An Introduction to Psychology MODULE - I
Foundations of
Psychology
1 Notes
AN INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
As human beings our curiosity drives us to know the reasons behind various events
happening around us. Whenever we meet somebody or see someone doing something
we immediately try to understand as to why this person is doing this kind of activity.
Similarly we often try to understand our own experiences and behaviors in different
situations. The eagerness and curiosity guide us to think as to how people are different
from each other in terms of their intellect, aptitude and temperament: Why do they
become happy or sad? How do they become friendly or develop antagonistic
relationships? How do some people learn anything quickly while others take relatively
more time? The answer to all these questions may be given by a novice as well as a
person who has learned psychology. The answer of the novice can be guided by
common sense but a psychologist can study the reasons behind such activities in a
systematic way and can provide scientific answers to these questions which can be
tested time and again. In this lesson we will try to understand the nature and scope of
psychology in detail.
OBJECTIVES
After studying this lesson, you will be able to:
• explain the nature of psychology and its definition;
• describe the scope of psychology;
• elaborate the basic psychological processes; and
• explain the fields of psychology.
1.1 NATURE OF PSYCHOLOGY AND ITS DEFINITION
In simple words psychology is a systematic and scientific study of mental processes,
experiences and behaviors - both overt and covert. The word ‘psychology’ has its
PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE 1
,MODULE - I An Introduction
Psychology to Psychology
Secondary Course
Foundations of
Psychology
origin in two Greek words ‘psyche’ and ‘logos’. The word ‘psyche’ in Greek language
refers to ‘spirit’ or ‘soul’ and the word ‘logos’ refers to ‘discourse’ or ‘study’. During
earlier times it was considered as a discipline which deals with the study of soul. In
India the study of such questions was the main concern during Vedic and Upanishadic
period. Various aspects of mental processes were analyzed. Subsequently the schools
Notes of Yoga, Samkhya, Vedant, Nyaya, Buddhism, and Jainism provided detailed accounts
of mind, mental processes and methods to control mind. In modern period it started
at Calcutta University in 1916 with establishment of the Department of Psychology.
In the western world, the formal beginning of psychology as an independent discipline
goes back to 1879 when Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental laboratory
at the University of Leipzig, in Germany. Since then the growth of psychology has
covered a long journey. Today it is one of the very popular subjects among social
sciences. It studies all the shades of experiences, mental processes and behaviours.
A comprehensive analysis of all these aspects provides a scientific understanding of
human nature. In the following sections we will try to understand all the components
which collectively define psychology.
(A) Study of experience
Psychologists study a variety of human experiences which are mainly personal or
private in nature. They may range from experiences of dream, conscious experiences
at different stages of life and experiences when the consciousness is altered through
meditation or use of psychedelic drugs. The study of such experiences helps the
psychologist to understand the personal world of the individual.
(B) Study of mental processes
Psychology as the study of mental processes tries to investigate the activities
happening in the brain which are primarily non physiological in nature. These mental
processes include perception, learning, remembering and thinking. These are internal
mental activities which are not directly observed but inferred from the behavioural
activities of the person. For example, we can say that somebody is thinking if he or
she displays certain activities related to finding solution to a mathematical problem
assigned to him or her.
(C) Study of behaviour
The range of behaviours studied in psychology is very broad. It includes simple
reflexes (e.g. eye blinking), common response patterns such as talking to friends,
verbal reports about feelings and internal states and complex behaviours such as
handling computers, playing piano and addressing a crowd. These behaviours are
either observed directly through naked eyes or are measured through instruments.
They are generally exhibited verbally or nonverbally (e.g. facial expression) when
an individual reacts to a stimulus in a given situation.
Thus in psychology the main unit of investigation is the individual human being and
his or her experiences, mental processes and behaviours.
2 PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE
,An Introduction to Psychology MODULE - I
Foundations of
Psychology
Be
ha
e
nc
vio
rie
ur
Notes
pe
Ex
Mental processes
Fig. 1.1: Aspects of the subject matter of psychology
INTEXT QUESTIONS 1.1
1. Fill in the blanks:
a. The word ‘psychology’ has its origin in two Greek words ———— and
—————— .
b. The main unit of investigation is psychology is the individual ———— —
—————— .
c. Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental ——————————
at the University of Leipzig, in Germany.
d. Psychology is the study of ——————————, —————————
——— , and ——————————————.
1.2 SCOPE OF PSYCHOLOGY
From the definition of psychology now it might be clear to you that psychology
addresses a variety of issues related to mental and behavioural functioning of an
individual. Such a study helps us to develop a basic understanding about human
nature and facilitates us to deal with a number of personal and social problems.
The study of human beings starts with the functioning of biological systems especially
the nervous system. Under central nervous system psychology studies the functions
of various parts of brain which regulate our feelings, emotions and thinking. Within
autonomic nervous system the role of hormones and neurotransmitters in determining
our behavior is important. In addition psychology studies as to how a given socio-
cultural environment interacts with innate biological, intellectual and social attributes
of the child and facilitates healthy development of the child.
PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE 3
, MODULE - I An Introduction
Psychology to Psychology
Secondary Course
Foundations of
Psychology
As a living organism you encounter a lot of sensory input every moment. Your task
is not only to process that information but to store and retrieve it when it is required
to be used. Attention and perception help to process information. Memory helps us
to register, retain and retrieve information, and thinking provides us the ability to
manipulate and improve the stored information. Within psychology, all these are
Notes
studied under the domain of higher mental processes or cognition.
In your life you must have come across many persons who have reached highest
level of accomplishment. But such an accomplishment is not attained at once; it is
the result of continuous learning in which the individual acquires the necessary skills
and competencies through regular practice. Psychology helps us to understand the
processes involved in reaching this high level of accomplishment.
In order to understand the purpose behind any kind of behaviour psychologists use
the concept of motivation. It primarily focuses on the investment of mental energy
and consistency of effort towards achieving the set goals. The various shades of
feelings such as anger, fear, love, joy, and sadness which we experience during the
course of our life are studied within the realm of emotion.
You will certainly agree that no two individuals are the same in terms of their physical
attributes such as height, weight, skin colour or facial features as well as psychological
attributes such as intelligence, personality, temperament and interest. An
understanding of these and other aspects of individual differences facilitates the
psychologist to select right person for the right job and to provide guidance and
counseling for various matters of personal as well as professional concern. The
understanding of individual differences also helps the psychologist to differentiate
between normative (customary, accepted) and abnormal (deviant, unusual) behaviors.
Thus psychology as a discipline has a vast scope. It not only studies human beings
across the life span but also tries to explore mental processes and potentials in order
to facilitate achieving a better quality of life.
Activity 1
The Power of Positive Thinking: Health and Happiness
By thinking and saying positive thoughts to yourself and others, you can gradually
create a positive change in yourself as well as in others. Try this exercise with
your friends or family members. Ask your friends as to how many of them are in
a ‘positive’ mood and how many in a ‘negative’ mood. Then instruct your friends
to shake hands with others and genuinely say “ I wish you happiness and good
health” . Again ask your friends about their mood, to see how many report ‘positive’
and how many ‘negative’. Yes, you will be surprised - the number of reported
‘positive’ moods has gone up.
4 PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE
Foundations of
Psychology
1 Notes
AN INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
As human beings our curiosity drives us to know the reasons behind various events
happening around us. Whenever we meet somebody or see someone doing something
we immediately try to understand as to why this person is doing this kind of activity.
Similarly we often try to understand our own experiences and behaviors in different
situations. The eagerness and curiosity guide us to think as to how people are different
from each other in terms of their intellect, aptitude and temperament: Why do they
become happy or sad? How do they become friendly or develop antagonistic
relationships? How do some people learn anything quickly while others take relatively
more time? The answer to all these questions may be given by a novice as well as a
person who has learned psychology. The answer of the novice can be guided by
common sense but a psychologist can study the reasons behind such activities in a
systematic way and can provide scientific answers to these questions which can be
tested time and again. In this lesson we will try to understand the nature and scope of
psychology in detail.
OBJECTIVES
After studying this lesson, you will be able to:
• explain the nature of psychology and its definition;
• describe the scope of psychology;
• elaborate the basic psychological processes; and
• explain the fields of psychology.
1.1 NATURE OF PSYCHOLOGY AND ITS DEFINITION
In simple words psychology is a systematic and scientific study of mental processes,
experiences and behaviors - both overt and covert. The word ‘psychology’ has its
PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE 1
,MODULE - I An Introduction
Psychology to Psychology
Secondary Course
Foundations of
Psychology
origin in two Greek words ‘psyche’ and ‘logos’. The word ‘psyche’ in Greek language
refers to ‘spirit’ or ‘soul’ and the word ‘logos’ refers to ‘discourse’ or ‘study’. During
earlier times it was considered as a discipline which deals with the study of soul. In
India the study of such questions was the main concern during Vedic and Upanishadic
period. Various aspects of mental processes were analyzed. Subsequently the schools
Notes of Yoga, Samkhya, Vedant, Nyaya, Buddhism, and Jainism provided detailed accounts
of mind, mental processes and methods to control mind. In modern period it started
at Calcutta University in 1916 with establishment of the Department of Psychology.
In the western world, the formal beginning of psychology as an independent discipline
goes back to 1879 when Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental laboratory
at the University of Leipzig, in Germany. Since then the growth of psychology has
covered a long journey. Today it is one of the very popular subjects among social
sciences. It studies all the shades of experiences, mental processes and behaviours.
A comprehensive analysis of all these aspects provides a scientific understanding of
human nature. In the following sections we will try to understand all the components
which collectively define psychology.
(A) Study of experience
Psychologists study a variety of human experiences which are mainly personal or
private in nature. They may range from experiences of dream, conscious experiences
at different stages of life and experiences when the consciousness is altered through
meditation or use of psychedelic drugs. The study of such experiences helps the
psychologist to understand the personal world of the individual.
(B) Study of mental processes
Psychology as the study of mental processes tries to investigate the activities
happening in the brain which are primarily non physiological in nature. These mental
processes include perception, learning, remembering and thinking. These are internal
mental activities which are not directly observed but inferred from the behavioural
activities of the person. For example, we can say that somebody is thinking if he or
she displays certain activities related to finding solution to a mathematical problem
assigned to him or her.
(C) Study of behaviour
The range of behaviours studied in psychology is very broad. It includes simple
reflexes (e.g. eye blinking), common response patterns such as talking to friends,
verbal reports about feelings and internal states and complex behaviours such as
handling computers, playing piano and addressing a crowd. These behaviours are
either observed directly through naked eyes or are measured through instruments.
They are generally exhibited verbally or nonverbally (e.g. facial expression) when
an individual reacts to a stimulus in a given situation.
Thus in psychology the main unit of investigation is the individual human being and
his or her experiences, mental processes and behaviours.
2 PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE
,An Introduction to Psychology MODULE - I
Foundations of
Psychology
Be
ha
e
nc
vio
rie
ur
Notes
pe
Ex
Mental processes
Fig. 1.1: Aspects of the subject matter of psychology
INTEXT QUESTIONS 1.1
1. Fill in the blanks:
a. The word ‘psychology’ has its origin in two Greek words ———— and
—————— .
b. The main unit of investigation is psychology is the individual ———— —
—————— .
c. Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental ——————————
at the University of Leipzig, in Germany.
d. Psychology is the study of ——————————, —————————
——— , and ——————————————.
1.2 SCOPE OF PSYCHOLOGY
From the definition of psychology now it might be clear to you that psychology
addresses a variety of issues related to mental and behavioural functioning of an
individual. Such a study helps us to develop a basic understanding about human
nature and facilitates us to deal with a number of personal and social problems.
The study of human beings starts with the functioning of biological systems especially
the nervous system. Under central nervous system psychology studies the functions
of various parts of brain which regulate our feelings, emotions and thinking. Within
autonomic nervous system the role of hormones and neurotransmitters in determining
our behavior is important. In addition psychology studies as to how a given socio-
cultural environment interacts with innate biological, intellectual and social attributes
of the child and facilitates healthy development of the child.
PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE 3
, MODULE - I An Introduction
Psychology to Psychology
Secondary Course
Foundations of
Psychology
As a living organism you encounter a lot of sensory input every moment. Your task
is not only to process that information but to store and retrieve it when it is required
to be used. Attention and perception help to process information. Memory helps us
to register, retain and retrieve information, and thinking provides us the ability to
manipulate and improve the stored information. Within psychology, all these are
Notes
studied under the domain of higher mental processes or cognition.
In your life you must have come across many persons who have reached highest
level of accomplishment. But such an accomplishment is not attained at once; it is
the result of continuous learning in which the individual acquires the necessary skills
and competencies through regular practice. Psychology helps us to understand the
processes involved in reaching this high level of accomplishment.
In order to understand the purpose behind any kind of behaviour psychologists use
the concept of motivation. It primarily focuses on the investment of mental energy
and consistency of effort towards achieving the set goals. The various shades of
feelings such as anger, fear, love, joy, and sadness which we experience during the
course of our life are studied within the realm of emotion.
You will certainly agree that no two individuals are the same in terms of their physical
attributes such as height, weight, skin colour or facial features as well as psychological
attributes such as intelligence, personality, temperament and interest. An
understanding of these and other aspects of individual differences facilitates the
psychologist to select right person for the right job and to provide guidance and
counseling for various matters of personal as well as professional concern. The
understanding of individual differences also helps the psychologist to differentiate
between normative (customary, accepted) and abnormal (deviant, unusual) behaviors.
Thus psychology as a discipline has a vast scope. It not only studies human beings
across the life span but also tries to explore mental processes and potentials in order
to facilitate achieving a better quality of life.
Activity 1
The Power of Positive Thinking: Health and Happiness
By thinking and saying positive thoughts to yourself and others, you can gradually
create a positive change in yourself as well as in others. Try this exercise with
your friends or family members. Ask your friends as to how many of them are in
a ‘positive’ mood and how many in a ‘negative’ mood. Then instruct your friends
to shake hands with others and genuinely say “ I wish you happiness and good
health” . Again ask your friends about their mood, to see how many report ‘positive’
and how many ‘negative’. Yes, you will be surprised - the number of reported
‘positive’ moods has gone up.
4 PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE
