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Psychology Introduction

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Introduction to Psychology, The word Psychology was derived from.Definitions of Psychology, Psychology as Science, Conclusion
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What is What is Psychology? Psychology? Science of Human and Science of Human and Animal Behaviour; Animal Behaviour; It includes the It includes the application of this application of this science to human problems. science to human problems.
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Page 1: Psychology  Introduction

What is Psychology?What is Psychology?

Science of Human and Animal Science of Human and Animal Behaviour; Behaviour;

It includes the application of this It includes the application of this science to human problems.science to human problems.

Page 2: Psychology  Introduction

The word ‘PSYCHOLOGY’ is The word ‘PSYCHOLOGY’ is derived from the greek word derived from the greek word ‘‘psychepsyche’ meaning ‘’ meaning ‘soulsoul’ and’ and

‘‘logoslogos’ meaning ‘’ meaning ‘discoursediscourse’ or ’ or ‘‘sciencescience’.’.

So, the word Psychology meansSo, the word Psychology means‘‘Science of soulScience of soul’’

Page 3: Psychology  Introduction

Various DefinitionsVarious Definitions

Plato- Psychology is the Plato- Psychology is the science of the psyche or science of the psyche or soul.soul.

Aristotle- science of Aristotle- science of living organism.living organism.

This fails to distinguish This fails to distinguish between psychology between psychology and metaphysics.and metaphysics.

This lacks the This lacks the characteristic point of characteristic point of view and lays too much view and lays too much stress on biological side.stress on biological side.

Page 4: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd) Mediaeval Psychology- Mediaeval Psychology-

Science of Mind.Science of Mind.

**Positive SciencePositive Science deals with deals with facts as they are, without facts as they are, without evaluating them. Eg. evaluating them. Eg. Physics deals with physical Physics deals with physical objects like heat, light etcobjects like heat, light etc

Normative ScienceNormative Science deals deals with facts from the with facts from the standpoint of a norm or standpoint of a norm or value. Eg. Ethics deals with value. Eg. Ethics deals with how man should act, so that how man should act, so that action may be right.action may be right.

The term mind is vague.The term mind is vague.+The term is too wide as logic, +The term is too wide as logic,

ethics also are science of ethics also are science of mind.mind.

+ The definition does not + The definition does not distinguish psychology as distinguish psychology as *positive science from the *positive science from the above sciences which are above sciences which are normative.normative.

Page 5: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

Descartes, James, Descartes, James, Angell- science of Angell- science of consciousness.consciousness.

+ By consciousness, + By consciousness, James, Angell mean James, Angell mean states and processes of states and processes of mind like sensations and mind like sensations and ideas.ideas.

Consciousness covers Consciousness covers only an insignificant only an insignificant part of the mind leaving part of the mind leaving aside its major part aside its major part which is below the which is below the conscious level.conscious level.

Page 6: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

Leibnitz- science of the Leibnitz- science of the conscious and conscious and subconscious mind.subconscious mind.

It ignores the It ignores the unconscious.unconscious.

Page 7: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

Wundt- science of Wundt- science of individual experience.individual experience.

+ His follower Titchener- + His follower Titchener- science of experience science of experience dependent upon an dependent upon an experiencing person.experiencing person.

“ “ For psychological For psychological purpose, the living body purpose, the living body may be reduced to the may be reduced to the nervous system and its nervous system and its attachments.attachments.

Such definitions are Such definitions are materialistic.materialistic.

Page 8: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

Prof. James Ward- Prof. James Ward- Science of individual Science of individual experience.experience.

+ This definition gives + This definition gives importance experience importance experience of self of self

He does not explain He does not explain how there can be a how there can be a science of psychology science of psychology with the self as its with the self as its centre.centre.

+ He avoids the psycho-+ He avoids the psycho-physical methods of physical methods of psychological psychological investigation.investigation.

Page 9: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

Modern Psychologists Modern Psychologists (David Hume) - Science (David Hume) - Science of mental processes.of mental processes.

Stout- Science of mental Stout- Science of mental states and processes.states and processes.

It ignores self and fails It ignores self and fails to account for unity and to account for unity and continuity of mental continuity of mental life. life.

Stout admits the self as Stout admits the self as a part of psychological a part of psychological enquiry.enquiry.

Page 10: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

William McDougall-William McDougall- Positive science of the Positive science of the behaviour of living behaviour of living beings.beings.

Woodworth- Science of Woodworth- Science of the activities of the the activities of the individual.individual.

It tends to be biological It tends to be biological and vague.and vague.

It ignores selfIt ignores self+ It overlooks the + It overlooks the

passivity of feelings, passivity of feelings, which according to it is which according to it is an activity of the an activity of the individual.individual.

Page 11: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

J.B.Watson- Science of J.B.Watson- Science of BehaviourBehaviour

+ By Behaviour he means + By Behaviour he means - total response which - total response which an organism makes to an organism makes to any situation with which any situation with which it is faced.it is faced.

It reduces psychology to It reduces psychology to a natural science.a natural science.

+ Banishes all reference to + Banishes all reference to mind, consciousness mind, consciousness etc.etc.

Page 12: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

Koffka, Gestalt Koffka, Gestalt Psychologist- study of Psychologist- study of behaviour in its causal behaviour in its causal connections with connections with psycho-physical fieldpsycho-physical field

No criticisms were No criticisms were made for this.made for this.

Page 13: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

Organismic Organismic Psychology- science of Psychology- science of the specific interactions the specific interactions between organisms and between organisms and stimulus objectsstimulus objects

It seems to ignore the It seems to ignore the self as the principle of self as the principle of unity underlying the unity underlying the relation of the organism relation of the organism and stimulus objects.and stimulus objects.

Page 14: Psychology  Introduction

Various Definitions (Contd)Various Definitions (Contd)

Personalistic Personalistic Psychology- Science of Psychology- Science of personal consciousness.personal consciousness.

Mental processes are Mental processes are more appropriate more appropriate objects of psychological objects of psychological study than ego- study than ego- consciousness.consciousness.

Page 15: Psychology  Introduction

ConclusionConclusion

No cut and dried definition of Psychology is No cut and dried definition of Psychology is feasible because this young science has not yet feasible because this young science has not yet out grown its formative years.out grown its formative years.

From all points of view, From all points of view, Stout’sStout’s definition of definition of psychology as psychology as the science of mental states and the science of mental states and processesprocesses seems to be acceptable. seems to be acceptable.

Page 16: Psychology  Introduction
Page 17: Psychology  Introduction

Psychology as sciencePsychology as science

Every science has Every science has definitedefinite subject matter, subject matter,

+ + DefiniteDefinite body of laws, body of laws,+ + DefiniteDefinite method of method of

investigation, accuracy, investigation, accuracy, certainty of results.certainty of results.

(Observation and (Observation and Experiment).Experiment).

Psychology is a Psychology is a Science Science BECAUSE BECAUSE

+ It is + It is specificspecific, for it has , for it has activities of mind as its activities of mind as its subject matter.subject matter.

+ It is + It is generalgeneral, with , with respect to the laws respect to the laws discovered by it.discovered by it.

+ It is + It is methodicalmethodical, , systematicsystematic, results , results precise and accurateprecise and accurate by by statistical calculations.statistical calculations.

Page 18: Psychology  Introduction

Psychology as science (Contd)Psychology as science (Contd)

Science is Theoretical Science is Theoretical or Practicalor Practical

Descriptive Descriptive – describes – describes its subject matter or its subject matter or explanatoryexplanatory- explains it - explains it in terms of causation.in terms of causation.

Physical, Biological, Physical, Biological, MentalMental

Psychology is both Psychology is both theoretical and practicaltheoretical and practical

Both Descriptive and Both Descriptive and Explanatory Science- It Explanatory Science- It describes mental describes mental activities and also activities and also explains their causes explains their causes and effects.and effects.

Page 19: Psychology  Introduction

Psychology as science (Contd)Psychology as science (Contd) Science is of 2 types- Science is of 2 types-

PositivePositive & & NormativeNormative+ Positive SciencePositive Science deals with deals with

facts as they are, without facts as they are, without evaluating them. Eg. evaluating them. Eg. Physics deals with physical Physics deals with physical objects like heat, light etcobjects like heat, light etc

+ + Normative ScienceNormative Science deals deals with facts from the with facts from the standpoint of a norm or standpoint of a norm or value. Eg. Ethics deals with value. Eg. Ethics deals with how man should act, so that how man should act, so that action may be right.action may be right.

Psychology is Positive Psychology is Positive Science because it studies Science because it studies mental activities as positive mental activities as positive facts of experience.facts of experience.

Page 20: Psychology  Introduction

Psychology as science (Contd)Psychology as science (Contd)Is Psychology Natural Science or Cultural ScienceIs Psychology Natural Science or Cultural Science

Science may be Natural or Science may be Natural or cultural.cultural.

+ Natural Science- enquires + Natural Science- enquires into its subject matter by into its subject matter by ordinary methods of ordinary methods of observation and experiment.observation and experiment.

+ Cultural Science- + Cultural Science- sympathetic understanding, sympathetic understanding, feeling of the higher values feeling of the higher values of mental lifeof mental life

+ Wundt, Titchener, James + Wundt, Titchener, James and Watson among others and Watson among others regard Psychology as a regard Psychology as a natural science. In order to natural science. In order to make it a natural science, make it a natural science, Watson banishes all Watson banishes all reference to mind, reference to mind, consciousness, consciousness, introspection. The other introspection. The other three adhere to there three adhere to there position without sacrificing position without sacrificing these concepts.these concepts.

Page 21: Psychology  Introduction

Is Psychology Natural Science or Cultural Is Psychology Natural Science or Cultural Science- CriticismScience- Criticism

Methods of Psychology is introspection in Methods of Psychology is introspection in contrast with external observation, which is contrast with external observation, which is the method of the natural sciences. Watson’s the method of the natural sciences. Watson’s elimination of introspection was met with elimination of introspection was met with dubious success.dubious success.

The subject matter of psychology is internal as The subject matter of psychology is internal as distinguished from external nature.distinguished from external nature.

Page 22: Psychology  Introduction

Is Psychology Natural Science or Is Psychology Natural Science or Cultural Science- ConclusionCultural Science- Conclusion

The best course would be to steer a middle The best course would be to steer a middle course without sacrificing the redeeming course without sacrificing the redeeming features of natural and cultural sciences.features of natural and cultural sciences.


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