Introduction to

Psychology
Psy 101
Course coordinator : Mollika Roy
What is Psychology?

• In mid-17th century Simeon Partliz’s stated that- Psychology is the

knowledge of the Soul.
• Today, psychology is concerned with the science or study of the mind
and behavior.
• Formal definition: Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and
mental processes.
• But this definition seems too simple to explain the subject matter of
psychology
What is Psychology?
• Behavior and mental processes in the definition of psychology
must be understood to mean many things:
• It encompasses not just what people do
• But also their thoughts, emotions, perceptions, reasoning processes,
memories, and even the biological activities that maintain bodily
functioning.
•In this regard both observable and unobservable behaviors are included
as behavior.
•Psychologists try to describe, predict, and explain human behavior and
mental processes, as well as helping to change and improve the lives of
people and the world in which they live.
Sub field of Psychology
• What are the biological foundations of behavior?
• In the most fundamental sense, people are biological organisms.
• Behavioral neuroscience is the subfield of psychology that mainly examines how the
brain and the nervous system determine behavior. It also includes other biological
processes as well. Thus, neuroscientists consider how our bodies influence our
behavior.

• Behavioral neuroscientists may examine the link between specific

location in the brain and the muscular tremors of people appear in
Parkinson’s disease.
• Moreover, they attempt to determine how our emotions are
related to physical sensations.
Sub field of Psychology
• Experimental psychology is the branch of psychology that studies the processes of
sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking about the world.
•If you have ever wondered why you are susceptible to optical illusions, how your body
registers pain, or how to make the most of your study time, an experimental
psychologist can answer your questions.

• Cognitive psychology, focuses on higher mental

processes, including thinking, memory, reasoning, problem
solving, judging, decision making, and language.

• Cognitive psychology is a major branch of experimental

psychology which seek answer to understand the higher mental
process systematically
Sub field of Psychology
• Developmental psychology Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how
and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives.
•Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include
adolescence, adult development, aging, and the entire lifespan.

• Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that examines

personality and its variation among individuals.
• It aims to show how people are individually different due to
psychological forces.
• It focuses on the investigation of human nature, psychological
similarities and differences between individuals.
Sub field of Psychology
• Health psychology explores the relationship between psychological factors and physical ailments or
disease.
• For example, health psychologists are interested in assessing how long-term stress (a psychological factor)
can affect physical health and in identifying ways to promote behavior that brings about good health

• Clinical psychology deals with the study, diagnosis, and treatment

of psychological disorders.
• Clinical psychologists are trained to diagnose and treat problems
that range from the crises of everyday life to more extreme
condition.
• Such as break-up issues to somatoform disorder, major
depression, trauma etc.
Sub field of Psychology
• Counseling psychology focuses primarily on educational, social, and career
adjustment problems.
•Like clinical psychologists, counseling psychologists deal with people’s psychological
problems, but the problems they deal with are more specific and less severe for
individual (not at disorder level).

• Counselor used to deal clients in their private chamber or else

organizations recruit them for bigger community.
• Almost every college has a center staffed with counseling
psychologists.
• Many business org. also employ counseling psychologists to help
employees with work-related problems.
• They also deal clients individually or in group setting.
Sub field of Psychology
• Social psychology is the study of how individual or group behavior (thoughts,
feelings, and actions ) is influenced by the presence and behavior of others.
• Social psychologists concentrate on diverse topics as attitude, rumor, human
aggression, liking and loving, persuasion, and conformity.

• Cross-cultural psychology investigates the similarities and

differences in psychological functioning in and across various
cultures and ethnic groups.
• For example, cross-cultural psychologists examine how cultures
differ in their use of punishment during child rearing.
Sub field of Psychology
• Evolutionary psychology considers how behavior is influenced by our genetic
inheritance from our ancestors.
•The evolutionary approach suggests that the chemical coding of information in our
cells not only determines traits such as hair color and race but also holds the key to
understanding a broad variety of behaviors.

• Evolutionary psychology stems from Charles Darwin’s arguments

in his groundbreaking 1859 book, On the Origin of Species.

• Darwin suggested that a process of natural selection leads to the

survival of the fittest and the development of traits that
enable a species to adapt to its environment.
Sub field of Psychology
• Clinical neuropsychology unites the areas of neuroscience and clinical psychology.
• It focuses on the origin of psychological disorders in biological factors.
•Focuses on the advance understanding of the structure and chemistry of the brain.
• This specialty led to new treatments for psychological disorders & debates over the use of
medication to control behavior.

• Educational psychology is concerned with teaching and learning

processes, such as the relationship between motivation and school
performance.
• Environmental psychology considers the relationship between
people and their physical environment.
• Reason of developing new civilization on certain area,
psychological trait on particular territory, impact of natural
calamity & environmental change on human behavior etc.
Sub field of Psychology
• Psychology of women focuses on issues such as discrimination against women and the
causes of violence against women.

• Sport psychology applies psychology to athletic activity and exercise

• Forensic psychology focuses on legal issues, such as determining

the accuracy of witness memories

• Industrial/organizational psychology is concerned with the

psychology of the workplace.