This document provides an overview of educational psychology. It defines psychology as the study of the soul, mind, and consciousness. It notes that psychology came to be defined as the science of behavior by scholars like William Mcdougall, Pillsbury, and JB Watson. Psychology includes the study of motor, cognitive, and affective behaviors. The document outlines the main branches of psychology and defines educational psychology as the science of teaching and learning based on scholars like Skinner, Crow and Crow, and Peel. It describes the nature of educational psychology as scientific in that it employs a systematic, objective approach supported by laws and principles to study learner behavior through research and experimentation, with the goal of understanding and predicting development in education

1. Educational Psychology
Introduction

2. What is Psychology
• 1. In terms of the study of the soul
The 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
Some philosophers were unable to define ‘soul’ and ‘study of
soul’ so they redefined it as ‘a study of mind’.
• 3. In terms of study of consciousness
It is defined as the description and explanation of state of
consciousness
This definition was also rejected on the account of its not talking
about the subconscious and unconscious activities of the mind

3. What is psychology
• William Mcdougall :
A British psychologist first defined psychology as the
science of behaviour “ positive science of the conduct
of living creatures”
Pillsbury: “psychology may be most satisfactorily defined
as the science of human behaviour”.
J B Watson: “psychology is the science of Behaviour” this
definition includes the behaviour of human as well as
animal.
Munn: “psychology is a science and properly trained
psychologist is a scientist who uses scientific methods
for scientific investigation”.

4. Psychology as a scince of Behaviour:
• Behaviour includes all the motor activities like
walking, swimming, dancing etc., cognitive
actives like, thinking, reasoning, imagining
etc., and affective activities (emotions) like,
feeling happy, sad, angry etc.
• Thus behaviour includes all types of life
activities and experiences

5. Branches of Psychology
• 1. General Psychology:
This is relatively a 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.

6. • 2. Abnormal Psychology:
This is the branch of psychology which describes
and explains the behaviour of abnormal people in
relation to their environment.

7. • 3. Social Psychology:
This branch of psychology deals with group-
behaviour and inter-relationship of people
among themselves.

8. • 4. Experimental Psychology:
This is the branch of psychology which
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.

9. Education
Education is defined as:
• Transformation of culture heritage
• To make a self realized citizens
• To make a positive change in individuals
behaviour

10. Educational psychology
Skinner:
Educational psychology is a science of psychology
which deals with teaching and learning.
Crow and crow:
Educational psychology describes and explains the
learning experiences of an individual from birth
through old age.
Peel:
Educational psychology is a science of education.

11. science help us to provide maximum output
with the help of minimum input, time, energy
and labour. Against this criteria educational
psychology helps us to provide scientific
methods and better ways of education to
shape the behaviour of students in desirable
way and bringing all round development in
their personality. Thus we are justified and
described educational psychology as a science
of education.

12. The nature of Psychology
• It possesses a body of facts which can be
supported through universal laws and principles
• It emphasize the search for truth
• It does not believe on superstitions
• It believes in cause and effect relationship
• It adopt the methods of objective investigation,
systematic and controlled observation and
scientific approach
• It helps in predicting future development

13. The nature of Educational psychology
The nature of educational psychology is regarded as scientific because like
the sciences it possesses:
• A well organized, systematic and universally accepted body of facts
supported by relevent educational psychological laws and principles.
• It remains constantly in search of truth through research and
experimentation in the field of education.
• Employs scientific method in education and adopt a scientific approach to
study the learners behaviour.
• The products of these studies are highly objective, reliable and valid.
• It does not take anything for granted.
• It mostly concerned with what and why of happening the present instead
of caring in the past.
• The result of its studies are subject to generalize in the field of education.

14. However, it is not so perfect a science as the
natural and applied sciences. We can defined
it as a developing positive science of learners
behviour.