1) Psychology is both an applied and
academic field that studies the human
mind and behavior. Psychology helps
us to understand and explain how we
think, act and feel.

1) Psychology is an academic and applied discipline that
involves the scientific study of mental functions and
behaviors. Psychology has the immediate goal of
understanding individuals and groups by both
establishing general principles and researching
specific cases.
In this field, a professional practitioner or researcher is
called a psychologist and can be classified as a social,
behavioral, or cognitive scientist. Psychologists attempt
to understand the role of mental functions in individual
and social behavior, while also exploring the
physiological and neurobiological processes that
underlie certain cognitive functions and behaviors.
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Psychologists study mental processes such as
perception, cognition, attention, emotion,
phenomenology, motivation, brain
functioning, personality, behavior, and
interpersonal relationships
Early Psychology
The word psychology is derived from the
Greek word psyche, literally meaning 'life' or
'breath.'

Schools of Thought in psychology:
Structuralism
Functionalism
Psychoanalysis
Behaviorism
Humanism
Cognitivism

Structuralism
Structuralism focused on breaking down
mental processes into the most basic
components. Major thinkers associated with
structuralism include Wilhelm Wundt and
Edward Titchener. The structuralists used
techniques such as introspection to analyze
the inner processes of the human mind.
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Behaviourism
It was based upon the work of thinkers such
as:
John B. Watson
Ivan Pavlov
B. F. Skinner
Behaviorism suggests that all behavior can
be explained by environmental causes
rather than by internal forces. Behaviorism
is focused on observable behavior.
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Gestalt therapy
Gestalt psychology is a school of
psychology based upon the idea that we
experience things as unified wholes. Instead
of breaking down thoughts and behavior to
their smallest elements, the gestalt
psychologists believed that you must look
at the whole of experience. According to
the Gestalt thinkers, the whole is greater
than the sum of its parts.
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Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a school of psychology
founded by Sigmund Freud. This school of
thought emphasized the influence of the
unconscious mind on behavior.
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Humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology focused on
individual free will, personal growth and
the concept of self-actualization.
Humanistic psychology emphasises on
helping people achieve and fulfill their
potential.
Major humanist thinkers include:
-Abraham Maslow
-Carl Rogers
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Cognitive psychology
Cognitive psychology is the school of
psychology that studies mental processes
including how people think, perceive,
remember and learn. This branch of
psychology is related to other disciplines
including neuroscience, philosophy, and
linguistics.
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Areas of Psychology
-Abnormal Psychology is the study of abnormal
behavior and psychopathology. It is focused on
research and treatment of a variety of mental disorders
and is linked to psychotherapy, and clinical
psychology.
-Biological Psychology, also known as biopsychology,
studies how biological processes influence the mind
and behavior. This area is closely linked to
neuroscience and utilizes tools such as MRI and PET
scans to look at brain injury or brain abnormalities.

-Clinical Psychology is focused on the
assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of
mental disorders.
-Cognitive psychology studies topics such
as attention, memory, perception, decision-
making, problem-solving, and language
acquisition.

-Comparative Psychology is the branch of
psychology concerned with the study of
animal behavior. This type of research can
lead to a deeper and broader understanding
of human psychology.
-Developmental Psychology study about
human growth and development over the
lifespan.
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-Industrial-Organizational Psychology is
a field that uses psychological research
to enhance work performance, select
employee, improve product design, and
enhance usability.
-Forensic Psychology is an applied field
focused on using psychological research
and principles in the legal and criminal
justice system.

-School Psychology is the branch of
psychology that works within the
educational system to help children
with emotional, social, and academic
issues.
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