Chapter 1 : Introduction to Psychology
Topics covered in this snack-sized chapter:
Psychology is the study of human behavior, emotions, and mental processes through scientific investigation.
The picture below denotes the symbol of Psychology
The term "Psychology" is derived from two Greek words:
Psychology is about understanding people and their minds
Psychology is a key science in the study of the mind because it involves understanding how perception governs behavior
Psychology is a systematic approach to the understanding the thoughts, emotions and behavior of people
The following factors, shown below, influence human behavior:
The study of psychology is especially relevant to the areas of:
The primary goals of psychology are:
- To describe human behavior.
- To predict human behavior.
- To explain human behavior.
- To change the behaviors and experiences of others.
- To help others make sound decisions.
Psychologists study the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of behavior.
Psychologists help to ensure the health and well-being of all people.
They conduct laboratory experiments and perform:
Psychologists obtain information through:
Studying psychology leads to a better understanding of individual behaviors and, more importantly, community behaviors.
There is a wide range of branches in psychology:
Social Psychology is the study of human interaction, including:
The thoughts, feelings and behaviors of individuals, when in the company of other people, are often studied to determine the influence they have on the individual’s nature.
Clinical Psychology is a treatment oriented branch of psychology which uses scientific methods to handle psychological problems
Psychological assessment and psychotherapy are treatment methods used in this branch of psychology.
Clinical psychology combines both the practical and theoretical aspects of psychology to develop a strong prognosis.
Cognitive Psychology is the branch of psychology that deals with the internal mental processes of thought such as:
Cognitive psychology deals with perception and the problem solving capabilities of the brain.
Abnormal Psychology is the branch of psychology that deals with the abnormalities in a person’s behavior and psyche.
Educational Psychology is the psychological study of learning within various educational situations.
Educational psychology seeks to understand how students learn and how they develop.
Developmental Psychology is a subfield within psychology which focuses on the study of age-based behavioral changes.
Developmental psychology is concerned with describing and understanding how individuals grow and change over their lifetimes.
Personality Psychology is that branch of psychology which deals with the IQ and personality of an individual.
Individuals studying Personality Psychology attempt to answer questions such as:
- What makes a person unique and different from others?
- What personality traits are common across different people?
Studying an individual's personality can help a psychologist determine unique traits that may influence his or her behaviors in certain situations. Personality traits include:
Behavioral Psychology is the study of mental processes and human behavioral patterns.
It is concerned with the mental processes and the behavioral patterns of humans as well as non-human subjects.
Behavioral Psychology involves the study of an individual’s behavior, which is used to gauge the psychological state of that individual.
