Defining Psychology, Nature and Scope

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes covering the definition, history, nature, and various branches of psychology.

Psyche

A Greek word meaning soul.

Logos

A Greek word signifying a rational course of study.

Psychology (Etymology)

Derived from the Greek words psyche (soul) and logos (rational study), meaning the study of the soul.

William James

In his book Principles of Psychology (1890), he defined psychology as the description and explanation of state of consciousness as such.

Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920)

Psychologist who established the first psychology laboratory at the University of Leipzig, Germany, and defined psychology as the science of consciousness.

Introspection

The process of looking within, used as an instrument to describe and explain states of consciousness.

William McDougall

British psychologist who first defined psychology as the science of behavior in his 1905 book Physiological Psychology.

J.B. Watson

Known as the father of the behaviorist school, he defined psychology in 1913 as the science of behavior, including both human and animal behavior.

Woodworth (1948)

Commented on the evolution of the field stating, first psychology lost its soul, then its mind, then it lost its consciousness. It still has behaviour of a sort.

Conative activities

Motor activities such as walking, swimming, and dancing.

Cognitive activities

Mental activities such as thinking, reasoning, and imagining.

Affective activities

Activities related to feelings, such as feeling happy, sad, or angry.

Positive Sciences

Sciences that study facts as they are and have little or no concern with what ought to be, such as physics, chemistry, and psychology.

Normative Sciences

Fields such as logic, philosophy, and ethics that are concerned with what ought to be.

Pure Psychology

The branch that provides the framework and theory of the subject, dealing with the formulation of psychological principles and theories.

Applied Psychology

The practical expression of psychological theory, involving the application of rules and principles to real-life situations.

General Psychology

A field dealing with fundamental rules, principles, and theories of psychology in relation to the behavior of normal adult human beings.

Abnormal Psychology

The branch describing and explaining the behavior of abnormal people in relation to their environment, including causes and treatments of abnormalities.

Social Psychology

The study of group behavior, inter-relationships among people, group dynamics, and social prejudices.

Experimental Psychology

The branch explaining ways of carrying out scientific experiments under controlled or laboratory situations to study mental processes.

Physiological Psychology

The study of the biological and physiological basis of behavior, including the brain, nervous system, and glands.

Parapsychology

A branch dealing with extra-sensory perception, precognition, rebirth claims, telepathy, and allied phenomena.

Geopsychology

The study of the relation between behavior and the physical environment, such as weather, climate, soil, and landscape.

Developmental Psychology

The field explaining the processes of growth and development from birth to old age; includes Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychology.

Educational Psychology

An applied branch that applies psychological principles and theories to human behavior in educational situations to improve teaching and learning.

Clinical Psychology

An applied branch explaining the causes of mental illness or abnormal behavior and suggesting therapies for treatment and adjustment.

Industrial Psychology

An applied branch studying human behavior in industrial environments, covering consumer interests, advertising, and personnel selection.

Legal Psychology

The application of psychological principles to study the behavior of clients, criminals, and witnesses and to aid in crime detection.

Military Psychology

A branch concerned with the use of psychology in military activities, such as maintaining soldier morale and fighting enemy propaganda.

Political Psychology

The use of psychological principles to study politics, group behavior dynamics, leadership qualities, and diplomacy.