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 What is Psychology?
 Psychology is defined formally as a science which studies
mental processes, experiences and behaviour in different
contexts.

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 Mental processes - It is the state that we use to solve

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problems, thinking various aspects, perceiving any aspect,
learning or remembering anything.

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 Experience - These are subjective in nature which are
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embedded in our conscious(awareness) and depends on the
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internal and external conditions of person.
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 Behaviour- These are responses made by us on any situation or

condition. It can be overt(visible) and covert(unnoticeable,
innate).
 As per some psychologists, behaviour is association between stimuli
and response in which either can be external and internal.
Psychology as a discipline :

 First lab of Psychology is established in Leipzig,

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Germany by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879.

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 It is the discipline which studies about human

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behaviour, experiences and mental processes.
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 It makes us understand how our mind works and
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how certain mental processes result in specific
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behaviour.
 Psychology as a discipline today has two parallel
streams I.e Natural science and social science.
Psychology as natural science : -

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 Discrete influence on psychology.

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 Psychologists use hypothetical deductive

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model to prove any hypothesis.
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 By using this model, many psychologists
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gave theories on topics like motivation,

perception, memory etc.
Psychology as social psychology :

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 Studies human behaviour in social context.

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 Human behaviour is shaped by their socio

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cultural environment.
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 Humans are created by socio cultural
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environment.
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 Focuses on humans and communities as social

beings in relation to their socialculture and
physical environment.
Understanding Mind and Behaviour :
 It is true that mind cannot exist without brain but
mind is a separate entity (examples).

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 Earlier it was believed that there is no relation

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between mind and the body but now neuro

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sciences cleared that there is relationship between
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 Use of mental imagery. With the help of
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visualizations phobias were cured.

 A new discipline called Psychoneuroimmunology
has emerged which emphasizes the role played by
the mind in strengthening the immune system.
POPULAR NOTIONS ABOUT THE DISCIPLINE OF PSYCHOLOGY :

 Common sense is not equal to psychological studies.

 Common sense is based on hindsight whether

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Psychology as a science looks for patterns of

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behaviour which can be predicted and not explained

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after the behaviour occurs.
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 Common sense tells us that an individual is not able
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to perform best in front audience but Psychological
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studies have shown that if you have practiced well,

you may actually perform better because the
presence of others helps your performance.
EVOLUTION OF PSYCHOLOGY :
 Wilhelm wundt gave the school of structuralism. He used the
method of Introspection to analyse the structure of mind. As

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this method didn’t satisfied other psychologists, new schools

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were introduced.

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 Functionalism was given by William James to study human

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mind. He argued that psychologists should study what the mind
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does and how behaviour functions in making people deal with
their environment. He said that consciousness as an ongoing
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stream of mental process interacting with the environment
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formed the core of psychology.

 Gestalt psychology was emerged as new school in Germany. In
this it is showed that what we experience is more than the inputs
received from our environment. Experience is holistic; it is a
Gestalt.
 John Watson established Behaviourism in which he
denied the idea of introspection and and consciousness.
As per him, scientific psychology must focus on what is

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observable and verifiable.

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 Now, Sigmund Freud gave Psychoanalysis. He viewed

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viewed human behaviour as a dynamic manifestation of
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unconscious desires and conflicts. He viewed human
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beings as motivated by unconscious desire for
gratification of pleasure seeking.
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 Humanistic perspective given by Carl Rogers and

Abraham Maslow, emphasized the free will of human
beings and their natural striving to grow and unfold their
inner potential.
 Aspects of Gestalt approach and
structuralism were combined and led to the

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development of the cognitive perspective

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which focuses on how we know about the

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world. Cognition is the process of knowing.

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 Modern cognitive psychology views human
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Beings as actively constructing their minds
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through their exploration into the physical

and the social world. This view is sometimes
called constructivism.
 DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY :
- Various specializations emerged over years.
 Cognitive psychology (mental processes)

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 Biological psychology (behaviour and physical body)

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 Developmental psychology (development throughout life span)

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 Social psychology (relation with society)

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 Cross-cultural and Cultural Psychology (relation with culture)
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 Environmental psychology (relation with nature)
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 Health psychology (role of psychological factors )
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 Clinical and Counselling Psychology (deals with disorders)

 Industrial/Organizational Psychology (workplace behaviour)
 Sports psychology (deals with behaviour of sports person)
 Educational psychology (deals with basically school students’)
 Other Emerging Branches of Psychology
THEMES OF RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS :
Every branches discussed earlier engage in kinds of activities:
research and application.

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Theme 1: Psychology like other sciences attempts to develop

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principles of behaviour and mental processes.
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 Understand & Explain behaviour & mental events
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 Draw Conclusions supported by Data

 Design & Conduct experiments under control conditions
 Develop principles about behaviour and mental processes
 Conclusion is applicable to everybody and are universal
Theme 2: Human behaviour is a function of the attributes of
persons and environment.
 Kurt Lewin - B = F(P.E)

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 Behaviour is product of person and her/his enviornment

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 Every human varies in terms of intelligence, interests, etc

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 Differential Psychology focuses on Individual Differences
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 Heredity &/VS Environment
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Theme 3: Human behaviour is caused.

 Causes can be either Internal (personal) or external
(environmental)
 Not only one cause.
Theme 4: Understanding of human behaviour is culturally
constructed.
 Most theoires/models are Euro - American in nature, thus

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doesn't help in understanding other cultures.

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 Feminists claim that Psychology ignores female perspective

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Theme 5: Human behaviour can be controlled and modified
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through the application of psychological principles.
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 To improve quality of life

 interventions in life of needy people, brought this subject
more closer to life and made it more popular.
 Various independent branches have emerged to deal
different sectors. Like, educational, industrial psychology etc
Basic vs Applied Psychology :
 There is no clear difference between the both.

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 Theories that we study in basic psychology used in

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applied to apply in real life.

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 Research is an integral part of even those fields of
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psychology that are mainly characterized by or
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subsumed under the category of application.
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 There is seemingly no fundamental difference between

research and application of psychology.
 These activities are highly interrelated and mutually
reinforcing.
PSYCHOLOGY AND OTHER DISCIPLINES :

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 - Researchers and scholars in science, social

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science and humanities have felt the

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significance of psychology as a discipline.
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 So here we will see the relationship of
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psychology with other disciplines.

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PSYCHOLOGISTS AT WORK
- Psychologists work at various “human

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services areas”.

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 Clinical psychologists

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 Counselling psychologists
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 Community psychologists
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 School psychologists
 Organizational psychologists
PSYCHOLOGY IN EVERYDAY LIFE :
 After studying psychology you will be able to solve your
problems more effectively your day to day problems.

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 The principles and methods of psychology that you will

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learn will make you analyse and understand your relation

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to others.
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 So, psychology helps you understand yourself in more
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better way.
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 By using various psychological principles we can enhance

our abilities like learning, memory etc.
 Thus, the knowledge of psychology is quite useful in our
everyday life and is rewarding from personal as well as
social point of view.
Topics Covered :
 What is Psychology?
 Psychology as a Discipline

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 Psychology as a Natural Science

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 Psychology as a Social Science

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 Understanding Mind and Behaviour
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 Popular Notions about the Discipline
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 Evolution of Psychology
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 Branches of Psychology
 Themes of Research and Applications
 Psychology and Other Disciplines
 Psychologists at Work
 Psychology in Everyday Life
Important Questions
 Define and explain the meaning of the word

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'psychology.

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 What is mind? How mind is related to brain?

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 What is organizational psychology?
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 Differentiate between social psychology and cross-
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culture psychology.
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 How psychology is a Discipline?

Important Questions
 What is Gestalt psychology?

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 How basic psychology is different from applied

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psychology?


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Discuss some of the major disciplines linked to the field of
psychology.
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How is psychology used in everyday life? Discuss.
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 What do you understand by the term 'Introspection'?
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 Describe the cognitive perspective on human nature.

 How will you prove that human behaviour is a function of
the attributes of personn and environment?
 Describe humanistic perspective on human nature.
Important Questions
 Differentiate between clinical psychologists and

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counselling psychologists.

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 Give a brief account of the evolution of psychology in India.
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Name main fields of specialization in psychology.
 Explain some of the themes which provide direction to
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research and application of psychology.
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 How Mind and Brain are different? Explain with examples.
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 What kind of Works Psychologists do?