WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY ?

CLASS 11th
PSYCHOLOGY: INTRODUCTION, DEFINITION
The word psychology has been derived from from two Greek words psyche meaning soul and
logos meaning science or study of a subject. Thus, psychology was the study of soul or mind.
Psychology is defined formally as a science which studies mental processes, experiences and
behaviour in different contexts. In doing so, it uses methods of biological and social sciences to
obtain data systematically. It makes sense of these data so that they can be organised as
knowledge. But this was not always the case.
DEFINING PSYCHOLOGY
1. In terms of the study of the soul- The earliest attempts at defining psychology owe their
origin to the most mysterious and philosophical concept, namely, that of soul. Etymologically,
the very word psychology' means the study of the soul as it is derived from the two Greek
words psyche, meaning soul and logos, signifying a rational course of study.
2. In terms of the study of the mind- What is soul? How can it be studied? The inability to find clear
answers to such questions led some ancient Greek philosophers to define psychology as the "study of the
mind". Although the word mind was less mysterious and vague than soul, yet it also faced the same questions,
namely: What is mind? How can it be studied? Consequently, this definition was also rejected.

3. In terms of the study of consciousness- The failure to define the terms soul and mind persuaded the
philosophers and psychologists to search for some other suitable definitions. For instance,Wilhelm Wundt
(1832-1920) who established the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig, in Germany ,
defined psychology as the science of consciousness.
This definition was also rejected on the following grounds:
(a) It has a very narrow range on account of its not talking about the subconscious and unconscious activities
of the mind.
(b) It could not include the study of the consciousness of animals.

4. In terms of the study of behaviour-From the nineteenth century onwards, with the rise of the modern era
of scientific investigation and thought, psychology began to be defined in terms of the study of behaviour.

Conclusion
The foregoing discussion on the definitions of Psychology clearly shows that the meaning and concept of this
subject has changed frequently. It may then be concluded that Psychology is a science of behaviour or a
 Mental processes
(i) Mental processes are activities of the mind and brain, related to cognition.
(ii) We use mental processes when we think or remember something, or solve a problem.
(iii) However, these mental activities are -different from neural activities, though they are
mutually overlapping processes.
(iv) The mind emerges and evolves as our interactions and experiences in this world get
dynamically organized in the form of a system which is responsible for the occurrence of
various mental processes.

(v) Mental processes include reasoning, learning, thinking, problem solving, perception, etc.
 Experiences
Experiences can be defined as the learning acquired through everyday life situation.
(i) Experiences are subjective in nature, different for every individual.
(ii) We cannot directly observe or know someone’s experience.
(iii) Only the experiencing person can be aware or conscious of his/her experiences. Thus,
experiences are imbedded in our awareness or consciousness.
(iv) Experiences are influenced by internal and external conditions of the experiences.
(v) The nature of the experience can only be understood by analyzing a complex set of internal
and external conditions.

(vi) Experiences are important because most of our learning is based on experiences.
 Behaviour
Behaviours are responses or reactions we make or activities we engage in.
(i) Behaviours are responses or reactions we make or activities we engage in. Eg. One can
feel the heart pounding before taking an examination.
(ii) Some behaviours such as thinking may be simple or complex, short or enduring.
(iii) On the other hand, some behaviours can be outwardly seen or sensed and are called
overt, for example laughing.
(iv) All behaviours can be explained on the basis of S-R (Stimulus Response Relations).
Any behaviour, overt or covert, is associated with or triggered by a stimulus.
(v) Both stimulus and response can be internal or external.
(vi) The same stimulus can have different responses, due to the organism variable. It
emphasises upon an individual’s uniqueness and variation that make him different from
other.
In a nutshell then, the term behaviour refers to the entire life activities and experiences of all
living organisms.
 Psychology as a Discipline
A Discipline is defined by: (A) What it studies: Mental processes, Experiences and Behaviours (B) How it
studies ie. Methods: in different contexts.

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

(i) It seeks to understand and explain how the mind works and how different mental processes result in
different behaviours.
(ii) When we observe others, our own point of view or ways of understanding the world influence our
interpretations of their behaviours and experiences.
(iii) Psychologists try to minimize such biases in their explanations of behaviour and experience in various
ways.
(iv) Some do so by making their analysis scientific and objective.
(v) Others seek to explain behaviour from the point of view of those experiencing persons because they
think that selectivity is a necessary aspect of human experience.

Psychology as a Discipline today has two parallel streams namely-

● Natural Science
 Psychology as a Natural Science

Psychology as a Natural Science largely focuses on biological principles to explain

human behaviour.
● It assumes that all behavioural phenomena have causes which can be discovered if
we can collect data systematically under controlled conditions.
● The main aim of the researcher is to understand the cause and effect relationship
so that an accurate prediction of the behavioural phenomena can be made.
● Psychologists use hypothetical deductive model to prove their hypothesis. The
model suggests that scientific advancement can take place if you have a theory to
explain a phenomenon.
● A hypothesis is a tentative solution to a problem that helps in guiding a research or
a theory. Hypothesis has been successfully used for determining many theories
related to learning and memory. For example, the way a child has been brought up
in his family will shape his personality.
● By the application of this model,many psychologists gave theories on topics like
 Psychology as a Social Science

Psychology as a Social Science focuses on how behavioural phenomena can be explained in

terms of interaction that takes place between the person and the socio-cultural context of which
he/she is a part

● Studies human behavior in social context

● Humans are not only impacted by their socio-cultural contexts,they also create them as
well.
● Focuses on humans and communities as social beings in relation to their social culture and
physical environment.
Psychology is a hybrid science that draws its influence from both natural and
social sciences.
UNDERSTANDING MIND AND BEHAVIOUR
● If we go back in the History, Psychology was defined as the science of the Mind.
● For many decades, the mind remained a taboo in psychology because it could not be defined in
concrete behavioural terms or its location could not be indicated.
● The use of term mind was considered to be relevant since it represents all the mental phenomena
such as perceiving, thinking, imagining, reasoning and so on. But, certain difficulties regarding the
term mind, its nature and its relationship with the body continued to persist.
● It is true that the mind cannot exist without the brain but the mind is a separate entity:
- Earlier it was believed that there is no relationship between mind and body but now as per various
researches in neuroscience prove that there is indeed a relationship between mind and Behaviour
- For instance, an amateur athlete lost his arm in a motorcycle accident but continued to feel an
“arm” and also continued to feel its movements.This phenomenon is commonly known as the
‘phantom arm’.
● A new discipline called Psychoneuroimmunology has emerged in recent times which primarily
explains the significant role of the mind in strengthening our immune system.
 Popular Notions About Psychology
Psychology and common sense refer to two different things between which a key difference can be identified.
First, let us define the two words. Psychology refers to the scientific study of the mental processes and behavior
of the human being. On the other hand, common sense refers to good sense in practical matters.

Conclusions:
Scientific:
Psychology: In Psychology we arrive at conclusions
Psychology: Psychology is a field of study that is scientific. through research or experiments.

Common Sense: Common sense is not scientific, but based on reason.
Branch of study:
Psychology: Psychology is a discipline.
Common Sense: Common sense is not a discipline.
Common Sense: When speaking of common sense,
we use previous experience.
Theoretical Standing:
Psychology: Psychology has a clear theoretical basis.
Common Sense: Common sense does not have a
theoretical basis.
EVOLUTION OF PSYCHOLOGY
STRUCTURALISM - FIRST SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
● The formal beginning of modern psychology is traced back to 1879 when the first experimental
laboratory was established in Leipzig, Germany by Wilhelm Wundt.
● Wundt was interested in the study of conscious experience and wanted to analyse the constituents or
structure or the building blocks of the mind.
● Psychologists during Wundt's time analysed the structure of the mind through the method of
‘introspection’ and therefore were called structuralists.
● Introspection was a procedure in which individuals or subjects in psychological experiments were
asked to describe in detail, their own mental processes or experiences. However, introspection was
considered less scientific or objective because the introspective reports could not be verified by
outside observers.
● Prominent psychologists during this era- Wundt, Titchner

FUNCTIONALISM-SECOND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

● Functionalism school of psychology was proposed by William James, an american psychologist.
● William James believed that instead of focusing on the structure of the mind, psychology should
instead study what the mind does and how behaviour functions in making people deal with their
environment.
● They focused on what the mind does and the function of consciousness in adjustment to the
environment
BEHAVIOURISM- THIRD SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
● This school of psychology was proposed by John B.Watson who viewed Psychology as a
science of behaviour in terms of stimuli and responses.
● According to him, psychology must focus on what is observable and verifiable. He defined
psychology as a study of behaviour or responses (to stimuli) which can be measured and studied
objectively.
● Prominent psychologists during this era- Watson, Skinner, Pavlov

GESTALT- FOURTH SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

● This school of psychology was in contrast to structuralism and it was founded in Germany by
Wertheimer, Kohler and Koffka.
● It primarily focused on perceptual Organization (Organization of what we see)
● As per Gestalt Psychology, we look at the world, our Perceptual experience is more than its
components.
● For example, when we look at a chair. We do not see four wooden legs but we recognise it
completely as a table.

PSYCHOANALYSIS- FIFTH SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

● It was proposed by Dr Sigmund Freud.
HUMANISTIC- SIXTH SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
● Humanistic Perspective was proposed by Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow
● It laid emphasis on the free will of human beings and their actions are not predetermined by any force.
● As per this school of psychology, human beings strive to grow and unleash their true potential which
lies within them.
● All human beings have an innate tendency to attain a state of self-actualization and the nature of human
activities is that they are goal-oriented.
● Prominent psychologists during this era- Rollo May, G. Allport

COGNITIVE- SEVENTH SCHOOL OF THOUGHT

● This approach is considered as a fusion of the Gestalt Approach and Structuralism and was proposed by
Jean Piaget and Vygotsky.
● The cognitive perspective focuses on how we know about the world.
● Cognition is the process of knowing. It involves thinking, understanding, perceiving, memorising,
problem solving and a host of other mental processes by which our knowledge of the world develops,
making us able to deal with the environment in specific ways.
● They view the human mind as an information processing system just like a computer and mind receives,
processes, transforms, stores and retrieves information.
● Modern cognitive psychology views human beings as actively constructing their minds through their
exploration into the physical and the social world. This view is sometimes called constructivism
 DEVELOPMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY IN INDIA
● The modern era of Indian psychology began in the Department of Philosophy at Calcutta University
where the first syllabus of experimental psychology was introduced and the first psychology
laboratory was established in 1915. Calcutta University started the first department of Psychology in
the year 1916 and another department of applied Psychology in 1938.
● The first official experiment with Modern Psychology in India happened in 1916 at the Calcutta
University where Dr. N.N. Sengupta initiated the first modern experiments on Psychological fields.
● Departments of Psychology in the Universities of Mysore and Patna were other early centres of
teaching and research in psychology.
● From these modest beginnings, modern psychology has grown as a strong discipline in India with a
large number of centres of teaching, research and applications.
● There are two centers of excellence in psychology supported by the UGC at Utkal University,
Bhubaneswar and at the University of Allahabad. Now,about 70 universities across India offers courses
in psychology.
● Durganand Sinha in his book ‘Psychology in a Third World Country: The Indian Experience’
categorises the evolution of Indian Psychology as the pre-independence phase, and the 1960s phase,a
phase of expansion of psychology in India into different branches of psychology.
● Psychology in India is now being applied in diverse professional areas. Not only have psychologists
been working with children having special problems, they are employed in hospitals as clinical
psychologists, in corporate organisations in the HRD and advertising departments, in sports
BRANCHES OF PSYCHOLOGY
For the sake of convenience and study psychology may be divided into different
branches.
First, we divide it into two broad categories, namely, Pure Psychology and
Applied Psychology.
Pure/Basic psychology provides the framework and theory of the subject. It
deals with the formulation of psychological principles and theories and it also
suggests various methods and techniques for the analysis, assessment,
modification and improvement of behaviour.
In applied psychology, the theory generated or enunciated through pure
psychology finds it practical expression. Here we discuss the application of
psychological rules, principles, theories and techniques with and in reference to
real-life situations.
 BRANCHES OF PURE PSYCHOLOGY
● General Psychology-This is a relatively large field of psychology which deals with the fundamental
rules, principles and theories of Psychology in relation to the study of behaviour of normal adult human
beings.
● Abnormal Psychology- This is the branch of psychology which describes and explains the behaviour of
abnormal people in relation to their environment. The causes, symptoms and syndromes, description and
treatment of the abnormalities of behaviour form the subject matter of this branch.
● Social Psychology- This branch of psychology deals with group behaviour and inter-relationships of
people among themselves. Group dynamics, likes and dislikes, interests and attitudes, social distance and
prejudices of the people in their personal and social relationships are studied by this branch.
● Experimental Psychology-This branch of psychology describes and explains the ways and means of
carrying out psychological experiments along scientific lines under controlled or laboratory situations for
the study of mental processes and behaviour. It takes up animals, birds and human beings as the subjects
of these experiments.
● Physiological/Biological Psychology- This branch of psychology describes
and explains the biological and physiological basis of behaviour. The
internal environment and physiological structure of the body particularly the
brain, nervous system, and functioning of the glands in relation to the
conative, cognitive and affective behaviour of human beings comprise its
subject matter.
● Parapsychology- This new branch of psychology deals with extra-sensory
perception, precognition, cases of claimed rebirth, telepathy and allied
phenomena.
● Geopsychology- This branch or field of psychology describes and explains
the relation of physical environment, particularly weather, climate, soil, and
landscape with behaviour.
● Developmental Psychology- This branch or field of psychology describes
and explains the processes and products of growth and development in
relation to the behaviour of an individual from birth to old age. For added
 BRANCHES OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY
● Cognitive Psychology- It investigates mental processes involved in the acquisition, storage, manipulation
and transformation of information received from the environment along with its use and communication
Major cognitive processes are attention, perception, memory, problem solving and decision-making etc.
● Counselling Psychology- It aims to improve everyday functioning by helping people solve problems of
their daily life and effectively cope up with challenging situations through the use of various therapeutic
techniques.
● Educational Psychology-It lays emphasis on understanding how people of all ages understand and learn
things. Educational Psychologists mainly develop instructional methods and materials used to train people
both in Educational and work settings.
● Clinical Psychology- Clinical Psychology deals with the causes, treatment and prevention of the major
psychological disorders
● Industrial/Organisational Psychology- This branch of Psychology mainly deals with both the employees
and the organization which have employed them. They are focused on training employees, improving work
conditions and developing selection criteria for employees.
● Health Psychology- It lays emphasis on the role of psychological factors such as anxiety, stress,
fear in the development, prevention and treatment of illness. Areas of keen interest for a health
Psychologist are coping with stress, promotion of health-enhancing factors etc.
● Environmental Psychology- It studies the interaction of physical factors such as temperature,
humidity, pollution and natural disasters on human behaviour. The influence of the physical
arrangement of the workplace on health, the emotional state is understood in environmental
Psychology
● Cultural Psychology- It lays emphasis on the role of culture in attaining a deep understanding of
human behaviour, thought and emotion.The main assumption of Cultural Psychology is that human
behaviour is not only a reflection of human-biological potential but also a product of culture.
● Sports Psychology- Sports Psychology focuses on the application of Psychological principles to
improve the performance of athletes.
● Legal Psychology- It is the branch of applied psychology which studies the behaviour of clients,
criminals, witnesses etc. in their respective surroundings with the application of psychological
principles and techniques.It contains the subject matter for improving the ways and means of
detection of crimes, identification and apprehension of false witnesses and other complex issues.
● Military Psychology-This branch of psychology is concerned with the use of
psychological principles and techniques in the field of military activities.How to
maintain the morale of the soldiers and citizens during wartime, how to fight the
enemy's propaganda and intelligence activities, how to secure recruitment of
better personnel for the armed forces, and how to improve the fighting capabilities
and organizational climate and leadership in the armed forces are some of the
various topics that are dealt with by this branch of psychology.
● Political Psychology- This branch of psychology deals with the use of
psychological principles and techniques in studying politics and deriving political
gains. The knowledge of the dynamics of group behaviour, judgment of public
opinion, qualities of leadership, psychology of propaganda and suggestion, the art
of diplomacy etc. are some o the key concepts that find place in the subject matter
of Political Psychology.
● Other Emerging Fields of Psychology
- Aviation Psychology
- Space Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Community Psychology
 Psychology And Other Disciplines
Psychology shares its knowledge with literature, art, science, commerce, music etc. Some of the Major
disciplines linked to the field of psychology are discussed below-

1. Literature & Art

Psychology is deeply related to the field of literature and art. Many studies have shown the impact of
various psychological factors like anxiety, ego, and personality of the artists on art and literature pieces.
Various artists have expressed themselves through their paintings, and it requires deep knowledge to
understand the psychological aspects embedded in these art pieces. Some very popular paintings have
psychological factors related to them, which makes them a masterpiece. For instance, Vincent Van
Gogh’s famous painting ‘The Starry Night;’ this painting expresses his mental state and his affection
towards the stars.Psychology is also linked to literature. Nowadays, the work of the author is also
analyzed through the psychological approach. Literary pieces that are written with a deep understanding
of psychology always connect with the readers in a better and deeper way.

2. Philosophy

Both psychology and philosophy are concerned with what is the nature of mind and how do humans
come to know their motivations and emotions.Thus, the subject matter of both psychology and
3. Medical Sciences/Medicine- Medical science is concerned with finding the treatments
and causes behind diseases and exploring the working of the human body. Medical sciences
have contributed significantly to the understanding of abnormal behaviour.The development
of the fields of abnormal/ clinical psychology as well as the psychodynamic approach to
personality is due to the contribution of medical sciences.
4.Architecture and Engineering : At first glance the relationship between psychology and
architecture and engineering would appear improbable.Psychology and Architecture go
hand in hand as well. One of the important jobs of an architect is to provide a physical space
that satisfies their client mentally and aesthetically.Engineers must also take into account
human habits in their plans for safety.
5. Music and Fine Arts- Music and psychology have converged in many areas. Music and
Psychology are complementary in nature which means that they go hand in hand as they
help in uplifting mood and productivity at work as well.Musicians in India have recently
started experimenting with what they call ‘Music Therapy’.
6. Computer Science - The functioning of computer has often been compared to that of a
human mind.One branch of computer science, robotics, is specially concerned with
7. Law and Criminology- Psychology finds its great application in the field of law and criminology. In fact,
Forensic psychology is a special branch that deals with the correlation between criminology and psychology, and
criminal psychology focuses on finding the reasons behind the people committing crimes and finding the behavior
and intention of the criminal. Ex- psych evaluation of criminals
8. Cognitive Science- Cognitive science includes understanding that how any particular information is transferred in
a machine or brain. It is the study of various processes of the human brain and understanding various cognition
processes such as attention, perception, judgment, memory, knowledge, and decision making; all these processes also
come under the domain of psychology. So we can say that psychology is related to cognitive science.
9. Mass Communication- Mass Communication is related to Psychology as well as the impact of media on the
formation of attitudes on children and their behaviour is a domain where both of these disciplines come
together.Psychology also helps in developing strategies for better and effective communication. A journalist in
reporting news must know the reader’s interests in the story. Since most stories deal with human events, knowledge
of their motives and emotions is very important. A story will have more impact if it is based on a background of
psychological knowledge and insight.
10. Sociology- Sociology and psychology come together to explain and understand the behaviour of individuals
within different socio-cultural contexts. Issues related to socialisation, group and collective behaviour, and
intergroup conflicts gain from both these disciplines
11. Economics- Like Psychology, Economics is also a branch of social science. Economics studies the behavior of
humans in making economy-related decisions like manufacturing, distributorship, and sales of various goods and
services. Here, psychology plays an important role in understanding the economic behavior of both producers and
PSYCHOLOGISTS AT WORK