LESSON 1: NATURE, HISTORY, AND SCOPE OF PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology - It comes from the two (2) Greek words ‘Psyche’ means mind, soul, spirit
and ‘Logos’ means to study. It can be defined as the scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.
Behavior - it includes all the overt or observable actions and reactions
Mental processes - it refers to all covert or internal activity of our minds
GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY
1. To describe a behavior➢“What is happening?”
➢“Where it happens?”
➢“To whom it happens?”
➢“Under what circumstances it seems to happen?”
2. To explain how or why it occurs
➢“Why is the behavior happening?”
3. To predict future behavior
➢“When will it happen again?”
4. To control or change behavior
➢“How can it be changed?”
IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHOLOGY
● Self-knowledge
● Learning About Others
● Solving Important Problems
HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY
Seven thousand years ago, people assumed that psychological problems were caused
by evil spirits.
Trephining - a surgical procedure in which a disk of bone is removed from the skull with
a circular instrument (a trephine) having a saw-like edge.
Wilhelm Wundt 1832-1920
STRUCTURALISM
● He set-up the first laboratory intended exclusively for psychological research in
Leipzig, Germany. (1st Psychological Laboratory)
● Introspection / introspect - To look within yourself.
, ● “The Father of Modern Psychology
● He published the first journal of psychology, “Philosopische Studien”
William James 1842-1910
● He is an American philosopher who articulated some of the major issues of
psychology and earned recognition as the founder of Americans Psychology.
● He preferred to learn how people produce useful behavior
FUNCTIONALISM
1. How can people strengthen good habits?
2. Can someone attend to more than one item at a time?
3. How do people recognize that they have seen something before?
4. How does an intention lead to action?
John B. Watson 1987-1958
● The Rise of Behaviorism
● Many regard him as the founder of Behaviorism.
● Behaviorism is the field of psychology that concentrates on observable,
measurable behaviors and not on mental processes.
● “Little Albert”
Sigmund Freud 1856-1939
● Modern Clinical Psychology
● He is an Australian Neurologist and the founder of Psychoanalysis.
● He popularized Psychotherapy with his methods of analyzing
● patients’ dreams, memories, past experience, childhood experiences and sexual
desire.
Various Fields in Psychology
1. Clinical Psychology
It applies psychological principles to the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and
behavioral problems, including mental illness, drug addiction, and marital and family
conflict.
2. Counseling Psychology
It has the same functions as clinical psychologists, although they often deal with less
serious problems. Counseling Psychologists help people with educational, vocational,
marriage, health-related, and other decisions.
3. Forensic Psychology
It involves the application of clinical specialties to the legal arena. They provide advice
and consultation to police, lawyers, and courts. They advise on such decisions as
, whether a defendant is mentally competent to stand trial or whether someone eligible
for parole is dangerous.
4. Industrial / Organizational Psychology
This field deals with issues such as hiring the right person for a job, training people for
jobs, developing work teams, determining salaries and bonuses, providing feedback to
workers about their performance, planning an organizational structure, and organizing
the workplace so that workers will be productive and satisfied.
5. Educational Psychology
This specializes in learning and teaching. This involves working in schools where they
do research on teaching methods and help train teachers. They often work with children
(directly), collaborate with parents and teachers to improve a child's learning outcomes.
6. Military Psychology
This conducts intellectual and personality tests to identify people suitable for certain
jobs within the military and then helps to train people for those jobs. It also deals with
providing clinical and counseling services to soldiers dealing with highly stressful
experiences.
7. Developmental Psychology
It is the study of how behavior changes with age, “from womb to tomb.” Developmental
Psychologists hope to optimize development and apply their theories to help people in
practical situations.
8. Cross-Cultural Psychology
It compares the behavior of people from different cultures. The goal of cross-cultural
psychology is to look at both universal behaviors and unique behaviors to identify the
ways in which culture impacts our behaviors, family life, education, social experiences,
and other areas.
9. Personality Psychology
Personality psychologists study the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that define an
individual’s personal style of interacting with the world. Accordingly, they are interested
in differences between individuals. It also assesses, diagnoses, and treats personality
disorders.
10.Social Psychology
This is a study of how an individual influences other people and how the group
influences an individual. It's about understanding how each person’s individual behavior
is influenced by the social environment in which that behavior takes place.
11.Environmental Psychology
It is a branch of psychology that explores the relationship between humans and the
external world. The scientific study of the transactions and interrelationships between
people and their physical surroundings (including built and natural environments, the
use and abuse of nature and natural resources, and sustainability-related behavior.
Psychology - It comes from the two (2) Greek words ‘Psyche’ means mind, soul, spirit
and ‘Logos’ means to study. It can be defined as the scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.
Behavior - it includes all the overt or observable actions and reactions
Mental processes - it refers to all covert or internal activity of our minds
GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY
1. To describe a behavior➢“What is happening?”
➢“Where it happens?”
➢“To whom it happens?”
➢“Under what circumstances it seems to happen?”
2. To explain how or why it occurs
➢“Why is the behavior happening?”
3. To predict future behavior
➢“When will it happen again?”
4. To control or change behavior
➢“How can it be changed?”
IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHOLOGY
● Self-knowledge
● Learning About Others
● Solving Important Problems
HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY
Seven thousand years ago, people assumed that psychological problems were caused
by evil spirits.
Trephining - a surgical procedure in which a disk of bone is removed from the skull with
a circular instrument (a trephine) having a saw-like edge.
Wilhelm Wundt 1832-1920
STRUCTURALISM
● He set-up the first laboratory intended exclusively for psychological research in
Leipzig, Germany. (1st Psychological Laboratory)
● Introspection / introspect - To look within yourself.
, ● “The Father of Modern Psychology
● He published the first journal of psychology, “Philosopische Studien”
William James 1842-1910
● He is an American philosopher who articulated some of the major issues of
psychology and earned recognition as the founder of Americans Psychology.
● He preferred to learn how people produce useful behavior
FUNCTIONALISM
1. How can people strengthen good habits?
2. Can someone attend to more than one item at a time?
3. How do people recognize that they have seen something before?
4. How does an intention lead to action?
John B. Watson 1987-1958
● The Rise of Behaviorism
● Many regard him as the founder of Behaviorism.
● Behaviorism is the field of psychology that concentrates on observable,
measurable behaviors and not on mental processes.
● “Little Albert”
Sigmund Freud 1856-1939
● Modern Clinical Psychology
● He is an Australian Neurologist and the founder of Psychoanalysis.
● He popularized Psychotherapy with his methods of analyzing
● patients’ dreams, memories, past experience, childhood experiences and sexual
desire.
Various Fields in Psychology
1. Clinical Psychology
It applies psychological principles to the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and
behavioral problems, including mental illness, drug addiction, and marital and family
conflict.
2. Counseling Psychology
It has the same functions as clinical psychologists, although they often deal with less
serious problems. Counseling Psychologists help people with educational, vocational,
marriage, health-related, and other decisions.
3. Forensic Psychology
It involves the application of clinical specialties to the legal arena. They provide advice
and consultation to police, lawyers, and courts. They advise on such decisions as
, whether a defendant is mentally competent to stand trial or whether someone eligible
for parole is dangerous.
4. Industrial / Organizational Psychology
This field deals with issues such as hiring the right person for a job, training people for
jobs, developing work teams, determining salaries and bonuses, providing feedback to
workers about their performance, planning an organizational structure, and organizing
the workplace so that workers will be productive and satisfied.
5. Educational Psychology
This specializes in learning and teaching. This involves working in schools where they
do research on teaching methods and help train teachers. They often work with children
(directly), collaborate with parents and teachers to improve a child's learning outcomes.
6. Military Psychology
This conducts intellectual and personality tests to identify people suitable for certain
jobs within the military and then helps to train people for those jobs. It also deals with
providing clinical and counseling services to soldiers dealing with highly stressful
experiences.
7. Developmental Psychology
It is the study of how behavior changes with age, “from womb to tomb.” Developmental
Psychologists hope to optimize development and apply their theories to help people in
practical situations.
8. Cross-Cultural Psychology
It compares the behavior of people from different cultures. The goal of cross-cultural
psychology is to look at both universal behaviors and unique behaviors to identify the
ways in which culture impacts our behaviors, family life, education, social experiences,
and other areas.
9. Personality Psychology
Personality psychologists study the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that define an
individual’s personal style of interacting with the world. Accordingly, they are interested
in differences between individuals. It also assesses, diagnoses, and treats personality
disorders.
10.Social Psychology
This is a study of how an individual influences other people and how the group
influences an individual. It's about understanding how each person’s individual behavior
is influenced by the social environment in which that behavior takes place.
11.Environmental Psychology
It is a branch of psychology that explores the relationship between humans and the
external world. The scientific study of the transactions and interrelationships between
people and their physical surroundings (including built and natural environments, the
use and abuse of nature and natural resources, and sustainability-related behavior.
