1. WELCOME TO A
CLASS ON
UNDERSTANDING
HUMAN
BEHAVIOUR:
PSYCHOLOGY
CLASS
Your Mentor
Dr .Tarundeep Kaur
2. Simple Self-Introductions
Please introduce yourselves to the
rest of the class, including your names,
subjects studied and last school
attended.
You can even include a “fun fact”
about yourself, this might us help
remember you a little bit better.
5. What is Psychology?
The term psychology comes from the
Greek roots psyche meaning soul or mind
and logos meaning word or study
This definition of Psychology has been
rejected, and now psychology is held to
be the science of behavior and cognitive
processes.
6. What is Psychology?
Psychology is the science of human behavior and
mental processes.
Behavior is anything we do
‐ overt actions and reactions
Mental processes are our internal experiences
‐ thoughts, feelings, memories…
7. Different Ways Psychology
is understood as:
Psychology is the science of soul
Science of Mind
Science of Consciousness
Science of Behaviour
Science of Behaviour & cognitive processes
8. Psychology is the science of
soul
This definition was given by Aristotle (Greek
Philosopher).
Gave a very important place to soul in human
life.
Rudolf Goeckle, first to use the term
Psychology in 1590.
However, as psychology became more
scientific, this definition was rejected for the
following reasons:
9. 1. The concept of soul is very vague.
2. The concept of soul brings in the concept of
God, which is as mysterious as the soul.
3. Soul is a metaphysical concept beyond
experience and knowledge. It cannot be
observed, measured, analyzed, or
experimented upon. It cannot be verified.
Consequently, it is an unscientific concept.
10. Psychology is the science of
mind
This definition was emphasized by Wilhelm
Wundt (father of Experimental Psychology)
Established first Psychological laboratory in
the University of Leipzig, near Vienna, in 1879.
This definition was also eventually rejected for
the following reasons:
11. 1. The concept of mind is very vague and
ambiguous.
2. Mind is a metaphysical concept that cannot
be observed, measured, analyzed, or
experimented upon
3. Mind is restricted to a particular individual,
who alone can tell us what is going on in his
mind. Others cannot observe one’s mind..
12. 4. Titchener reduced mind to three elements –
sensation, affection, and images. However, he did not
clarify how these elements were made up and what
principles of organization they followed.
5. Does not include overt behavior of human beings,
particularly their social behavior, that is a major topic
of study in psychology nowadays.
6.Excludes the study of animals, abnormals and
children, who cannot tell us what is going on in their
mind.
13. Psychology as the science
of consciousness
William James, defined psychology as the
science of consciousness. This definition was
rejected because:
It is difficult to measure consciousness in
quantitative terms.
Consciousness, like mind, is a subjective
concept
14. The psychoanalytic school maintains that 90%
of the individual mind is unconscious. If we
define psychology only as the study of
consciousness, we fail to understand a large
part of the behavior of the individual that
springs from the unconscious.
Excludes the study of animals, abnormals,
children.
15. Psychology is the science of
behaviour
Watson, the founder of behaviorism.
By behavior, he meant overt behavior that could be
independently observed and experimented upon.
Taking his cue from Watson, Skinner emphasized the
experimental analysis of behavior. He felt that all
behavior should be reduced to the elementary, basic level
of stimulus, response, and reinforcement, so that it can be
measured precisely and studied scientifically.
16. The definition of psychology as the science of
behavior prevailed through most of the last
century.
There were problems with this definition also
1. Cognitive revolution in psychology in the
1960’s
2. The Gestalt school and the humanistic school
17. Currently, psychologists define psychology as the
science of human behavior and cognitive processes.
Some specific definitions are:
Lahey (1998): “Psychology is defined as the science of
behavior and mental processes.”
M. Eysenck (2000): “Psychology is the science that
makes use of behavioral and other evidence to
understand the internal processes leading people and
members of other species to behave in the ways they
do.”
Baron (2001): “Psychology is best defined as the
science of behavior and cognitive processes.”
18. Definition of Psychology
The science seeking to describe, understand and
predict the behavior of an organism.
A science that deals with the study of mind and
behavior.
Psychology is a science that gathers facts
systematically, organizes them into general
principles and formulates theories out of these
factual data.
19. PSYCHOLOGY AS A
SCIENCE
Science is a way of thinking which is based on
the experimental method. The idea that theories
should be tested out in the real world in an
experiment is the essence of science.
Science cannot exist without the scientific
method.
Psychology is a science because it shares the
goals, assumptions and methods of science.
20. Goals of science shared by
Psychology
Description: In Psychology, examples of description
come from the area of motivation, personality etc.
Maslow has given a hierarchy of needs. If the lower
needs are satisfied, only then are the higher needs
manifested in behavior. Cattell describes personality
in terms of 16 source factors, whereas Eysenck uses
only three dimensions.
Explanation: Ultimately science is a search for the
causes of phenomena. Psychology uses various
methods to uncover the causes of behavior. For
example, Skinner uses reinforcement as an
explanation for learning. According to Skinner
learning is not possible without reinforcement.
21. Prediction: Prediction finds an example in almost
all psychological experiments where conditions are
manipulated to achieve certain results e.g. a research
may predict that due to training, there will be
decrease in the time taken by a rat to run through a
maze.
Control/ Influence: Control has been achieved in the
psychology laboratory to quite a great extent. In real
life situations, it is difficult to control human
behavior though it is not impossible. Many aspects of
human behavior are controlled.
22. Assumptions of Science
shared by Psychology
Determinism: It implies that every phenomenon has a natural
cause that can be discovered through the appropriate means.
Effects are not attributed to chance, God, etc. in scientific
explanations.
Invariance: The relationship between various phenomena remains
the same from time to time and place to place, if all other
conditions remain the same. E.g. the psychological principle that a
certain amount of practice leads to improvement in a particular task
remains true.
Empiricism: Scientific laws and principles are based on
experiments.
23. Operationism: It is a principle that all scientific
concepts must be defined in a measurable way.
Objectivity: Personal biases, prejudices or ideas of the
scientists in no way effect the design, result, and
interpretation of his experiments. Objectivity is
perhaps the most important assumption of science
because it leads to the self-corrective nature of science.
In Psychology, again a concept once given is
revised if the evidence in future are found against it.
24. Scientific Method shared by
Psychology
Systematic: Scientific research is a rule bound procedure.
Sometimes, the process is based on inductive reasoning and at
times on deductive reasoning. Thus scientific research is not
haphazard.
25. Controlled: Control implies manipulating
the independent variable to see its effect
on the dependent variable. At the same
time, other potential variables are held
constant. Greater the control, more exact
the results and more do they conform to
the truth.
Empirical: Scientific research implies the
experimental method. All mental ideas
are tested out in the real world.
26. Critical Investigation: The aim of scientific research is to
uncover the relationships among phenomenon. Thus, the
investigation needs to be critical and not biased in a pre-
determined way.
Investigation of natural phenomena: Essentially, scientists
are curious about naturally occurring phenomena and it is this
curiosity, which leads them to the more complex phenomena.
Guided by theory and hypotheses: Scientific research is not
based on hunches. Rather research is based on hypotheses
which may be based on theories and existing data.
27. Presumed relations among phenomena:
Scientific research seeks to understand various phenomena by
putting them in relation to each other. One special case of
relationships is a causal relationship in which the cause and
effect relationship between a two phenomena is studied in
experiments.
One may conclude that psychology as a science is a systematic
search for laws governing an individual’s relationship with
his environment and the application of such principles and
laws to daily life.
28. Problems of Psychology
Availability of human subjects
Social desirability
Subjectivity of the researcher
Complexity of human life
The problem of generalization from the lab
Animal research
The problem of ethics
29. SCOPE OF PSYCHOLOGY
1.Various aspects of human being are studied
in psychology. Both internal and external
processes are of interest to a psychologist.
To explain externally observed behaviour,
psychologists use Intervening variables.
30. 2. The behavior which is of interest to psychologist has
three aspects: Affective, Cognitive, and Conative.
The affective aspect of behavior includes motivation,
attitudes, emotions, values etc.
The cognitive aspect of behavior includes processes
such as attention, sensation, perception, learning,
thinking imagination, memory, and creativity.
Connative aspect includes the actions of the individual.
All aspects are finally manifested in action. They can be
inferred only through an observation of the actions and
reactions of the individual to the environment.
31. 3. Psychology focus on the common (nomothetic approach)
And unique characteristics of the individual (ideographic
approach)
4. Social psychology studies behaviour at 3 levels:
Individual
Interpersonal
Group
5. Animal research is carried out
6. Application of psychological principals are evaluated using
single group designs
32. BRANCHES OF PSYCHOLOGY
Pure Branches of Psychology
General Psychology
Comparative
Psychology
Genetic Psychology
Developmental
Psychology
Social Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Psychoanalysis
Physiological
Psychology
Animal Psychology
Philosophical
Psychology
Experimental
Psychology
Parapsychology
Folk Psychology
33. Applied Branches of
Psychology
Educational
Psychology
Industrial and
Organizational
Psychology
Clinical psychology
Counseling and
Vocational Guidance
Health Psychology
Sports Psychology
Consulting
Psychology
Legal Psychology
Psychology and the
armed forces
Space Psychology
Psychology and the
Arts
Environmental
Psychology
Psychometrics
Psychology and
socioeconomic
progress
34. Why study Psychology?
Psychology helps us scientifically evaluate
common beliefs and misconceptions about
behavior and mental processes.
It gives us an edge over understanding human
behavior better.
Studying Psychology is about studying Behavior
which refers to actions or activities of the
individual.
35. Classification of Behavior
Overt Obviously manifested
action, activities and
behavior.
Covert Hidden or those
actions, activities and
behavior not visible to
the naked eye.
36. Classification of Behavior
Conscious Acts within the level
of one’s awareness.
Unconscious Acts that deeply
embedded in one’s
subconscious,
unaware actions.
39. Classification of Behavior
Voluntary Done with full volition,
will
and control
Involuntary Processes within our
body
that go even while we
asleep or awake without
our control and
manipulation.
40. Fundamental Characteristics of
Human Behavior
Human behavior follows an orderly pattern.
Change in a person’s life has a degree of order
and regularity in its nature.
Human behavior can be known. Human
behavior can be observed.
41. Fundamental Characteristics
of Human Behavior
Knowledge of human behavior is tentative but
superior to ignorance. We must pursue
knowledge to be able to improve human
conditions.
Natural phenomena have natural causes.
Science rejects the beliefs in supernatural forces
to causes events.
42. Fundamental Characteristics
of Human Behavior
Nothing is self-evident. Truth must only be
claimed and established when they are
demonstrated objectively.
Knowledge is derived from the acquisition of
experiences. Knowledge is a product of
experiences.
43. With this we are through our
process of understanding
concept of Psychology
44. Activity
Write down your greatest hope:
for example, from the subject, from
the current year or from this new
period of you life as a student)
Then write your greatest fear
