Psychology - Origins, History, and Fundamentals

Psychology (Etymology)

Derived from the Greek words "psyché" (soul) and "logos" (study or science); it is the science studying mental and psychological phenomena that originally separated from philosophy.

Psychology

A system of scientific disciplines studying the psyche, specifically the experiencing and behavior of living beings, with the human mental state (psyche) as its primary subject.

Human Psyche

A property and function of the higher nervous system linked to brain activity; an integrated set of all nervous activity manifestations, including perceptions from the internal and external environments, bodily needs, and experience or learning.

Components of the Human Psyche

Psychological processes, psychological states, and psychological properties/traits, which arose through the evolution of living matter in connection with the central nervous system (CNS).

External Stimuli

Environmental inputs perceived through sensory organs: sight, taste, smell, hearing, and touch.

Internal Stimuli

Inputs originating from inside the body that provide information about physical and emotional needs, such as hunger, thirst, fatigue, or sadness.

Wilhelm Wundt

The founder of the first psychological institute at the University of Leipzig who institutionalized psychology as an independent science in 1879.

Hoministic Sciences

Sciences focused on the study of human beings; the scientific category to which psychology belongs.

Idealism (in Psychology)

A philosophical perspective that acknowledges a spiritual foundation of existence, such as an immaterial soul.

Materialism (in Psychology)