Introduction to Psychology

The journey through the field of psychology begins with its definitions.

Derivation of the term and literal meaning:

Study of soul: Psychology is derived from two Greek words, ’’Psyche’’ meaning ‘’soul’’ and
‘’Logos’’ meaning ‘’study’’. Psychology is the study of soul. This definition was one of the
oldest and was proposed by Aristotle.

Study of Mind: Psychology was then defined as the study of mind, a definition that appeared
better than the one that said psychology was the study of soul.

Study of Consciousness: Consciousness is defined as awareness of our environment and our

mental processes.

Wilhelm Wundt defines psychology as the study of ‘consciousnesses.

He established the first psychology laboratory at Leipzig in the year 1879.

DEFINITION

Psychology is defined as "the scientific study of behaviour and mental process’’’.

MEANING:

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It hold within a wide range of
topics, from understanding the way individuals think, feel, and behave to exploring the
complex processes of the brain.

It’s a science of mind.

The key points in this definition are:

BEHAVIOUR: behaviour is nothing but the organism's response to the given stimulus. Here
behaviour includes all of our outward or overt actions and reactions, such as talking. Facial
expressions and movements

MENTAL PROCESSES: refers to all the internal covert activity (which cannot be seen) of
our minds, such as thinking feeling and remembering.

SCIENTIFIC: Psychology is systematic and follows scientific procedure such as conducting

experiments, making observations which other can repeat, can obtain data, in the quantitative
measurements, which others can verify. Thus, psychology is considered as scientific study.
GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY

In psychology there are four important goals that aim at uncovering the mysteries of human
and animal behaviour.

1. Description: Description involves observing behaviour and noting everything about it such
as what is happening? Where it happens to when it happens and under what circumstances it
seems to happen?

Eg A Girls behaving in odd way in classroom. The description of what is happening gives a
starting place for the next goal- why

2. Explanation: Here the psychologist tries to explain why that behaviour has occurred why
this girl is behaving in this way Finding explanations for behaviour is a very important step in
the process of forming theories of behaviour. A theory is a general explanation of a set of
observations or facts. The goal of description provides the observations and the goal of
explanation helps to build theory

3. Prediction: Determining what will happen in the future is a prediction.

Eg Psychologist predict that this girl has some medical problems

4. Control; here control refers to modification of the undesirable behaviour that is controlling
or changing of undesirable behaviour to desirable behaviour.

Eg taking the girl to hospital for treatment and see to it that her illness is cured and she
behaves in a normal way in the class.

Psychological professions and areas of specialization / Scope of Psychology:-

- Clinical psychologists:- clinical psychologists are the doctors who diagnose

psychological disorder and treat them by the means of psychotherapy.

- Clinical psychologists hold a PhD or M.A degree relatively new degree called the
doctor of psychology.

- A Clinical psychologist, who does not have medical training, cannot prescribe drugs
to treat behaviour disorders. Clinical psychologists practise in state mental hospitals,
community mental health enters and similar agencies.

- Psychiatrist:- They are basically MBBS doctors who do there MD in psychiatry, they
can prescribe the drugs to treat behaviour disorders.

- Counselling Psychologist- they generally work with people who have milder
emotional problems. they may use psychotherapy in an attempt to help these problems
(emotional or personal problems dealt by a client) They are consulted with specific
questions, such as a choice of career, educational program .They make use of tests to
 measure aptitudes, interests and personality characteristics. They try to help people
who are having problems family living, like marriage, family etc.

- School and educationalpsychology school psychologists’ job consist of diagnosing

learning difficulties and try to give remedial classes to them. They try to gain the
information of the student by administering various tests and consulting teachers and
parents, tries to pinpoint the problem and suggest action to correct it. They are also
involved in vocational and other forms of counselling

- Educational Psychologists may include school psychologists; they are especially

concerned with increasing the efficiency of learning in school by applying their
psychological knowledge about learning and motivation to the curriculum.

- Experimental psychologists they study how behaviour is modified and how people
retain this modifications, the processing of information in thinking, how human
sensory system work to allow people to experience what is going on around them and
the factors that urge them on and give direction to behaviour. In in other words this
study cause-and-effect relationship

- Physiological / Biological psychology biological psychologist deal with study in the

behaviour of a person in terms of biological function in. Here they would like to study
about the changes, structure and functioning of the human body in relation to
behaviour. The main focus or important aspects which is of their interest are brain,
nervous system ,genes, chromosome ,hormones ,glands etc.

- Industrial and organisational psychology-they worked as a member of counselling

firms which sell their service to companies. They make use of Intelligence and
aptitude test in selecting employees. Private and public organisation also applies
psychology to problems of Management and employee training to supervision of
personnel, to improve communication with in the organization.

- Social psychologist the prime focus of social psychology is on understanding how

individuals are affected by other people. It includes the study of the ways in which we
perceive others and how those perception affect our behaviour towards them it also
involves concern efforts to understand the determinants of interpersonal influences
and of attitude change. They can work as community mental health counsellors,
counsellors in NGOs and also in academician.

- Developmental psychology -they try to understand Complex behaviour by studying

their beginning and the orderly ways in which they change with them. Developmental
psychology has both Research and applied aspects they are often concerned with
children who have behavioural problems of psychology disorder. They work in
hospitals, schools and day care centres.

- Community psychology apply the psychological principal's, ideas and point of view
to help solve social problems and to help individuals adapt to their work and living
groups. They setup programs to reach people in the community who happened to have
 behaviour problem or likely to develop them and who are not presently being served
by traditional psychotherapeutic method. They can work as community mental health
counsellors in NGOs and also in as the academicians.

- Sports psychology applied psychology to athletic activity and exercise and they
motivate the team during games (matches).

- Forensic psychology focuses on legal issues such as deciding criteria for determining
whether a defendant was legally same at this at the time a crime was committed.

Branches/ Types of Psychology

Each branch or field looks at questions and problems from a different perspective. While
each has its own focus on psychological problems or concerns, all areas share a common
goal of studying and explaining human thought and behavior.

Psychology can be roughly divided into two major areas:

1. Research, which seeks to increase our knowledge base.

2. Practice, through which our knowledge is applied to solving problems in the real
world

Because human behavior is so varied, the number of subfields in psychology is also

constantly growing and evolving. Some of these subfields have been firmly established as
areas of interest, and many colleges and universities offer courses and degree programs in
these topics.

Each field of psychology represents a specific area of study focused on a particular topic.
Oftentimes, psychologists specialize in one of these areas as a career. The following are just
some of the major branches of psychology. For many of these specialty areas, working in that
specific area requires additional graduate study in that particular field.

❖ Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal psychology is the area that looks at psychopathology and abnormal behavior.
Mental health professionals help assess, diagnose, and treat a wide variety of psychological
disorders including anxiety and depression. Counselors, clinical psychologists, and
psychotherapists often work directly in this field.

❖ Behavioral Psychology

Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a theory of learning based on the idea
that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. While this branch of psychology
dominated the field during the first part of the twentieth century, it became less prominent
during the 1950s. However, behavioral techniques remain a mainstay in therapy, education,
and many other areas.

People often utilize behavioral strategies such as classical conditioning and operant
conditioning to teach or modify behaviors. For example, a teacher might use a system of
rewards in order to teach students to behave during class. When students are good, they
receive gold stars which can then be turned in for some sort of special privilege.

❖ Biopsychology

Biopsychology is a branch of psychology focused on how the brain, neurons, and nervous
system influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This field draws on many different
disciplines including basic psychology, experimental psychology, biology, physiology,
cognitive psychology, and neuroscience.

People who work in this field often study how brain injuries and brain diseases impact human
behavior.

Biopsychology is also sometimes referred to as physiological psychology, behavioral

neuroscience, or psychobiology.

❖ Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the assessment and treatment
of mental illness, abnormal behavior, and psychiatric disorders. Clinicians often work in
private practices, but many also work in community centers or at universities and colleges.

Others work in hospital settings or mental health clinics as part of a collaborative team that
may include physicians, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals.

❖ Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on internal mental states. This
area of psychology has continued to grow since it emerged in the 1960s. This area of
psychology is centered on the science of how people think, learn, and remember.

Psychologists who work in this field often study things such as perception, motivation,
emotion, language, learning, memory, attention, decision-making, and problem-solving.

Cognitive psychologists often use an information-processing model to describe how the mind
works, suggesting that the brain stores and processes information much like a computer.

❖ Comparative Psychology

Comparative psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the study of animal
behavior. The study of animal behavior can lead to a deeper and broader understanding of
human psychology.
This area has its roots in the work of researchers such as Charles Darwin and George
Romanes and has grown into a highly multidisciplinary subject. Psychologists often
contribute to this field, as do biologists, anthropologists, ecologists, geneticists, and many
others.

❖ Counseling Psychology

Counseling psychology is one of the largest individual subfields in psychology. It is centered

on treating clients experiencing mental distress and a wide variety of psychological
symptoms.

The Society of Counseling Psychology describes the field as an area that can improve
interpersonal functioning throughout life by improving social and emotional health as well as
addressing concerns about health, work, family, marriage, and more.

❖ Cross-Cultural Psychology

Cross-cultural psychology is a branch of psychology that looks at how cultural factors

influence human behavior. The International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology
(IACCP) was established in 1972, and this branch of psychology has continued to grow and
develop since that time.

Today, increasing numbers of psychologists investigate how behavior differs among various
cultures throughout the world.

❖ Developmental/Child Psychology

Developmental psychology focuses on how people change and grow throughout life. The
scientific study of human development seeks to understand and explain how and why people
change throughout life. Developmental psychologists often study things such as physical
growth, intellectual development, emotional changes, social growth, and perceptual changes
that occur over the course of the lifespan.

These psychologists generally specialize in an area such as infant, child, adolescent, or

geriatric development, while others may study the effects of developmental delays. This field
covers a huge range of topics including everything from prenatal development to Alzheimer's
disease.

❖ Educational Psychology

Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with schools, teaching

psychology, educational issues, and student concerns. Educational psychologists often study
how students learn or work directly with students, parents, teachers, and administrators to
improve student outcomes.

They might study how different variables influence individual student outcomes. They also
study topics such as learning disabilities, giftedness, the instructional process, and individual
differences.
 ❖ Experimental Psychology

Experimental psychology is the branch of psychology that utilizes scientific methods to

research the brain and behavior. Many of these techniques are also used by other areas in
psychology to conduct research on everything from childhood development to social issues.

Experimental psychologists work in a wide variety of settings including colleges,

universities, research centers, government, and private businesses. Experimental
psychologists utilize the scientific method to study a whole range of human behaviors and
psychological phenomena.

This branch of psychology is often viewed as a distinct subfield within psychology, but
experimental techniques and methods are actually used extensively throughout every subfield
of psychology. Some of the methods used in experimental psychology include
experiments, correlational studies, case studies, and naturalistic observation.

❖ Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology is a specialty area that deals with issues related to psychology and the
law. Those who work in this field of psychology apply psychological principles to legal
issues. This may involve studying criminal behavior and treatments or working directly in the
court system.

Forensic psychologists perform a wide variety of duties, including providing testimony in

court cases, assessing children in suspected child abuse cases, preparing children to give
testimony and evaluating the mental competence of criminal suspects.

This branch of psychology is defined as the intersection of psychology and the law, but
forensic psychologists can perform many roles so this definition can vary. In many cases,
people working in forensic psychology are not necessarily "forensic psychologists." These
individuals might be clinical psychologists, school psychologists, neurologists, or counselors
who lend their psychological expertise to provide testimony, analysis, or recommendations in
legal or criminal cases.

❖ Health Psychology

Health psychology is a specialty area that focuses on how biology, psychology, behavior and
social factors influence health and illness. Other terms including medical psychology and
behavioral medicine are sometimes used interchangeably with the term health psychology.
The field of health psychology is focused on promoting health as well as the prevention and
treatment of disease and illness.

Health psychologists are interested in improving health across a wide variety of domains.

These professionals not only promote healthy behaviors, but they also work on the prevention
and treatment of illness and disease. Health psychologists often deal with health-related
issues such as weight management, smoking cessation, stress management, and nutrition.
They might also research how people cope with illnesses and help patients look for new,
more effective coping strategies. Some professionals in this field help design prevention and
public awareness programs, while others work within the government to improve health care
policies.

❖ Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Industrial-organizational psychology is a branch that applies psychological principles to

research on workplace issues such as productivity and behavior. This field of psychology
often referred to as I/O psychology works to improve productivity and efficiency in the
workplace while also maximizing the well-being of employees.

Research in I/O psychology is known as applied research because it seeks to solve real-world
problems. I/O psychologists study topics such as worker attitudes, employee behaviors,
organizational processes, and leadership.

Some psychologists in this field work in areas such as human factors, ergonomics, and
human-computer interaction. Human factors psychology is an interdisciplinary field that
focuses on topics such as human error, product design, ergonomics, human capability, and
human-computer interaction.

People who work in human factors are focused on improving how people interact with
products and machines both in and out of the workplace. They might help design products
intended to minimize injury or create workplaces that promote greater accuracy and improved
safety.

❖ Personality Psychology

Personality psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on the study of the thought
patterns, feelings, and behaviors that make each individual unique. Classic theories of
personality include Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality and Erikson's theory of
psychosocial development.

Personality psychologists might study how different factors such as genetics, parenting, and
social experiences influence how personality develops and changes.

❖ School Psychology

School psychology is a field that involves working in schools to help kids deal with
academic, emotional, and social issues. School psychologists also collaborate with teachers,
students, and parents to help create a healthy learning environment.

Most school psychologists work in elementary and secondary schools, but others work in
private clinics, hospitals, state agencies, and universities. Some go into private practice and
serve as consultants, especially those with a doctoral degree in school psychology.
 ❖ Social Psychology

Social psychology seeks to explain and understand social behavior and looks at diverse topics
including group behavior, social interactions, leadership, nonverbal communication, and
social influences on decision-making.

This field of psychology is focused on the study of topics such as group behavior, social
perception, nonverbal behavior, conformity, aggression, and prejudice. Social influences on
behavior are a major interest in social psychology, but social psychologists are also focused
on how people perceive and interact with others.

❖ Sports Psychology

Sports psychology is the study of how psychology influences sports, athletic performance,
exercise, and physical activity. Some sports psychologists work with professional athletes
and coaches to improve performance and increase motivation. Other professionals utilize
exercise and sports to enhance people’s lives and well-being throughout the entire lifespan.

Psychology is always evolving and new fields and branches continue to emerge. It is
important to remember that no single branch of psychology is more important or better than
any other. Each specific area contributes to our understanding of the many different
psychological factors that influence who you are, how you behave, and how you think.

By conducting research and developing new applications for psychological knowledge,

professionals working in every branch of psychology are able to help people better
understand themselves, confront the problems they may face, and live better lives.

Myths and misconceptions of Psychology

❖ Psychologists can read minds

When you tell people you study Psychology, no matter who they are or where they
come from, their first response is ' So you can read peoples' mind!' or 'Can you tell me
what am I thinking?' But that is not the case. Psychology is the study of the mind and
how people interact in society, no psychologist will ever claim that they can mind
read.

❖ Psychology is the same as Psychiatry

A graduate in a Psychology degree is called a Psychologist. However, a Psychiatrist is

a medical doctor who specializes in Psychiatry. Psychologists are not called doctors
unless they complete PhD and they focus on psychotherapy as compared to
Psychiatrists who diagnose and help manage mental illnesses through a range of
therapies like pharmacotherapy.

❖ Psychologist work only in hospitals

 It is a common misconception that a psychologist can only be found in a clinical
setting. However, Psychology is a broad and diverse field that encompasses the study
of human thought, behavior, development, personality, emotion, motivation, and
more. Psychologists work in prisons, intelligence agencies, schools, sports, counseling
services, rehabilitation centers, human resources (HR) departments, and industrial
sectors in addition to hospitals. Research and teaching careers are also very common.

❖ There isn't any statistics in Psychology

One reason you might be surprised to know that Psychology also involves
Mathematics and Statistics is that psychology is so often associated with qualitative
things like emotions and feelings. However, Math classes, and statistics, in particular,
are an important part of any psychology program. You need to master one or more
statistical software like Excel, SPSS, or Jamovi to analyze the quantitative data and
eventually deduce results in research projects. Statistics allow psychologists to present
data in ways that are easier to comprehend such as using graphs, pie charts, and
scatter plots.

❖ Psychology isn't a science

It is commonly heard that Psychology is not a real science. Psychology indeed has its
fair share of pseudoscience, however, it does take a scientific approach and uses
empirical methods to understand human behavior. Psychologists use both qualitative
research methods such as interviews and focus groups as well as quantitative research
methods such as questionnaires and surveys to understand various behavioral and
cognitive processes.

❖ There’s extremely limited scope after studying psychology – most people become
therapists after studying psychology.

The fact is that psychology is a remarkably diverse field and offers a variety of
interesting career options. While it is true that a lot of psychology graduates practice
therapy and see patients, psychology can find its use in a lot of other fields as well.
These include business and consulting, research field, organizations, government,
military, criminal justice systems, schools, universities, hospitals, clinics and so on.

❖ Psychology is only common sense.

While many things may appear to people to be common sense, it is crucial to

remember that psychology is based on extensive research. To arrive at findings, it
employs systematic and objective methods of observation and experimentation.
Experimenters can study human concerns objectively and fairly using scientific
approaches.
 ❖ Those people take up psychology who have faced issues in their personal lives.

This again, is not true at all. While a lot of people might take up psychology because they
want to help people or because of some personal interest in it, a lot of other people might take
up psychology just because they find it interesting or are inclined to study it.

❖ Psychologists always give their clients a diagnosis.

Although psychologists are trained in the diagnosis of mental health issues, it is not always
helpful or relevant for a psychologist to provide a diagnosis, and sometimes clients don’t
meet the criteria for a diagnosis anyway.

❖ Psychologists always focus on the past, especially your childhood.

When you first see a psychologist, in order for them to be able to get an accurate picture of
what’s happening for you, they will ask you some questions about your past, including your
childhood. This helps the psychologist to get to know you better and it also helps them to
understand the bigger picture and how it links to what you’re wanting help with.

We understand that this process can sometimes be a daunting one. We’ll take things at your
pace though and will leave it up to you to decide what you do and don’t want to speak about.

After this initial getting-to-know-you-process you and your psychologist will decide together
what the focus of your sessions will be. Often clients find it helpful to focus on the present
initially and then when they feel like their symptoms are improving or they’re getting back on
track, they may wish to look at the past for clues about why certain symptoms or patterns
keep coming up. Other clients decide that they’d like the sessions to be focused in the present
only.

The role of psychologists

1. Clinical Practice: Clinical psychologists diagnose and treat mental health disorders and
emotional difficulties through psychotherapy, counseling, and other therapeutic interventions.
They work with individuals, couples, families, and groups to address a wide range of issues,
including depression, anxiety, trauma, addiction, eating disorders, and relationship problems.

2. Counseling and Therapy: Counseling psychologists provide guidance and support to

individuals facing challenges in their personal, academic, or professional lives. They help
clients develop coping skills, improve self-esteem, manage stress, and navigate life
transitions such as divorce, job loss, or grief.
3. Assessment and Testing: Psychologists conduct psychological assessments and tests to
evaluate cognitive abilities, personality traits, emotional functioning, and psychological
disorders. These assessments help inform diagnoses, treatment planning, educational
placement, and career counselling.

4. Research and Academia: Psychologists conduct empirical research to advance

knowledge in various areas of psychology, including cognitive psychology, developmental
psychology, social psychology, clinical psychology, and industrial-organizational
psychology. They publish their findings in academic journals, present at conferences, and
contribute to the development of theories and methodologies in the field.

5. Education and Training: Psychologists educate and train students at all levels, from
undergraduate to graduate and professional programs. They teach courses in psychology,
supervise clinical training experiences, mentor research projects, and provide guidance to
students pursuing careers in psychology or related fields.

6. Consultation and Collaboration: Psychologists collaborate with other professionals, such

as physicians, educators, social workers, and policymakers, to address complex issues
affecting individuals, families, organizations, and communities. They provide consultation on
topics such as mental health, behaviour management, organizational development, and public
policy.

7. Advocacy and Public Awareness: Psychologists advocate for the rights and well-being of
individuals with mental health concerns and promote public awareness of psychological
issues and resources. They engage in advocacy efforts to reduce stigma, improve access to
mental health services, and influence policy decisions related to mental health care and social
justice.

8. Workplace and Organizational Psychology: Industrial-organizational psychologists

apply psychological principles to improve workplace productivity, employee satisfaction, and
organizational effectiveness. They may conduct assessments, develop training programs,
facilitate team building, and provide consultation on issues such as leadership development,
diversity and inclusion, and work-life balance.