Introduction to Psychology
What is Psychology?
Psychology is originally derived from two Greek words i.e.
Psyche---- soul or spirit or mind
Logos---- study of
Initially, it is defined as “the study of mind.”
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It includes their
actions, thoughts, perceptions, reasoning processes, memories and their biological activities
which help their body in functioning.
Goals of Psychology
The goals of the science of psychology are to describe, understand, predict, and
control behavior.
“What happened?” (describing)
“Why did they do that?” (understanding or explaining)
“What would happen if they did this?” (predicting)
“What can they do next time to reach a different outcome?” (changing)
Description
Accurately describing a problem, an issue, or a behavior is the first goal of
psychology. Description, or naming and classifying, is typically based on making a detailed
record of scientific observations. It is the process of identifying and classifying behaviors and
mental processes as accurately as possible. Descriptions help psychologists to distinguish
between typical and atypical behaviors and gain more accurate understandings of human and
animal behaviors and thoughts.
Understanding (Explain)
In addition to describing, psychologists seek to be able to explain behaviors. The goal
of explaining is to provide answers to questions about why people react to certain stimuli in
certain ways, how various factors impact personalities and mental health, and so on.
Psychologists often use experiments, which measure the impacts of variables upon behaviors,
to help formulate theories that explain aspects of human and animal behaviors.
Prediction
It is a process of specifying the conditions under which behavior or mental process is
likely to occur. Making predictions about how humans and animals will think and act is the
third goal of psychology. By looking at past observed behavior (describing and explaining),
psychologists aim to predict how that behavior may appear again in the future, as well as
whether others might exhibit the same behavior.
Resource Person: Noor Zainab
, Introduction to Psychology
Control
Control simply refers to altering conditions that affect behavior. Psychology aims to
change, influence, or control behavior to make positive, constructive, meaningful, and lasting
changes in people’s lives and to influence their behavior for the better. This is the final and
most important goal of psychology.
Areas of Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Counselling Psychology
Organizational/Industrial Psychology
School Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Health Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Educational Psychology
Social Psychology
Sport Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychologists are concerned with the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of
individuals with psychological disorders, as well as treatment of less severe behavioral and
emotional problems. Principal activities include interviewing clients, psychological testing,
and providing group or individual psychotherapy.
Counseling Psychology
It focuses on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the life span. It
pays particular attention to emotional, social, vocational, educational and health related
development.
Organization/Industrial Psychology
Psychologists in this area perform a wide variety of tasks in the world of business and
industry. These tasks include running human resources departments, working to improve staff
morale and attitudes, striving to increase job satisfaction and productivity, examining
organizational structures and procedures, and making recommendations for improvements.
Business Psychology
It provides information about such basic factors as doing business and running it
successfully.
Resource Person: Noor Zainab
What is Psychology?
Psychology is originally derived from two Greek words i.e.
Psyche---- soul or spirit or mind
Logos---- study of
Initially, it is defined as “the study of mind.”
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. It includes their
actions, thoughts, perceptions, reasoning processes, memories and their biological activities
which help their body in functioning.
Goals of Psychology
The goals of the science of psychology are to describe, understand, predict, and
control behavior.
“What happened?” (describing)
“Why did they do that?” (understanding or explaining)
“What would happen if they did this?” (predicting)
“What can they do next time to reach a different outcome?” (changing)
Description
Accurately describing a problem, an issue, or a behavior is the first goal of
psychology. Description, or naming and classifying, is typically based on making a detailed
record of scientific observations. It is the process of identifying and classifying behaviors and
mental processes as accurately as possible. Descriptions help psychologists to distinguish
between typical and atypical behaviors and gain more accurate understandings of human and
animal behaviors and thoughts.
Understanding (Explain)
In addition to describing, psychologists seek to be able to explain behaviors. The goal
of explaining is to provide answers to questions about why people react to certain stimuli in
certain ways, how various factors impact personalities and mental health, and so on.
Psychologists often use experiments, which measure the impacts of variables upon behaviors,
to help formulate theories that explain aspects of human and animal behaviors.
Prediction
It is a process of specifying the conditions under which behavior or mental process is
likely to occur. Making predictions about how humans and animals will think and act is the
third goal of psychology. By looking at past observed behavior (describing and explaining),
psychologists aim to predict how that behavior may appear again in the future, as well as
whether others might exhibit the same behavior.
Resource Person: Noor Zainab
, Introduction to Psychology
Control
Control simply refers to altering conditions that affect behavior. Psychology aims to
change, influence, or control behavior to make positive, constructive, meaningful, and lasting
changes in people’s lives and to influence their behavior for the better. This is the final and
most important goal of psychology.
Areas of Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Counselling Psychology
Organizational/Industrial Psychology
School Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Health Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Educational Psychology
Social Psychology
Sport Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychologists are concerned with the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of
individuals with psychological disorders, as well as treatment of less severe behavioral and
emotional problems. Principal activities include interviewing clients, psychological testing,
and providing group or individual psychotherapy.
Counseling Psychology
It focuses on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the life span. It
pays particular attention to emotional, social, vocational, educational and health related
development.
Organization/Industrial Psychology
Psychologists in this area perform a wide variety of tasks in the world of business and
industry. These tasks include running human resources departments, working to improve staff
morale and attitudes, striving to increase job satisfaction and productivity, examining
organizational structures and procedures, and making recommendations for improvements.
Business Psychology
It provides information about such basic factors as doing business and running it
successfully.
Resource Person: Noor Zainab
