nature, history and application of psychology,different fields of psychology

 

                                    NATURE AND APPLICATION OF PSYCHOLOGY 

Psychology is the science of the mind and behavior. The word "psychology" comes from the Greek word psyche meaning "breath, spirit, soul", and the Greek word logia meaning the study of something.

Definition

          Psychology is a scientific study of human mind and behavior.

The founder of psychology, William Wundt, In   1879 established first lab in Leipzig in Germany.

In this field a practitioner or researcher is called psychology.

Psychology is the scientific study and practical application of observable behavior and mental processes of organisms. Psychology differs from other social sciences such as: Sociology, History, or Economics, because psychology specifically deals with the study of an individual. The other social sciences will study groups, or history. The symbol for psychology is the Greek letter “psi” (Ø). The subject matter of psychology is, affect, behavior, and cognition. The affect for psychology is the actual mental processes that make up: moods, feeling, and emotional state. An example for affect would be feeling sad about something happening. Behavior includes the actually actions and responses of organisms. Behavior can include the way we act in any given situation, for example when we get up in the morning. The order in the way we prepare ourselves for going out into public can be categorized as our behavior. Cognition is the actual mental events and the processes that result from them. Memories of an event are a great example of an organism’s cognition.

Psychology further investigate and try to explain different kinds of problems such as individual differences in intelligence and personality, frustration as well as conflicts, the acquisition of knowledge as well as learning, the group behavior as well as in the diagnosis and treatment or behavior disorders.

The study of psychology is a scientific study. Like the other field of science, the study of psychology deals with observation, collection and classification of the gathered data. It also involve hypothesis testing through experimentations as well as it establish general laws or conclusions.

There are certain behaviors that primarily involves in dealing with psychology. Involves in the study of psychology are overt or extrinsic behaviors and covert or intrinsic behaviors. An overt or an extrinsic behaviors are defined here as those behaviors that are observed by the people around. The examples of the overt or extrinsic behaviors are things like, laughing or the way an individual laugh, walking or the way an individual walk, eating, crying or singing and many else.

 

 

The covert or intrinsic behaviors on the other hand are defined here as those behaviors that are determined or known only to the individual in particular who experience them. Examples of these behaviors are the increase or the decrease in the individual’s impulse rate, the contraction of his or her stomach when he or she feels hunger, the secretion of adrenalin when there is an emotional stress as well as the beating of his or her heart.

The Psychological studies branched out to different categories. These categories are the Physiological Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Differential Psychology, Educational Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Vocational Psychology, Legal Psychology, Human Relation, Mental Hygiene and Engineering Psychology.

The study of psychology is very important like other fields of sciences. It can also be used in dealing with the other sciences as well as in other field of studies. Psychology can be applied in the science of Sociology, in the field of History, in the field of Economics, in the field of Physiology, in the field of Biology and many other else.

 

Clinical Psychology scope

 

                                                          Psychology is a vast field in which you will find a number of other areas on which you can focus and specialize. Forensic have also gained importance but the status Clinical Psychology has gained over the years is tremendous number of universities are offering MSc. MS, and PhD degree in Clinical Psychology. Clinical psychology is the most rising area in all over the world. There is a huge scope among the students that is being capture out in the field of the Clinical psychology. If you are not able to successfully pass the MCAT test and have a desire to call yourself as the doctor then still you are left with the alternative to be the part of the clinical psychology field work. There are so many educational institutions who are engaged in making you offer with the Clinical psychology studies at the best level

 

Clinical psychology is a broad branch of psychology that focuses on diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Some of the more common disorders that might be treated include learning disabilities, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

The field of psychology became more recognized during the second half of the 19th century, although clinical psychology wasn't recognized until the end of the 19th century. It was around this time that Lightner Witmer first helped treat a boy with a learning disability. In 1896, Witmer opened the first psychology clinic, which catered to children with disabilities. In 1907, he coined the phrase "clinical psychology" in his new psychology journal, called The Psychology Clinic. Clinical psychology includes the study and application of psychology for the purpose of understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and to promote subjective well-being and personal development. Central to its practice are psychological assessment and psychotherapy, although clinical psychologists may also engage in research, teaching, consultation, forensic testimony, and program development and administration. Some clinical psychologists may focus on the clinical management of patients with brain injury this area is known as clinical neuropsychology. In many countries clinical psychology is a regulated mental health profession. The work performed by clinical psychologists tends to be done inside various therapy models, all of which involve a formal relationship between professional and client usually an individual, couple, family, or small group that employs a set of procedures intended to form a therapeutic alliance, explore the nature of psychological problems, and encourage new ways of thinking, feeling, or behaving.

The four major perspectives are psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, existential-humanistic, and systems or family therapy.

There has been a growing movement to integrate these various therapeutic approaches, especially with an increased understanding of issues regarding ethnicity, gender, spirituality, and sexual-orientation. With the advent of more robust research findings regarding psychotherapy, there is growing evidence that most of the major therapies are about of equal effectiveness, with the key common element being a strong therapeutic alliance. Because of this, more training programs and psychologists are now adopting an eclectic therapeutic orientation. Clinical psychologists do not usually prescribe medication, although there is a growing number of psychologists who do have prescribing privileges, in the field of medical psychology. In general, however, when medication is warranted many psychologists will work in cooperation with psychiatrists so that clients get all their therapeutic needs met. Clinical psychologists may also work as part of a team with other professionals, such as social workers and nutritionists.

 2. Counseling Psychology:

Counseling Psychology is a specialty within professional psychology that maintains a focus on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the life span. The specialty pays particular attention to emotional, social, vocational, educational, health-related, developmental, and organizational concerns.

People continue to seek help for common problems such as anxiety and depression, driving up the need for counseling psychologists. Particular populations, including the elderly and veterans of the armed services, are also seeking mental health care in greater numbers, thus increasing the need for qualified counseling psychologists even further. Additionally, more insurance companies are including mental health care in their coverage, so many people that might not have sought counseling services a few years ago are now doing so with improved health care coverage.

 

People are getting more and more aware regarding the importance of career counseling and the significance of career counselor in the modern age. People have inculcate themselves in this field and the one who has slight know how regarding the educational strengths and the modern trends gets in to this business and that is why there are uncountable and hundreds of such private organizations and institutions which are working for this cause . The students in are mostly confused and are unsure regarding the field in which they should start their career and that is one major situation in which we need the career counselor who can guide the students that which field or which specific area is more suitable for them and in which they can get more success as per the situation of the state and the skills and abilities of the individuals. The scope of the career counselor is very much bright and charming ,  working privately or even by working with the collaboration with any educational institute is worthy of doing.

 

 Counseling Psychologists serve persons of all ages and cultural backgrounds in both individual and group settings. They also consult regularly with organizations seeking to enhance their effectiveness or the well-being of their members. Interventions used by Counseling Psychologists may be either brief or long-term; they are often problem-specific and goal-directed. These activities are guided by a philosophy that values individual differences and diversity and a focus on prevention, development, and adjustment across the life-span.

3. Educational Psychology:

 

Educational psychology is devoted to the study of how humans learn in educational settings, especially schools. Psychologists assess the effects of specific educational interventions: e.g., phonics versus whole language instruction in early reading attainment

Psychology used to be a very under rated field and profession and not many of the people used to opt it but as developing countries has started to grow and develop more and people are getting more and more awareness has really promoted this profession a lot. Not only the people have started to inculcate themselves in those field and career but at the same time the general public has also realized the significance and the importance of psychology expert known as psychologist. These needs of psychologists have increased the passion among the students to make this career their profession.

The scope of Educational Psychology is securing greater and greater importance in the field of education worldwide. Educational psychology is the combination of two i.e. Educational and Psychology so educational psychology is the study of behavior of the teacher, taught and persons connected to educational environment.

Scope of educational Psychology:

 

Educational psychology applies scientific evidence from the fields of psychology and education as a means to promote optimal learning, teaching, and motivation across contexts. Educational Psychologists develop instructional materials, modify teaching strategies, and design learning environments with the goal of enhancing performance. Educational Psychologists work in schools, business, research, teaching, assessment, and consulting. Today the scope of educational psychology is as bright and attractive as it is in the western world and in the developed countries and the main reason behind this improvement is that people of the country are getting more and more aware and knowledgeable and they are getting more familiar with this career and this profession which seems to be a question mark and sense of confusion a decade ago. The career of a psychologist can be very much bright and full of success even in the developing country like because today every field and every industry needs a psychiatrist. The society is getting more and more employee concerned and are willing to invest in making the human resource more comfortable and relaxed and in that situation a psychiatrist is the one who is responsible to provide this facility.

 

4. Organizational Psychology:

 

Organizational Psychology is a field of psychology that applies the fundamental scientific principles of psychology to the workplace environment to make work more fun and more productive.

Though the name of the title "Industrial Organizational Psychology" implies 2 split disciplines being chained together, it is near impossible to have one half without the other. If asked to generally define the differences, Industrial psychology focuses more on the Human Resources aspects of the field, and Organizational psychology focuses more on the personal interactions of the employees. When applying these principles however, they are not easily broken apart. For example, when developing requirements for a new job position, the recruiters are looking for an applicant with strong communication skills in multiple areas. The developing of the position requirements falls under the industrial psychology, human resource type work. And the requirement of communication skills is related to how the employee with interacts with co-workers. As seen here, it is hard to separate task of developing a qualifications list from the types of qualifications on the list. This is parallel to how the I and O are nearly inseparable in practice. Therefore, I-O psychologists are generally rounded in both industrial and organizational psychology though they will have some specialization. Other topics of interest for I-O psychologists include performance evaluation, training, and much more.

 

Scope of industrial or organizational psychology:

 

1.      People

 

           The people constitute the internal social system of the organization. They consist of individuals and groups. Groups may be large or small, formal or informal, official or unofficial. They are dynamic. They form, change and disband. Human organization changes every day. Today, it is not the same as it was yesterday. It may change further in the coming days. People are living, thinking and feeling being who created the organization and try to achieve the objectives and goals. Thus, organizations exist to serve the people and not the people exist to serve the organization.

2.      Structure

            Structure defines the sole relationship of people in an organization. Different people in an organization are given different roles and they have certain relationship with others. It leads to division of labor so that people can perform their duties or work to accomplish the organizational goal. Thus, everybody cannot be an accountant or a clerk. Work is complex and different duties are to be performed by different people. Some may be accountant; others may be managers, clerks, peons or workers. All are so related to each other to accomplish the goal in a coordinated manner. Thus, structure relates to power and duties. One has the authority and others have a duty to obey him.

3.       Technology

              Technology imparts the physical and economic conditions within which people work. With their bare hands people can do nothing so they are given assistance of buildings, machines, tools, processes and resources. The nature of technology depends very much on the nature of the organization and influences the work or working conditions. Thus, technology brings effectiveness and at the same restricts people in various ways. 4. Social System Social system provides external environment which the organization operates. A single organization cannot exist also. It is a part of the whole. One organization cannot give everything and therefore, there are many other organizations. All these organizations influence each other. It influences the attitudes of people, their working conditions and above all provides competition for resources and power

4.      Social System

              Social system provides external environment which the organization operates. A single organization cannot exist also. It is a part of the whole. One organization cannot give everything and therefore, there are many other organizations. All these organizations influence each other. It influences the attitudes of people, their working conditions and above all provides competition for resources and power

5. Developmental Psychology:

 

Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why human beings change over the course of their life. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development, aging, and the entire lifespan. 

 

This field examines change across three major dimensions: physical development, cognitive development, and socio emotional development. Within these three dimensions are a broad range of topics including motor skills, executive functions, moral understanding, language acquisition, social change, personality, emotional development, and self-concept and identity formation. Developmental psychology examines the influences of nature and nurture on the process of human development, and processes of change in context and across time. Many researchers are interested in the interaction between personal characteristics, the individual's behavior and environmental factors, including social context and the built environment. Developmental psychology involves a range of fields, such as, educational psychology, child psychopathology, forensic developmental psychology, child development, cognitive psychology, ecological psychology, and cultural psychology. Influential developmental psychologists from the 20th century include Urie Bronfenbrenner, Erik Erikson, Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, Barbara Rogoff, Esther Thelen, and Lev Vygotsky.

Scope of Developmental Psychology:

 

 A Developmental psychologist can work in a variety of settings, including academies, government agencies, health care facilities and schools. Those working in colleges and universities tend to focus primarily on research or teaching. Others working in applied settings, such as health care facilities or clinics, help to assess, evaluate and treat people living with developmental disabilities. Developmental psychologists may also work in assisted living homes for the elderly, hospitals, mental health clinics and centers for the homeless.