Psychology follows human beings like a shadow cast by an evening sun; it reflects human behaviors, offers insight on how individuals act, and if the sunlight hits from the right angle, it can even predict behavior. Likewise, psychology is involved in our lives in every single step we take as a society. Thus, many people have different interpretations of this comprehensive field of science. Some assume that psychology is all about exploring mental illnesses, whereas others draw an elaborate map to define what psychology is, which goals it should be concerned with, and how it should be studied (run-on sentence). Although, no definition is a bad definition for such a subjective field, I do not agree that psychology is all about exploring mental …show more content…
It inspires basic research, as well as constituting a basis for applied research. Thus, one can claim that “to understand” is the main goal of psychology. The consensus on the importance of this goal became clearer when I was interviewing several faculty members from different areas of expertise. Dr. Jennifer Brielmaier Sontag, PhD. in Biopsychology, stated, “psychology is a scientific field that aims to understand all behavior and mental processes, such as learning, memory, decision making, how we form judgements of others, and how groups work together.” In addition, she drew attention to the significance of understanding the underlying mechanisms: “I think it expands to a lot of different questions, but at the core, the main goal of psychology is understanding why we do what we do, and how we think the way we do.” Likewise, Dr. Eva Wiese, PhD. in Neuroscience, indicated that the main goal of psychology is “to understand the brain, and how the mind works, how humans interact with the environment, and also how humans interact socially with each other”, when approached with the same question. Dr. June Tangney, PhD. in Clinical Psychology, built on this idea by pointing out the significance of improving people’s conditions through psychology. She stated that “the main goal of psychology is to understand the human behavior with the goal of making the world a better place.” Despite the fact that all three faculty members have different research interests, their perception of what lies within the core of psychology was strikingly
According to Dictionary.com (2017), the definition of psychology is: “The scientific study of mental processes and behaviour. The behavioural and cognitive characteristics of a specific individual, group, activity, or circumstance.” Psychology studies human mental functioning and behaviour by the use of systematic, scientific study known as the scientific method. The scientific method is a standardised way of making observations, gathering data, forming theories, testing predictions and interpreting results. Courses.lumenlearning.com (2017) stated that the scientific method is based on the following process: 1.Ask a question.
The presuppositions I had before taking this class concerning the history of psychology were based on the things I had learned previously about the founding fathers of psychology. The thoughts that I had were that many of the founding fathers were not very stable themselves. I also had learned that there was a lot of cocaine abuse in those early days, which added to my disrespect for some of the people who had been instrumental in launching psychology as a scientific study. In addition to the lack of faith in the character of these founding fathers, I had also come to the conclusion that they had very little solid data for their conclusions and even among their peers there was a lot of skepticism regarding their conclusions. Without measurable research based on solid data and controlled studies that the field of psychology has had to fight hard to become a reputable science.
What exactly is psychology? While it may seem like a very basic question, it is one of the most common questions asked by students new to the study of psychology. During your first lecture of an introductory psychology class, your instructor might spend some time going around the room asking students to explain what they think psychology involves. During my first psychology class, one girl made a dramatic point of waving her fingers over another student's head and pretending to read his thoughts. Unfortunately, such misconceptions about psychology abound and part of the confusion stems from stereotyped portrayals of psychologists in popular media as well as the diverse careers paths of those holding psychology degrees.
Writing Assignment Option 4 Psychology is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the science or study of the mind or behavior.” That definition may seem vague, but it is really the only way to fully define psychology as a whole. Over the Thanksgiving break, I looked at things from a new perspective now that I have some knowledge in this vast world of psychology and I even used psychology to my advantage!
This shows that as scholar- practitioners we are continuing to learn and be educated. Within the field of psychology, the role of a practitioner-scholar is to build their ability to synthesis theory and application with an emphasis on application. Practitioner-scholars study and obtain research and knowledge to understand the current and previous studies
1) Define psychology and trace its historical development. Psychology is the scientific research of the study of the human and animal behavior and mentalities. So in general the study is about how, what and why the human brain functions the way they do. As well as why mental illnesses exist.
Psychology is important when it comes to understanding the people around us. It can tell us a lot about the subject at hand, such as personality, perspective, choices, values, motivation, and, overall, the lifestyle of an individual. Psychology, in short, is the study of the brain and its development and functionality and how it affects/defines us as people. It can also be used to influence the subject, such as Pavlovian conditioning, which is the modification of predisposed behavior of a person or animal, and the effects can be permanent. These differences, depending on how radical and specific the conditioning, can drastically change a person or people, as evident in the novel.
However, due to the limitation of skills, most of the researches done are not well designed. A main limitation of psychology as a field of study is that it never captures the nature of consciousness (Willig, 2013), as human mind is bound up with meanings and interpretations which differ from one individual to another
The more I don’t know, the more I know. The more I realize I don’t understand, the more I discover my desire to know more about psychology. My interest in educational psychology was triggered by my first experience in changing schools.
When it comes to the science of psychology psychologist are looking deeper into what affects ones behavior and mental health. Looking at the environment, health issues, cognitive, learning, and etc… How does everything affect the overall mental health of a person? 2. Distinguish between a theory, a hypothesis, and an operational definition.
Being a health and fitness enthusiast I have always been interested in learning about how the mind works physically and emotionally, and in what ways the body reacts to various mental states is very intriguing. That is why I want to explore the mind and the essence of the human condition. We all question or try to make sense of our life; I believe that through its many perspectives, psychology has those answers. Psychology is accessible because not only is it a scientific study of thought and behaviour, it is also an art that can be applied by the individual to everyday life. I also believe we are all psychologists attempting to understand other people and ourselves.
The Traditional Western approach to modern psychology considers psychology as a science. The knowledge obtained needs to be free of values or predispositions as this could impact the theory or research completely. Our personal feelings need to be set aside to ensure accurate results. Psychology needs
Psychology plays a huge role in changing society and how individuals look at life. I believe this career path can make an impact on lives that are struggling daily, such as I did. With a psychologist 's help, I was able to cope with the negative aspects in my day, and be optimistic towards life, along with providing advice for others who may also be struggling. My ambition is to perform life defining acts with my words and advice, and as a psychologist, I believe this is possible through my ability to listen and be empathetic towards others. James Frey once stated, “A miracle is changing someone’s life.
Psychology is defined as “the scientific study of the mind and behavior” (Introduction to Psychology, 2015). Psychology provides an overview of biology and behavior, sensation and perception, learning, memory, intelligence, language, motivation, emotion, abnormal psychology, and therapy (PSY 102 Course Syllabus, 2018, pg 1). Because psychology allows for a better understanding of how the mind and body work, this knowledge can be beneficial for any field of study or career. The theoretical and practical understanding of the basics of psychology can help with decision-making, critical thinking, stress management, time management, better understanding of others, improving communication, and even achieving goals and objectives, all components that allow someone to be more successful throughout their life. Throughout this course I hope to gain a greater understanding of historical and theoretical perspectives of human behavior and development (PSY 102 Course Syllabus, 2018, pg 2).
Psychology definition: Psychology is the science of the mind and behavior. (Nordqvist, 1) III. Origin and beginning of psychology. a.) Wilhelm Wundt b.) 1879 c.)