Lect 1 Introduction to Psychology

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Introduction to Psychology

Dr. Reem Ibrahim Ahmed

Lecture 1

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WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY?

As the science of behavior and

mental processes, psychology

is an extremely broaddiscipline.

It seeks to both describe and

explain every aspect of humanthought, feelings, perceptions,

and actions

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Psychology as Science:

As a science, psychology relies on the scientificmethod to find answers to questions.

This method involves careful observation andcollection of data, efforts to explain observationsby developing theories about relationships andcauses, and the systematic testing of hypotheses

(or predictions) to rule out theories that aren'tvalid.

Pseudoscience's, such as astrology or palm-reading, do not base their practices and theories

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Psychology:

The systematic, scientific study of

behaviors & mental processes makes use of the scientific method

empirical - relies on evidence

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Branches of Psychology

There are a number of unique and distinctivebranches of psychology.

Each branch looks at questions and problems

from a different perspective. While each branch has its own focus on

psychological problems or concerns, all areasshare a common goal of studying and

explaining human thought and behavior.

The following are some of the major branchesof psychology within the field today.

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1. Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal psychology is the

branch of psychology that

looks at psychopathology

and abnormal behavior.

The term covers a broad

range of disorders, from

depression to obsessioncompulsion to sexual

deviation and many more.

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The four main contributing factorsto how well an individual is able to

adapt include their genetic makeup,

physical condition, learning andreasoning, and socialization.

Counselors, clinical psychologists,

and psychotherapists often workdirectly in this field.

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2. Behavioral Psychology

Behavioral psychology, also

known as behaviorism, is a

theory of learning based upon

the idea that all behaviorsare acquired through conditioning.

While this branch of psychology dominated

the field during the first part of the twentiethcentury, its hold loosened during the 1950s.

However, behavioral techniques remain amainstay in therapy, education and many

other areas. 9


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3. Biopsychology

The branch of psychology

focused on the study of how

the brain influences

behavior is often known as

biopsychology, although it

has also been called

physiological psychology,behavioral neuroscience and

psychobiology.

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4. Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology is thebranch of psychology thatfocuses on internal states, such

as motivation, problem solving,decision-making, thinking, andattention.

This area of psychology hascontinued to grow since it begantaking hold in the 1960s.

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5. Comparative Psychology

Comparative psychology is the branch of

psychology concerned with the study of

animal behavior.

The study of animal behavior can lead to a

deeper and broader understanding of human

psychology.

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6. Developmental Psychology

Child psychology

This branch of psychologylooks at development

throughout the lifespan,

from childhood toadulthood.

The scientific study of

human development seeksto understand and explain

how and why people change

throughout life.13


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This includes all aspects of human growth,

including physical, emotional, intellectual,

social, perceptual, and personalitydevelopment.

Topics studied in this field include everything

from prenatal development to Alzheimer'sdisease.

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7. Educational Psychology

Educational psychology is the

branch of psychology concerned with schools,

teaching psychology, educational issues, andstudent concerns.

Educational psychologists often study how

students learn or work directly with students,parents, teachers and administrators to

improve student outcomes.

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Although the terms "educational psychology"

and "school psychology" are often used

interchangeably, researchers and theorists arelikely to be identified as educational

psychologists, whereas practitioners in schools or

school-related settings are identified as schoolpsychologists.

Educational psychology is concerned with how

students learn and develop, often focusing onsubgroups such as gifted children and those

subject to specific disabilities.

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8. Experimental Psychology

Experimental psychology is

the branch of psychology

that utilizes scientific

methods to research the

brain and behavior.

Many of these techniques are also used by

other areas in psychology to conductresearch on everything from childhooddevelopment to social issues.

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9. Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology is a specialty

area that deals with issues related

to psychology and the law.

Forensic psychologists perform a wide variety

of duties, including providing testimony in

court cases, assessing children in suspected

child abuse cases, preparing children to give

testimony and evaluating the mental

competence of criminal suspects.

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10. Personality Psychology

This branch of psychology isfocused on the patterns of

thoughts, feelings, and behavior

that make a person unique.

Some of the best-known

theories in psychology have

arisen from this field, including

Freud's stage theory of

psychosexual development and

Erikson's theory of psychosocial

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11. Social Psychology

Social psychology seeks to explain and understandsocial behavior and looks at diverse topics includinggroup behavior, social interactions, leadership,nonverbal communication and social influences on

decision-making. Social psychology is the study of how social

conditions affect human beings.

Social psychology is an interdisciplinary area.Scholars in this field are generally eitherpsychologists or sociologists, though all socialpsychologists employ both the individual and the

group as their units of analysis. 20


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12. Organization Psychology

Organizational psychology is the

study of the behavior of people

in the workplace.

Industrial and organizational psychology applies

psychological knowledge and methods to aid

workers and organizations.

OR

The branch of psychology that studies the

psychology of the workplace, considering

productivity, job satisfaction and decision marking21


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13. Counseling Psychology

While the counseling psychologist

may diagnose, assess, and treat

adjustment difficulties, they often address

problems which are more moderate than thoseencountered by the clinical psychologist.

Clients of counseling psychologists are people

who need help coping with the stresses ofeveryday life, and the focus is on strengtheningtheir existing resources rather than overcomingdisorders or deficiency.

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14. Cross-cultural psychology

Cross-cultural psychology is a branch ofpsychology that looks at how cultural factorsinfluence human behavior.

The International Association of Cross-CulturalPsychology (IACCP) was established in 1972, andthis branch of psychology has continued to growand develop since that time.

Today, increasing numbers of psychologistsinvestigate how behavior differs among variouscultures throughout the world.

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15. Health psychology

Health psychology is a diverse

area with a variety of emphases.

Medical psychology focuses on

the clinical treatment of patients with physicalillnesses, offering practical advice people can usein order to improve their health.

While there is special emphasis on psychosomatic

disorders

those that have traditionally beenmost closely related to psychological factorsthecurrent trend is toward a holistic perspective thatconsiders all physical health inseparable from a

patient's emotional state. 24


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parapsychology

The study of paranormalactivities and phenomenahas been riddled withcontroversy since its

conception. It is claimed that some

people, utilizing sensesbeyond the ordinary,

exhibit powers that cannotbe Explained by traditionalscience.

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Skeptics of the paranormal point to the

fact that in over a century since the first

serious studies of the paranormal began,

usually dated to the opening of theSociety for Psychical Research in London

in 1882, no replicable demonstration of

any such powers has ever beenconducted.

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Thank

You!

Lect 1 Introduction to Psychology

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