WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY? WHY PSYCHOLOGISTS DIFFER IN DEFINING PSYCHOLOGY

Psychology refers to the scientific study of conscious, experience which focuses on human “mind” and “behavior”. By tracing and describing the word psychology, it comes from two Greek words that are “psyche” which means the soul and logos which study or knowledge of the subject so etymologically psychology is the soul, spirit of mind. (Hergenhahn, 2009). Psychologists declared that the new psychology should be as other science studies such as biology, chemistry, which use liberalities for experiment.

Psychology is defined as the study of behavior and mental process and how they are affecting an organisms, physical state, mental state and environment.

The changing nature of the meaning of psychology began in the rate of 18 century when psychology described and stated as an independent discipline when the prominent Germany professor Wilhem Wundt (1832-1920) established laboratory to study psychology as other scientific discipline. While before 16 century psychology was not an independent discipline but it was studied as part of psychology. From that era psychology was been defined by different scholars with different views when explaining the meaning of psychology, (ibid).

Psychoanalysis refers to the psychological perspective that introduced by Sigmund Freud who contributed to the development of psychology. Freud believe that our thought and action not lie outside conscious and awareness and needed to study unconsciousness and human behavior as well as to explain how the unconscious mind works and how personality improve in the early years of life also Freud believed that psychology is the scientific study of unconscious experience to the human behind, (ibid).

Structuralism was the first school of thought introduced by Edward, B. Titchener who was the student of Wilhem Wundt. He saw psychology as to understand the structure of conscious experience by analyzing the intensity, clarity and quality of its basic parts. He uses introspection as the method of study psychology. Introspection refers to the careful systematic of self-observation as the method of one conscious experience. Edward B. Titchener was the first 1867-1910 to define psychology base on see the conscious of human being,(ibid).

Another, Behaviorism, this is another perspective which are in the ideological perspective of psychology introduced by John B. Watson who based on explaining the meaning of psychology that is the observable behavior from the human being and animals. Believed that mental process were not a proper item for scientific study of psychology to human being. Behaviorists believed that human behaviors can be identified by examining different events that are taking place day to day in the environments and observable behavior of the respective individual. In general behaviorist define psychology as a scientific study of human behavior or science of behavior (Walters, 2002)

Also, Functionalism refers the theory that emphasized much on the functions of conscious and the ways consciousness help people to adopt their environment. It helps individual to have ability in making different decision in the day to day life. It believed that psychology should investigate the function of consciousness and it was introduced by William James (1842-1910) who specified that behaviors and mental process helps in adapting the environment, (ibid).

Biological perspectives, is the recent perspectives on the field of psychology. It depended on the physical structure of the human body and constituents underlying on a particular behavior, thought or emotion. The schools of thought states that behavior has got biological explanation. For example behavior of animals and people should be considered in terms of their function (Adams, 1969).

Social culture perspectives, is the school of thought that focuses on how thinking or behavior changes in different contexts in the respective environment. Behaviors that changes depend on the situation like value change, (ibid).

Also, Humanistic perspectives, this school of thought focused on how healthy people strive to reach their full potential. It introduced by humanistic (Carlo Roger). He believed that, people are basically good and could reach perfection. The term humanistic come from the word human, to Carlo Roger believed that every human had potential to becoming great on his or her own way with just a little guidance, (Roger, 1961).

The following reasons show how psychologists differ in the way of describing of the meaning of psychology;

Scientific methods applied by psychologists in collection and general study of study psychology led to different meaning of psychology as long as psychologist implies different method in studying and collection of data about human behaviors hence the result also differ. For example Titchner use introspection in his theory of structuralism, while Sigmund Freud and his psychoanalysis the methods of studying the unconscious mind were free association and dream analysis. Also in another side behaviorists uses observation method during studying human and animal’s behavior, finally come up with different definitions of psychology as used into different field of study (ibid).

The purpose and aims of psychology, in studying human mind and animal behavior as well as psychology in general cause them to be differing in giving the meaning of psychology. For example behaviorist scholars such as B.F Skinner and John Watson based on observable behaviors of human and animals hence define psychology as scientific study of human behavior or science of behavior. Also functionalism school of thought purposes on studying psychology were to be focusing on functions of consciousness in controlling our ability into making decisions and solving problems, (Sattler, 2000).

Also, the background of psychologists; which are in terms of education background, For example Edward Tichner was affected by his Teacher’s ideas William Wundt. Thus the ideal of consciousness that was his teacher’s idea affected Titchner who later analyze consciousness into basic elements or structure through. it affects his descriptions in studying psychology, here it means that general life cycle of a psychologist like social class, and education background led Psychologist to differ in defining psychology, (ibid).

Furthermore, psychology is the new discipline, that’s why each scholar tries to define differently from one another, this started in 18^th century when psychology become independent discipline compare to others such as philosophy which studied even before Christ by great thinkers like Plato and Aristotle. So this led to different meaning psychology due to the reason of new discipline (ibid).

Psychology is multi-dimensional discipline; as it exist and applied in many fields, so this led to many branches which categorized according to their purpose for example Many scholars do say  that psychology lies at the intersection of other disciplines, which are intelligence, anthropology, sociology, medicine, linguistics, sociology, biology, artificial and even history. For example, neuropsychology which looks at how different parts of the brain involved in memory, language and emotions (ibid).

Conclusively, psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mental process in it is seen in behavior, examples of mental process are sensation, dreams, beliefs, feelings and human behavior are smiling, blinking, sweating and talking. Even if psychologists are different in elaborating the term psychology but are not very much different to the extent that each is out of the truck of meaning of psychology.

REFFERENCES

Adams, A. B (1969). External Quest: The Story of the Greater Naturalists. New York:                               pietnarns.

Bernstein, D.A. & Nash, P.W. (2008) Essentials of Psychology (4 Ed.) Baston.

Hergenham B.R (2009) An Introduction To The History Of Psychology (6^thed). Belmont, CA: 

Roger,C.R.(1961). On Becoming A Person A Therapists View Of Psychotherapy. Boston:

Sattler,D.N, Kramer, G. P., & Bernstein, D.A. (Eds.) (2000). Developmental Psychology In                      Context: Voices and perspectives. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Walters G.D (2002). Psychology As The Study Of Mind And Behavior .m.s,p.Sholov (Ed),                         advances in psychology research, Vol 15 (PP.27-90). Newyork. Nov                              Science publisher Inc.