Psychology - Background

Psychology -
The scientific study of behaviors and mental processes.


Field of Psychology is considered as science because the scientific methods are used to acquire the body of knowledge

Goal of Psychology -
The goals of psychology are to describe, explain, predict and control the behavior and mental processes


1.To describe: The first step in understanding any behavior and mental process. Researchers describe the phenomenon of behaviors and mental processes as accurately and completely as possible.


2.To explain: Researchers explain the causes of the behaviors and mental processes after the findings have been tested, retested and confirmed.


3.To predict: Researchers have the knowledge to specify the condition under which a behavior is likely to occur (antecedent condition and consequent behaviors or symptom).


4.To control: Researchers apply the findings of researches. This goal is accomplish when researchers change the antecedent conditions to prevent unwanted consequences.



PERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHOLOGY


1.Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) -Father of Psychology

2.Structuralism- Englishmen Edward Bradford Titchener (1867-1927)


3.Functionalism-William James (1842-1910)

4.Gestalt Psychology- Max Wertheimer, Kurt Koffa and Wolfgang Kohler

5.Behaviorism-J.B. Watson (1878-1958)

6.Psychoanalysis-Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)

7.Existential and Humanistic Psychology-Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)

8.Cognitive Psychology

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