Psychology is one of the most sought-after majors on college campuses. Colleges across America are buzzing with students who share an enthusiasm for human behavior.
Its mission is to describe, explain, predict and influence behavior and mental processes. Additionally, it uses this understanding of the mind to solve practical problems and enhance life.
Definition
Psychology is the study of mental processes, feelings and desires.
It examines both human and animal behavior as well as studying unique traits and products of collective behavior like customs and manners, myths and legends, religion and folklore, language usage and literature.
Psychology as a science uses observation, experiment, comparison and classification as its methods of investigation. It simplifies complex mental modes by breaking them down into simpler ones, charts their growth and development over time, and links them to physiological processes as well as physical objects and social events within our environment.
Natural science in that all its phenomena are determined by their causes, and it strives to build a systematic and self-consistent body of knowledge relating to them. It can be mathematically treated.
Scope
Psychology is the scientific study of human thought, behavior, development, personality traits, emotion and motivation. This branch of science has applications across many areas in life and society – especially health.
Psychology seeks to enhance people’s quality of life by helping them better comprehend their emotions, behavior and mental processes. It also works towards improving communication, increasing self-confidence levels and encouraging wise decision making.
Clinical psychologists are responsible for evaluating patients’ symptoms and behavior, diagnosing them with mental health disorders and providing them with treatment. They may work in a hospital, clinic or private practice setting and offer psychological assistance to individuals, couples and families struggling with various mental health disorders.
Psychology is a scientific discipline that utilizes systematic research methods and is closely connected to other fields such as law, engineering, chemistry and biology. It strives to uncover the truth about human behavior and its influences from environment. Psychology helps individuals comprehend how people respond to their environment and provides advice on coping with modern day stresses.
Methods
Psychologists employ a range of methods to gather evidence and conduct research. These may include surveys, case studies, experimental studies, content analysis, meta-analysis and more.
Experimental research is one of the most popular methods in psychology. Experiments assess the effectiveness of certain behavioral interventions and medications by comparing the outcomes across different groups of individuals.
Psychology research can often be contentious, yet it helps psychologists gain a better understanding of how disorders impact individuals and society at large.
Laboratory experiments often have limitations. For instance, it may not always be possible to recreate the natural environment of someone who has recently experienced psychological distress in a lab setting.
To fill this void, researchers have turned to non-laboratory experiments. These types of investigations can simulate real life situations and give scientists a better insight into how an intervention might affect patients’ lives.
Goals
Psychology seeks to comprehend human behavior through scientific investigations, observations, experiments, and research. The four primary goals of psychology are to describe, explain, predict, and ultimately influence or control behavior (Coon & Mitterer, 2013).
Psychologists first seek to achieve an objective description of people’s behavior through observational techniques like case studies, surveys, and self-report inventories. This helps them comprehend what is going on inside someone’s head and how it can be shaped for betterment.
Second, psychologists seek to discover how a person’s behavior is caused by both environment and heredity. With this understanding, psychologists can construct tests and examine data in order to uncover patterns of potential cause-and-effect relationships.
Psychology’s fourth objective is to alter or control behavior through evidence-based interventions. This includes preventing destructive behaviors and encouraging positive ones in children, teens, adults, and couples.
