Introduction TO Psychology PDF

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INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY Definitions Psychology is a science that attempts to study the behavior and mental processes of animal and human and sub-human organisms. It is also the scientific study of human behavior. Psychology is described as a scientific method of controlled observation and experimentation about the behaviors and mental processes of organisms. The science of mind and behavior

The mental or behavioral characteristics of an individual or group The study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity

HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY Many ancient cultures speculated on the nature of the human mind, soul, and spirit. Psychology as a scholarly study of the mind and behavior in Europe dates back to the Late Middle Ages. It was widely regarded to a branch of philosophy until the middle of the nineteenth century. During the last quarter of the nineteenth century, however, psychology in the West began to be seriously pursued as a scientific enterprise. In 1879, Wilhelm Wundt founded the first laboratory dedicated exclusively to psychological research in Leipzig, Germany. Other important early contributors to the field include Hermann Ebbinghaus (a pioneer in studies on memory), William James, and Ivan Pavlov (who developed the procedures associated with classical conditioning). Sigmund Freud developed his psychoanalytic method, which revolutionized the treatment of psychological disorders. Soon after the development of experimental psychology, various kinds of applied psychology began to appear. G. Stanley Hall brought scientific pedagogy to the United States from Germany in the early 1880s. John Dewey's educational theory of the 1890s was another early example. In the 1890s, James McKeen Cattell adapted Francis Galton's anthropometric methods to generate the first program of mental testing.

The twentieth century saw a rejection of Freud's theories of mind as being too unscientific. This led to the formulation of behaviorism by John B. Watson, which was popularized by B. F. Skinner. Behaviorism proposed epistemologically limiting psychological study to overt behavior, since that could be quantified and easily measured. Scientific knowledge of the "mind" was considered too metaphysical, hence impossible to achieve. The final decades of the twentieth century saw the rise of a new interdisciplinary approach to studying human psychology, known collectively as cognitive science. Cognitive science again considered the "mind" as a subject for investigation, using the tools of evolutionary psychology, linguistics, computer science, philosophy, and neurobiology. This approach proposed that a wide understanding of the human mind is possible, and that such an understanding may be applied to other research domains, such as artificial intelligence. With the dawning of the twenty-first century there arose another new approach to psychology, known as Positive psychology. Originally a development of humanistic psychologists' research on happiness and their focus on treating mental health rather than mental illness it is intended to complement, not to replace, traditional psychology. Positive psychology brought an emphasis on the importance of using the scientific method to understand normal development, including nurturing talent and genius and studying how each individual can fulfill their potential as a human being. ETYMOLOGY The first use of the term " Psychology" is often attributed to the Yucologia hoc est de hominis perfectione, anima, ortu, written by the German scholastic philosopher Rudolf Göckel (15471628, often known under the Latin form Rudolph Goclenius), and published in Marburg in 1590. Another early use of the term was by Otto Casmann (1562-1607). Among his numerous works from the field of philosophy, theology, and natural sciences is one that includes the word "psychology" in its title: Psychologia anthropologica printed in Hanau in 1594. Filip Melanchton is often cited as having used the term in his lectures about forty years earlier (Krstic, 1964).

However, the term was used more than six decades earlier by the Croatian humanist Marko Marulić (1450-1524) in the title of his Latin treatise Psichiologia de ratione animae humanae. Although the treatise itself has not been preserved, its title appears in a list of Marulic's works compiled by his younger contemporary, Franjo Bozicevic-Natalis in his Vita Marci Maruli Spalatensis. This, of course, may well not have been the very first usage, but it is the earliest documented use at present (Krstic, 1964). The term did not come into popular usage until the German idealist philosopher, Christian Wolff used it in his Psychologia empirica and Psychologia rationalis (1732-1734). This distinction between empirical and rational psychology was picked up in Denis Diderot's Encyclopédie (1751-1784) and was popularized in France by Maine de Biran (1766-1824). In England, the term "psychology" did not overtake "mental philosophy" until the middle of the nineteenth century, in the work of William Hamilton (1788-1856) (Danziger 1997). TYPES OF PSYCHOLOGY The different types of psychology are: 1. Clinical Psychology A clinical psychologist is someone who specialises in the treatment of those with behavioural problems and mental illness. Such a person will have received specialized training. You should note that the clinical psychologists often work within hospitals or specialist psychiatric facilities and many sometimes are part of a team comprising psychiatrists, nurses, and so on. Clinical psychiatrists 2. Counseling Psychology This area often confused with educational psychology but this aspect is more clinically oriented. This attends to maladaptive behaviors of normal people using the interview techniques, interest, aptitude, personality and occupational information tools

3. Educational Psychology An educational psychologist will use the subject matter of psychology mainly to help children going through the education system. You should note also tha1 educational psychologist seeks to discover by studying the mental, physical, social and emotional behaviour of children and adults, the factors which influence the quality and quantity of learning. Thus, if a particular child is experiencing difficulty with his/her school work, or is being disruptive in the classroom, the psychologist may examine the child to try to establish what might be causing the problem. Example 1.1 Let us cite an example: the teacher may conduct an Intelligence Quotient (I.Q.) test on the child, or interview the individual and the parents. Following such an assessment the psychologist may be able to recommend the best way in which the school might deal with the individual or meet his/her needs. The application of psychology in education therefore gives us a means of appraising children’s similarities and differences when attempting to create more efficient learning environments for them. The application of psychology in education also provides us with a means of making evaluations of our own strengths and weaknesses as learners and teachers.1n the light of our discussion above, educational psychology could be seen as a fundamental discipline in education, often work to help those with relatively minor behavioural disorders, such as phobias. 4. Occupational Health Psychology Occupational health psychology focuses on work environment, the individual, and the workfamily interface. It concerns the application psychology to improve the quality of work life and to protect and promote the safety, health and well being of workers. 5. Abnormal Psychology This deals with human deviant behaviours e.g. drug addition, homosexuality, lesbianism e.t.c.

6. Developmental Psychology Developmental psychology is a broad field of interest in which the physical, emotional and intellectual characteristics and development of youngsters from pre-natal stage through childhood into adolescence, adulthood and old age are studied. In addition to this are changes in many other forms of activity, for example, the acquisition of language or the growth of a sense of morality. 7. Child Psychology This is a science that deals with the psychology and behavioral growth of the child. It studies the factors which determine what makes an individual. E.g. physical development, social development, emotional development and intellectual development. 8. Experimental Psychology This deals with conducting researches and engaging in experiments with human beings and animal. It also entails the use of psychology tests such as perception, learning, motivation and cognition. 9. Physiological Psychology The domain of the physiological psychology is the examination of the biological best bases of behaviour with particular reference to the biochemical reactions underlying memory and learning, and the role of various portions of the brain in the regulation of such motives as hunger and thirst, and such basic processes as sleep. 10. Social Psychology Social psychology is the study of social institutions and their impact on the behaviour of individuals. It concentrates on the external agencies which influence man. Social psychologists would be interested in the study of family, village, and role of the head teacher or effect of family

background on achievement at school. The ways other people influences attitude and behavior especially love, affection, aggression, anger, hatred etc. 11. Environmental Psychology This field studies the aspect of immediate environment, how it influences the human behavior. E.g. physical, chemical, spiritual, social, biological environment. 12. Cardiac Psychology This studies the workings of the heart - a cardiac structure of the transport system in higher animals and the centre of emotions, especially love and the mind, what a person thinks or feels, conscious thoughts of patients. 13. Psychology of Law Both psychology and law deal generally on human behavior with reference to testimony, evidence, influences, crime, truancy, delinquency, and emotion. Psychology has a great deal to offer any law enforcement agency -large or small. Law enforcement officers and their management structure face a considerable variety of problems, many of which can be addressed by knowledgeable and skillful professional psychologists.It is important for you to note that whether psychological services can be effective depends on the degree to which police managers accept that understanding human behavior can further the goals and purposes of law enforcement. 14. Community Psychology The main thrust of community psychology is in the direction of family-care programmes and programmes in child guidance and rehabilitation centres. 15. Forensic Psychology

This is the branch of psychology that will be of most interest to those studying this course. It involves mainly the application of psychology to the area of crime and the legal system. Note that forensic psychology is applicable in many other areas. Psychology is basically the study of behavior, mental operations and performance of people. It is also the connection of educational, theoretical and applied science. Students who studied psychology devotedly were able to understand the compound process of the brain that commands the actions of all human. They also have come to realize that they can make use of psychology in understanding the behaviors, situations and everyday life of all the people. Why Learning Psychology is important? Basically, there are a lot of reasons why learning psychology is important. Students will have the chance to experience the following: The ability to understand own behavior Studying psychology will allow students to understand their own behavior, emotions and ideas. They will also realize that studying the principles of psychology will allow them to assess, evaluate and provide solutions to all unwanted emotional situations. Enhanced Communication Expertise Most famous psychologists have discovered that humans are involved in all kinds of communication. Studying psychology will allow students to understand that communication skills can improve the effectiveness of human interaction. The ability to understand the behavior of other people According to Heidelburg of University of Ohio, studying psychology enables students to understand the behavior of other people. They will have the ability to read people’s minds and emotions. Understanding human emotions can be hard, but if students can master the principles of psychology, it will be easier to understand human actions. In addition, it can also improve student’s ability to help others in dealing with their dilemmas. IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHOLOGY IN NURSING Nurses have to take care of patients during severe health conditions and deal with their moods and behaviors. Patients begin to rely on nurses who try to lessen their mental stress. It has been seen in many cases that physical illness results in mental disturbance, at this stage nurses have to

be compassionate and understanding. Nurses are trained in a manner that they support patients emotionally by addressing the mental changes.

The study of Psychology by Nurses will serve the following purposes: i.

It provides objective of evolving facts and theories in an orderly manner to provide a general understanding of man and his place in nature.

ii.

Aids he nurses understanding of biological make up of an individual that are responsible for certain behaviours

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It acquaints nurses with the knowledge about pattern of normal human growth and development with appropriate behavioral changes to prevent crisis

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Provides nurses with better knowledge and understanding of process of psychopathology in man

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Serves as an indispensable tool to proffer solution to various psychological problem experienced by client (psychotherapy)

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It helps nurses to understand how and why people behave in various way in health and illness

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ii. It gives understanding of individual differences and peculiarity of human beings (personalities).

viii. ix. x.

iii. It helps to make read of the Clients or Patients for nursing management. iv. It enhances preparation of the clients for nursing care. v. It gives relevance of hereditary and environment.

xi.

vi. It enhances detection of abnormal behaviors.

xii.

vii. It enhances behavioral modification techniques.

xiii.

viii. It provides vivid knowledge on Developmental stages and factors influencing these stages.

xiv.

ix. It provides motivational factors.

xv.

x. It provides rewards and punishments.

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