“Nature and Definition”

Introduction:
There are different fields in science and one of them is the science of Psychology. Psychology
is the science that deals with the study of the human behavior. It is all about the study of; what
are the people doing, how they are doing and why they are doing it.
Psychology also explores and attempts to describe various problems such as individual
variation in intelligence and personality, irritation as well as disagreement, the accession of
knowledge as well as learning, the group behavior as well as in the recognition and different
processes including thinking, unconscious and biological processes.

Nature of Psychology:
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and the mental processes of living organisms.
Behavior and mental processes refers and includes the actions and reactions which are of two
types;
 Outward or overt (behavioral process): It includes our verbal, facial expressions and
movements.
 Internal or covert (mental process): It includes activity of our mind such as thinking,
feeling and remembering.
 It is known as science because, for the sake of studying behavior and mental processes, the
psychologists use the scientific methods in order to understand more exactly and incisively.
Definition: The word Psychology has its origin from two Greek words ‘Psyche’ and ‘Logos’,
‘psyche’ means ‘self, mind or soul’ and ‘logos’ means ‘study’. Thus literally, Psychology means
‘the study of self, mind or soul’.

1. Psychology as the study of the soul:

The first struggle at defining Psychology overdrew its origin to the most peculiar and philosophical
concept that is, soul that what is soul, how can it be studied. The ineligibility to find clear answers to such
questions caused some ancient Greek philosophers to define psychology as the study of the mind.
Rejected on the ground that:
 If it is science, there must be experiments and this condition can’t be fulfilled.
 It is a mystery and can’t be seen so can’t be observed or verified.
 It implies certain theories of religion and Psychologists want to keep this science free from
religious impact and vague terminology.
2. Psychology as the study of mind:
However the word mind was less mysterious, philosophical and vague than soul, yet it also faced the
same questions, what is mind? How can it be studied, etc .This definition was also rejected.
Rejected on the ground that:
 Mind or mental processes are untouchable and can’t be seen or observed, so experimentation will
become impossible or difficult.
 Animals, kids and mental patients can’t observe their own mental processes.
 As mental processes, are continuously changing so it becomes difficult to study them.
2. Psychology as study of consciousness:
The illustration and representation of the states of consciousness is the main goal of Psychology which is
normally established by the tool, self analysis.
This definition was also rejected on the reason that:
 It would not include the study of the consciousness of animals.
 It would include subconscious and unconscious activities of mind.
 The introspection method for study proved that it is subjective and unscientific method.
4. Psychology as the study of behavior:
The most modern and widely accepted definition of psychology even today, is the study of behavior, both
humans and animals.
Perspective of different Psychologists:
 William McDougall:
In a book of William McDougall he wrote an Outline of Psychology, “Psychology is a science which
aims to give us better understanding and control of the behavior of the organism as a whole”. It deals with
the study of how our behaviors relate to our mind.
 JB Watson:
He was an American Psychologist Psychology is “the science of behavior” (taking into account the
human as well as animal behavior).
 NL Munn: (psychology book):
“Psychology is the science and the properly trained psychologist is a scientist, or at least a
practitioner who uses scientific methods and information resulting from scientific investigations”.
Thus it is not simply enough to describe behavior. Like any other science, psychology attempts to
describe, foresee, alter and ultimately make the lives of people better in the world in which they live.
GOALS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Prominent and major goals or aims of psychology, are;
• To acknowledge the nature and procedures of behavior and mental processes.

• To spread an acknowledgement of the relationship between behavior and mental processes

• To implement this understanding to real life circumstances and, on the ground of this acknowledgement,
predict for the upcoming time.
• To appoint the scientific view point in order to develop this understanding or acknowledgement.
Briefly, the major aims of psychology are:
a) Observation,
b) Description,
c) Understanding,
d) Explanation,
e) Prediction, and
f) Maintaining or supervising of human behavior and mental processes.

Some major goals of psychology

SCHOOLS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology is studied in different school of thoughts and subject matter which are following;
1. BEHAVIORISM: This school is introduced by J.B Watson. It had its roots in Thorndike’s
theory of efforts and fault learning which states that behaviors come in being by relation between
stimulus and response that are stamped into the behaviors of the organism through the 3 basic
laws of frequency, reccurancy, and law of effect.
2. PSYCHOANALYSIS: Sigmund Freud wrote his stories of personalities in one of desire, power,
control and freedom and explained that our personalities represent a drama of sort, acted out in
our mind. As Freud says that human beings are normally actors in the drama of their mind,
pushes by wishes or needs, pulled by morals. According to Freud, there are conscious, sub-
conscious and unconscious levels in person and there are three dimension of a personality which
called, ego and super-ego.
3. GESTALT: Wertheimer, Kohler and Kafka were the proponents of this school. The Gestalts
explains and describes that the mind should be taken in regard as a result from the whole bottom
at sensory activities and the relationship within this pattern. He described or mentioned that mind
is not made up of a combination of only simple elements.
4. HUMANISTIC: Karl Roger is the proponent of this school. He believe that man is essentially
good and rational with I-me-myself as the centre of experience. The most important striving is
self -actualization. He perceived that threats are followed by defense, rigidity, narrowing at
perception and defense mechanisms.
5. Cognitive Psychology: Cognitive psychology explains the mind as an information processor.
They struggle to make up cognitive version of information processing that goes on inside
 people’s minds which include perception, attention, memory, thinking, language and
consciousness.

CONCLUSION: Psychology measures traits, feelings, beliefs and abilities. As psychology is study of
behaviors; a Psychologist can study the behavior of human beings, and he has ability to treat mental
patients and depressed ones and help them get out of their mental disabilities that could have worst
effects, if left untreated. So, psychologists help save lives by their therapy just as a doctor saves lives.
Scope of Psychology is increasing day-by-day. Educational Psychology and clinical Psychology are
securing greater and greater importance in the field of Education and Health, respectively. 

References:

 Ardila, R. (2002). La psicologı´a en el futuro [Psychology in the future]. Madrid, Spain:

Ediciones Pira´mide. Ardila, R. (2006). The experimental synthesis of behavior. International
Journal of Psychology, 41, 462–467. Berry, J. W. (1969). On cross-cultural comparability.
International Journal of Psychology, 4, 119–128. Blackler, F. (Ed.). (1983). Social psychology
and developing countries. New York: Wiley. Brock, A. C. (Ed.). (2006). Internationalizing the
history of psychology. New York: New York University Press.
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psychology.html
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32689841
 “Applications of psychology”
The research-based study of the human mind and its functions, particularly those which affect our
behavior in a given context is called psychology. Psychology is the mental abilities or attitude or behavior
of a person or group. It is applied in many fields of life which are discussed below;
1.Clinics and Hospitals: Clinical psychology is an extensive branch of psychology whose basis is on
diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Some of common disorders or
disabilities that might be treated by psychologists include learning disabilities, substance abuse,
depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. It consists of the study and utility of psychology for the cause of
understanding, preventing, and relieving psychologically-based distress or disfunction and in order to
promote subjective well-being and personal development. A few clinical psychologists may also put their
basis on the clinical management of patients with brain disorders mainly injury and this area is named as
clinical neuropsychology. In many countries, clinical psychology is a regarded as mental health
profession.
Clinical Psychology with Reference to Pakistan: As Psychology is an extensive branch in which one
can find a variety of other fields as well on which one can focus and specialize. List of Important
Courses and fields of study in Clinical Psychology in Pakistan are:
I. MS/MPHIL in Clinical Psychology
II. MS/MPHIL in Child Guidance and Educational Counseling
III. PGD in Child and Adult Psychotherapy
IV. PHD
V. Certificate an Diploma Courses for Doctors on NLP and Hypnosis in Psychotherapy
2.Education and Teaching: Educational Psychology is securing greater and greater importance in
the field of education in Pakistan. It is the study of behavior of the students, teacher, the one taught and
persons related to educational environment. Educational Psychologists grow instructional data, modify,
alter, teaching strategies, and design learning environments with the aim of enhancing and making
performance better. In Pakistan Educational Psychologists work in schools, business, research,
teaching, assessment, and consulting.

3.Organizational or industrial Psychology: Organizational Psychology is a branch of

psychology that implies the fundamental and basic scientific principles of psychology to the workplace
area to make work more fun and more productive. It concentrates on the psychology of the workforce,
customer, and consumer, including issues for example the psychology of recruitment, selecting
employees from an applicant pool, training, performance appraisal, job satisfaction, work motivation.
Work behavior, stress at work and management. In short, it is the application of psychology to the
workplace. A central aspect of this branch is job analysis, the detailed study of which behaviors a given
job entails.

4.Criminology: In the branch of criminology, Psychology has helped in detection of crimes and in
dealing with criminals. It deals with the studyof the views, thoughts, intentions, actions and reactions of
criminals and all that partakes in the criminal behavior. It is similar to the branch of criminal
anthropology.

5. In the field of politics: Politics has proved to be useful for the politicians and leaders in order to
clench the qualities of leadership for leading the public. It is an integrative educational branch dedicated
to understanding the politics, politicians and political behavior from a psychological point of view. In
natural political psychologists study the foundations, dynamics, and outcomes of political behavior by
using cognitive and social explanations.
 6. Army Selection and training: In the branch of military, Psychology helps in the selection,
training, promotion and classification of defense personnel. They also help in motivating
army for fighting the enemy, by developing their morale for the defense personnel and this can
only be attained by providing suggestions, insight and confidence to military.

7.Research: Psychological research represents the research that psychologists condemn for

thorough study and for research of the experiences and behaviors of individuals or groups.
Their research may include educational, occupational and clinical applications.

8.Rehabilitation centre: Rehabilitation psychology is the analysis and use

of psychological principles on regards of persons who have disorder or disability due to injury or illness.
It is therapy for drug addicts in order to prevent them from having drugs. Rehabilitation psychologists are
involved in practice, research, and advocacy, with the broad goal of fostering independence and
opportunity for people with disabilities.
CONCLUSION
Scope of psychology is spread all over wherever we see, in our regular life. Psychology scope is very
vast and growing with the passage of time. It consist Education Psychology to deal with educational
institution and students who are having problem in learning & improve their learning and provide a better
learning environments, etc in school related all problems. We can also foresee this to other fields. Recent
trends mean to those new researches that has conducted and proved by the psychologist, and is presently
being used or acknowledged by various psychologists. Psychologists are playing vital role in society.
They are teaching as well as dealing with patients by therapies and are being fundamental part of other
fields of life as well.

REFERENCES:

http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-optional-subjects/group-vii/psychology/94106-scope-recent-trends-
psychology.html
https://wagner.edu/psychology/psychareas/
https://www.slideshare.net/samisadiq/applications-of-psychology-with-reference-to-pakistan
https://www.jaypeedigital.com/eReader/chapter/9789350902943/ch1
https://www.udacity.com/course/intro-to-psychology--ps001An approach to Psychology by
RAKHSHANDA SHEHNAZ