Definition and Significance of Psychology
Saturday, 16 September 2023 11:17 am
What is Psychology?
Psychology is derived from the Greek word Psyche and Logos, meaning soul and study.
However, the definition of the psychology has change radically over the past century.
Psychology now formally defined as the scientific study of behavior and mental processes of
living organism, with special attention to human behavior. Psychology is a science because it
is systematic and empirical, and it is dependent upon measurement.
What is Behavior?
Behavior means activities can be observed objectively such as reactions of the muscles and
glands, as well as the organized patterns of responses as a whole. it also includes internal
processes such as thinking, feeling, and other reactions which cannot be directly observed but
can be inferred through external behavior.
What is Perception?
Perception are achieved through our sense, although on should not limit the term "sense" to
the five sense organs. Knowledge is a product of experience.
Objectives of Psychology
- To describe behavior. What is the nature of this behavior?
- To understand behavior. Why does it occur?
- To predict behavior. When it will occur?
- To influence or alter behavior in order to achieve a goal. What conditions affect it?
Psychology is a science, therefore, a psychologist is a scientist
Psychology is chiefly concerned with human behavior, what makes people behave as they do.
Psychologist are interested in topics such as learning, emotion, intelligence, heredity, and
environment, differences between individuals, the nature and development of personality,
group behavior, etc.
The word science comes from the Latin word scientia. It is a derivative of the Latin word
sciens, present participle is scire meaning "to know". Science connotes any prestigious
undertaking. It is an objective investigation of empirical phenomena, in this case, human
behavior.
Psychology is considered a science because:
a. It strives to be objective in the sense that it decides questions on the basis of fact and
not on the basis of wishes or desires.
b. Psychology gets its facts through observations rather than by simply theorizing.
Psychologist grounded by the following six (6) fundamental characteristics:
1. Human behavior follows an orderly patterns.
Even if there's a change in a person's life, there is a degree of order and regularity in its
nature. The change can be understood.
2. Human behavior can be known
Human behavior can be observed therefore it can be investigated.
3. Knowledge of human behavior is tentative but superior to ignorance
We must pursue knowledge not only for its own sake but also to be able to improve
human conditions
4. Natural Phenomena have natural causes
All natural events have natural causes events. Science rejects the belief of supernatural
forces to cause events.
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forces to cause events.
5. Nothing is Self-evident
Truth must only be claimed and established when they are demonstrated objectively.
Scientist never rely on traditional, subjective beliefs. They are skeptical and critical in
their approach to truths. Rational criticism is the core of any scientific enterprise.
6. Knowledge is derived from the acquisition of experiences
Anything in this world must be empirically explained. We rely on our perceptions,
experiences and observations.
What Psychology is not?
1. Psychology is not Mysterious
Many people think that psychology is something magical or mysterious and that
somehow, psychologists have a superior or almost superhuman way of looking into the
thoughts and feelings of a person. Psychology however, is an ordinary, everyday, hard-
working science. Whatever psychologists have learned, they have learned through
observation, careful reflection of what they have observed and thorough checking of
their conclusions with other persons in this and other fields.
2. Psychology and "common sense"
For some people psychology is nothing more than common sense. To them, psychology
is simply what some wise people have discovered from their experiences, whether they
have ever had formal training in the subject matter or not. There are statements that
are accepted by common sense but not accepted by psychology.
3. Psychology and the parasciences
People sometimes confuse psychology with the parascience. Among these are
phrenology, physiognomy, numerology, palmistry and astrology. These parascience are
based on premises that differ sharply from those of the scientific world. There has been
no scientific evidence to support their claims. On the other hand, psychology is based on
the traditional methods of science , including the systematic gathering data, putting
hypotheses to careful tests and the cumulative building of knowledge.
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