting the frontal lobes of the brain and the thalamus or hypothalamus are severed. Performed first in the late 1930s, by the 1940s lobotomies were recommended for patients d…Psychotherapy - Psychodynamic approach, Behavioral techniques, Cognitive methods, Family and group therapy
Psychoanalysis, the first modern form of psychotherapy, was called the "talking cure," and the many varieties of therapy practiced today are still characterized by their common dependence on a verbal exchange between the counselor or therapist and the person seeking help. The therapeutic interaction is characterized by mutual trust, with the goal of helping individuals change destruc…School Psychology
Developed in 1896 at the University of Pennsylvania in a clinic that studied and treated children considered morally or mentally defective, the field of school psychology today includes 30,000 psychologists, most of whom work in educational systems throughout the United States. School psychologists, in various roles within the school systems they serve, focus on the development and adjustment of t…Social Psychology
Social psychology is the study of human interaction, including communication, cooperation, competition, leadership, and attitude development. Although the first textbooks on the subject of social psychology were published in the early 1900s, much of the foundation for social psychology studied in the 1990s is based on the work of the behavioral psychologists of the 1930s. Behavioral psychologists …Sociobiology
In his 1975 work, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, entomologist Edward O. Wilson first coined the term "sociobiology" to create a new field of study combining biology and social sciences, especially anthropology and sociology. Sociobiologists study the biological nature of human behavior and personality according to the tenet that all social behavior has a biological basis. The field…Sports Psychology
Sports—which involve emotion, competition, cooperation, achievement, and play—provide a rich area for psychological study. People involved in sports attempt to master very difficult skills, often subjecting themselves to intense physical stress as well as social pressure. When psychologists began studying sports in the 1930s and 1940s, they focused on motor performance and the acquis…Statistics in Psychology
Psychologists rely heavily on statistics to help assess the meaning of the measurements they make. Sometimes the measurements involve individuals who complete psychological tests; at other times, the measurements involve statistics that describe general properties of groups of people or animals. In psychological testing, the psychologist may interpret test results in light of norms, or the typical…Different Schools of Psychology:
Structuralism was the first school of psychology, and focused on breaking down mental processes into the most basic components. Major structuralist thinkers include Wilhelm Wundt and Edward Titchener.Functionalism was developed at the University of Chicago. It was lead by John Dewey and James Angell. It also developed at the Harvard University with William James. Functionalist are involved in studying the functions of consciousness. They believed that the learning process was aided by consciousness. The study of functionalist also deals with personality, intelligence and other practical problem related to the field of education. The functionalist are interested in the learning process because the learning process is one of the means of adjustment of man to the environment where he live.
Gestalt Psychology is lead by Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Wertheimer and Koffha (German psychologist). The Gestalt psychologist analyzes experience by configuration, whole or pattern. These psychologist give importance to the wholeness in the process of learning. They give emphasis that the whole is greater than the sum to its parts. Furthermore, they give emphasis of form in perception,they believed that shapes and forms need to be describe by the organization of the entire perceptual field.
Behaviorism was lead by John B. Watson. He is a professor of psychology at John Hopkins university. The psychologists believed that psychology should be concerned with behaviors. They stressed that behaviors are observable and they are not conscious experience that is subjective and only known to the person involved.
Psychoanalysis was developed by Dr. Sigmund Freud. He developed this theory explaining the physical, nervous and emotional disorders with the organic explanations. Sigmund Freud is interested on the sub-conscious mind.
Humanism as contrary to the humanist and the behaviorist believed that every person is destined to be good. This psychologist also believed that criminality as well as delinquency are just caused by the environment that they claimed to be unhealthy and are inadequate for the proper development of the individual. Humanist believed that every individual has desire for what is good.
Cognitive Psychology is a blend of humanism and behaviorism. It gives special attention on thought process, the reasoning as well as problem solving. Cognitive psychologist are concerned on understanding the basic methods of the operation of the human brain.
