Contents

• Definition

•Goals of Psychology

•Subfields of Psychology
Different Definitions
• Aristotle:

• Psychology is the study of “soul”.

• The idea rejected because “soul” is invisible

and Science believes in observations &
experimentation.
 Continued
• Aflatoon:

• Psychology is the study of “mind” (mental

processes).
But
• If psychology is merely the study of “mental
processes” then what about animals & children.
 Continued
• William James:

• Psychology is the study of “ Consciousness”.

• He didn’t talk about unconscious &

subconscious.
 Continued
• William McDougal:

• Psychology is the study of “behavior”.

• Is the study that “how” do we behave and

“why” do we behave?
• This was the fine definition of Psychology.
 Psyche - logy
• The word PSYCHOLOGY is derived
from two GREEK words “PSYCHE”
means “MIND” “SOUL” OR
“CONSCIOUSNESS” and “LOGY”
means “STUDY”.
 What is Psychology?

• Is the scientific study of “mental

processes & behavior”.

• Mental processes are perception,

thinking, learning & imagination.

• Behavior is the response to a stimuli

which is presented by the environment.
 Why to study Psychology?
• Psychology helps us to understand ourselves &
others.

• Helps in other courses like Economics, International

Relations, Law etc.

• Provides guidance in Career choice.

• Helps in business administration for example,

marketing, financing, banking & human resource.
 Goals of Psychology
• Psychology understands the behavior for example
“People feel jealous”.
• Predicts the behavior “why do they feel so”?
• Controls the behavior “how to modify this feeling”?
• To identify and describe something
• To measure it
• To explain it
• Application and utilization
• The prediction of future
 Careers in Psychology
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
Assess and treat mental, emotional and behavioral disorders.

COGNITIVE AND PERCEPTUAL PSYCHOLOGISTS

Study human perception, thinking and memory.

COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGISTS
Provide counseling services to individuals, groups and organizations (schools, hospitals)
to help people cope with problems.

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
Study psychological development at various life stages.

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
Study how teaching and learning take place.

ENGINEERING PSYCHOLOGISTS
Study how people work best with machines.
 Careers in Psychology
EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
Gather data on how humans and animals respond to their environment through
research that involves manipulating variables in a laboratory setting.

FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGISTS
Apply psychological principles to legal issues.
Work with schools to counsel students and consult with parents and staff.

SPORT PSYCHOLOGISTS
Work with athletes on issues of anxiety, fear of failure, focus, motivation, and
competition.
 Careers in Psychology
HEALTH PSYCHOLOGISTS
Examine how various factors affect health and illness, as well as effective ways to
control pain or change habits.

INDUSTRIAL/ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS
Apply psychological research and principles to the workplace to improve productivity
and quality of work life.

NEUROPSYCHOLOGISTS
Explore relationships between brain systems and behavior, including issues of memory,
brain injuries, diseases and brain function.
 What Psychologists do?

• Work in Armed forces & Govt. agencies

• Educational & Vocational guide

• Business planners

• Work as clinical Psychologists