Are you curious to understand the workings of the human mind? Unlock the secrets of psychology! We’ll help you understand all that goes behind a person’s behavior and reactions. Discover how psychology can be an invaluable resource for both personal and professional growth. Join us for an in-depth introduction to psychology and learn how it can make you more self-aware and successful.

1. INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

2. DEFINITION
 The word “psychology” comes from Greek roots meaning ”the study of
soul or spirit”. The combination of two Greek letters “psych” and “logus”
make the term psychology. Psych means self, soul or mind and logus
stands for knowledge. So psychology was defined as knowledge of
soul,mind and consciousness in different era.
 Psychology as a science of soul.
 Psychology as a science of mind. Mind is defined as feelings, sentiments,
sensations,conscious and unconscious functions.
 In 19th century psychology was emerging as separate discipline. It was
defined as the science of “mental processes”.
 Psychology is defined as the science of consciousness.
 Psychology as a science of behavior.

3. Changing Definitions of Psychology
 William james,1890: Psychology is the science of mental life,both of its
phenomena and of their conditions The phenomena are such things as we
call feelings, desires, cognitions, reasoning, decisions and the like.
 Wilhelm wundt,1892: Psychology has to investigate that which call internal
experience, our own sensations and feelings, our thoughts and volition.
 James Angell,1910: All consciousness everywhere, normal or abnormal,
human or animal is the subject matter which the psychologist attempts to
describe or explain; and no definitions of his science is wholly acceptable
which designates more or less than just this.

4.  Johns B. Watson,1919: For behaviourist, psychology is that divison of natural science
which takes human behaviour, the doings and sayings, both learned and unlearned,
as its subject matter
 Kurt koffka,1925: As a provisional definition of psychology,we may say that its
problem is the scientific study of the behavior of living creatures in their contact
with the outer world.
 Norman Munn,1951: Today psychology is the most commonly defined as “the
science of behavior “.Interestingly enough , however, the meaning of “behavior”has
itself expanded so that it now takes in good bit of what was formely dealt with as
experience. Such private (subjectibve) processes as thinking are now dealt with as
“internal behavior”.
 Kenneth Clark and George Miller,1970: Psychology is usually defined as the scientific
study of behavior ,. Its subject matter includes behavioral processes that can only be
inferred as thoughts and dreams.
 Richard Mayer,1981: Psychology is the scientific analysis of human mental processes
and memory structure in order to understand human behavior.

5. Comprehensive Definition
 Psychology is currently defined as the systematic and
scientific study of behavior, both animal and human
the term behavior refrers to observable actions such as
eating, speaking, and launghing as well as to mentall
activities such as planning, thinking and imagining. So
psychology is the scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.