Unit 1 Introduction
Understanding psychology
Concepts
The word psychology is taken from Greek word “psyche” and “logos” where
psyche means soul and logos means discourse. Literally, psychology is the study of
structure and element of mind.
Structuralism: philosopher WILHEM GRANTT EDWARD had explained
psychology as the study of structure and element of mind.
Functionalism: This philosophy explains psychology as the study of function
of consciousness.
Behavioural: philosopher observed psychology as the study of behaviour
that can be observed.
However Baron defined,” psychology as the science of behaviour and cognitive
process”. According to Baron, ”psychology is the science because it involves in
observation and experimentation to build theory.”
Overall, psychology is the scientific study of human or animals behaviour and
cognitive or mental process not encompassing just what they do but also study
activities, feelings, thoughts, emotions, perception etc. and develop theories to
guide behaviour.
Goals of psychology
Every science has goal. The goals of physical science is to learn how the universal
works? Astrology as a part of science aims to draw the unique picture of the
universe and what will happen in the future.
Psychology is the science of behaviour study. Its main goals is o disclose
curiosities of human being. However major goals are as follows:
, 1. Description: It involves observation of behaviour and noting everything
about it. It describes what is happening, when it happen to whom, and
what circumstances it happened? It deals what is abnormal and unhealthy
and what is healthy behaviour by using observation case study, etc.
2. Explanation : Explanation is concern with identifying the causes of what,
when to who or under what circle transaction it happened. It seeks the
answer of question like why is it happening. It conduct experiment and
develop theories to explain behaviour.
3. Prediction: It refers to determines future activities or behaviour. It deals
about when will it happen again? Behavioural is predicted based on
description and explanation.
4. Control: control refers to the changing and modification of behaviour.
However there is some conflict between psychologists regular control
because some psychologists deals it as “brain washing”. Controlling isn’t
brain washing rather changing undesirable behaviour to desirable
behaviour.
Perspectives in Psychology
Perspectives are outlooks or perceptions. Psychology perspective offer different
outlooks and emphasis on different factor or explain and predicting and
controlling human behaviour. Some common perspectives are as follows:
1. Behavioural perspective:
John B.waston was first American psychologist to advocate behavioural
perspective of psychology. He explained that study of psychology focuses not on
consciousness or experience but focuses on behaviour that can be treasured and
observed. He conducts his experiment by taking the animals and extended to
human beings. He strongly argued that one can gain complete understanding of
human behaviour by changing and modifying the environment in which he
operates. He wanted to establish stimulus response relationship to determine the
behaviour explained by PAVLOVE. He was supported by another American
,psychologist B.F SKINNER. Skinner argued that inner state can’t be studied
scientifically so, it is not the area of psychology. The psychology should focus on
the study of overt behaviour with various limits. Nowdays , the contribution of
behaviour perspectives has been applied in treating diseases, curb, aggression
and ending drug addictions.
2. Cognitive perspective
Behaviourlism rejected the subjective study of ”mental life” in psychology to
make it as a science. So, Gestalt psychologist, a notable group of, psychologists of
German supported “mental process” and developed a new perspective of
psychology. The Cognitive perspective of psychology deals the psychology truly is
a science of behaviour and mental process. The cognitive perspective is a new or
contemporary process in psychology deals about emotions, intelligence,
perception, learning , language, etc. It focuses on the study of how people feel,
think and understand the core. The cognitive psychologist attempt to investigate
internal, mental state in objective and scientific manner. They compare the
mental process with electronic computer and defines the process of collecting,
transmitting, storing and retrieving information of human and animal behaviour.
3. Biological perspective
It is also called psychological perspective. It states about biological base of
behaviour of mental process. Biologic psychologist advocated that biological base
or events such as genetic influences horniness, brain chemical etc. Influence
human behavior and mental process. It also study about neurotransmitter, where
it refers to the chemical substance in brain that determines normal or abnormal
behavior. Use of drugs alerts neurotransmission and influence or change
behavior. Biological psychologist also studies on effect of gene and environment
on human personalities whether genetic factor and environment determine
individual’s differences.
4. Psychodynamic perspective
It is the brain child Sigmund Freud. It involves cosmetic modification over psycho
analysis. It is used to treat abnormal behavior and neurotic diseases. It focuses on
, the study of human "psyche" or "mind" is divided into three layers: conscious ,
subconscious and unconscious. It argues that innate(inborn) or unconscious mind
largely influences conscious behavior. The motivation of behavior steams from
innate(forces) and conflict in which we aren't aware of that and beyond over
control. Such instinct displays in disguised form such as in dream, tongue slip , day
dreaming and other problems. The psychodynamic concept focuses on
unconscious mind influences conscious behavior , childhood experience
influences future personality development. It gives more emphasis on
development of self-sense and improved technique of motivation behind person's
behavior but put less emphasis on sex and sexual behavior.
5. Socio-cultural perspective
It is the fusion of social psychology and cultural psychology. Social psychology
studies about groups, roles of societies, rules in the society and relationship
between social members where as cultural psychology studies about norms,
values, beliefs, expectations etc held by social members. The socio cultural
perspective attempts to understand how individuals and others behave or think
not only he/she is alone group, with friends, in crowd but in the culture where
he/she lives. In other words, it studies the influence of gender, ethnicity, religion,
other cultural factors on personality behavior ,attitude etc. The socio-cultural
perspective also focuses on the study of cultural relativity. Cultural relativity
means the differences and individuals in terms of gender, ethnicity, and religion
are simply different but it doesn't make them superior or inferior to each other. It
also argues that individuals differences are rampant or everywhere in terms of
culture, ethnicity, and other practices but all people or individual are alike. It
helps to accept multi-cultural values in the society and understand between each
other.
6. Evolutionary perspective
Evolutionary perspective is based on the work developed by Charles Darwin. It
involves the combination of psychological concepts and evolution of human
beings. The evolutionary perspective focuses on the study of biological base of
human being for universal mental characteristics all individuals shared. It also
Understanding psychology
Concepts
The word psychology is taken from Greek word “psyche” and “logos” where
psyche means soul and logos means discourse. Literally, psychology is the study of
structure and element of mind.
Structuralism: philosopher WILHEM GRANTT EDWARD had explained
psychology as the study of structure and element of mind.
Functionalism: This philosophy explains psychology as the study of function
of consciousness.
Behavioural: philosopher observed psychology as the study of behaviour
that can be observed.
However Baron defined,” psychology as the science of behaviour and cognitive
process”. According to Baron, ”psychology is the science because it involves in
observation and experimentation to build theory.”
Overall, psychology is the scientific study of human or animals behaviour and
cognitive or mental process not encompassing just what they do but also study
activities, feelings, thoughts, emotions, perception etc. and develop theories to
guide behaviour.
Goals of psychology
Every science has goal. The goals of physical science is to learn how the universal
works? Astrology as a part of science aims to draw the unique picture of the
universe and what will happen in the future.
Psychology is the science of behaviour study. Its main goals is o disclose
curiosities of human being. However major goals are as follows:
, 1. Description: It involves observation of behaviour and noting everything
about it. It describes what is happening, when it happen to whom, and
what circumstances it happened? It deals what is abnormal and unhealthy
and what is healthy behaviour by using observation case study, etc.
2. Explanation : Explanation is concern with identifying the causes of what,
when to who or under what circle transaction it happened. It seeks the
answer of question like why is it happening. It conduct experiment and
develop theories to explain behaviour.
3. Prediction: It refers to determines future activities or behaviour. It deals
about when will it happen again? Behavioural is predicted based on
description and explanation.
4. Control: control refers to the changing and modification of behaviour.
However there is some conflict between psychologists regular control
because some psychologists deals it as “brain washing”. Controlling isn’t
brain washing rather changing undesirable behaviour to desirable
behaviour.
Perspectives in Psychology
Perspectives are outlooks or perceptions. Psychology perspective offer different
outlooks and emphasis on different factor or explain and predicting and
controlling human behaviour. Some common perspectives are as follows:
1. Behavioural perspective:
John B.waston was first American psychologist to advocate behavioural
perspective of psychology. He explained that study of psychology focuses not on
consciousness or experience but focuses on behaviour that can be treasured and
observed. He conducts his experiment by taking the animals and extended to
human beings. He strongly argued that one can gain complete understanding of
human behaviour by changing and modifying the environment in which he
operates. He wanted to establish stimulus response relationship to determine the
behaviour explained by PAVLOVE. He was supported by another American
,psychologist B.F SKINNER. Skinner argued that inner state can’t be studied
scientifically so, it is not the area of psychology. The psychology should focus on
the study of overt behaviour with various limits. Nowdays , the contribution of
behaviour perspectives has been applied in treating diseases, curb, aggression
and ending drug addictions.
2. Cognitive perspective
Behaviourlism rejected the subjective study of ”mental life” in psychology to
make it as a science. So, Gestalt psychologist, a notable group of, psychologists of
German supported “mental process” and developed a new perspective of
psychology. The Cognitive perspective of psychology deals the psychology truly is
a science of behaviour and mental process. The cognitive perspective is a new or
contemporary process in psychology deals about emotions, intelligence,
perception, learning , language, etc. It focuses on the study of how people feel,
think and understand the core. The cognitive psychologist attempt to investigate
internal, mental state in objective and scientific manner. They compare the
mental process with electronic computer and defines the process of collecting,
transmitting, storing and retrieving information of human and animal behaviour.
3. Biological perspective
It is also called psychological perspective. It states about biological base of
behaviour of mental process. Biologic psychologist advocated that biological base
or events such as genetic influences horniness, brain chemical etc. Influence
human behavior and mental process. It also study about neurotransmitter, where
it refers to the chemical substance in brain that determines normal or abnormal
behavior. Use of drugs alerts neurotransmission and influence or change
behavior. Biological psychologist also studies on effect of gene and environment
on human personalities whether genetic factor and environment determine
individual’s differences.
4. Psychodynamic perspective
It is the brain child Sigmund Freud. It involves cosmetic modification over psycho
analysis. It is used to treat abnormal behavior and neurotic diseases. It focuses on
, the study of human "psyche" or "mind" is divided into three layers: conscious ,
subconscious and unconscious. It argues that innate(inborn) or unconscious mind
largely influences conscious behavior. The motivation of behavior steams from
innate(forces) and conflict in which we aren't aware of that and beyond over
control. Such instinct displays in disguised form such as in dream, tongue slip , day
dreaming and other problems. The psychodynamic concept focuses on
unconscious mind influences conscious behavior , childhood experience
influences future personality development. It gives more emphasis on
development of self-sense and improved technique of motivation behind person's
behavior but put less emphasis on sex and sexual behavior.
5. Socio-cultural perspective
It is the fusion of social psychology and cultural psychology. Social psychology
studies about groups, roles of societies, rules in the society and relationship
between social members where as cultural psychology studies about norms,
values, beliefs, expectations etc held by social members. The socio cultural
perspective attempts to understand how individuals and others behave or think
not only he/she is alone group, with friends, in crowd but in the culture where
he/she lives. In other words, it studies the influence of gender, ethnicity, religion,
other cultural factors on personality behavior ,attitude etc. The socio-cultural
perspective also focuses on the study of cultural relativity. Cultural relativity
means the differences and individuals in terms of gender, ethnicity, and religion
are simply different but it doesn't make them superior or inferior to each other. It
also argues that individuals differences are rampant or everywhere in terms of
culture, ethnicity, and other practices but all people or individual are alike. It
helps to accept multi-cultural values in the society and understand between each
other.
6. Evolutionary perspective
Evolutionary perspective is based on the work developed by Charles Darwin. It
involves the combination of psychological concepts and evolution of human
beings. The evolutionary perspective focuses on the study of biological base of
human being for universal mental characteristics all individuals shared. It also
