When thinking about psychology, the image of a person in a white coat analyzing clients' dreams while they lie on a couch may come to mind. This portrayal often brings to mind figures like Sigmund Freud, a prominent psychologist in the early 1900s known for his expertise in unravelling the complexities of unconscious thought. However, psychology has evolved significantly since then and is now a thriving academic discipline and a crucial professional practice.
Psychology has grown rapidly over the past 25 years thanks to scientific breakthroughs and new research. These advancements have provided us with a deeper understanding of the scientific aspects of the human mind and how it influences our thoughts, actions, and emotions. This knowledge has empowered psychologists worldwide to address numerous societal problems and challenges we encounter.
Understanding the true essence of psychology is crucial for individuals who wish to delve deeper into the subject. While it may seem obvious, psychology is often misunderstood and casually referenced without genuinely understanding its significance.
What is Psychology? It is a scientific discipline that examines the mind's role in shaping and impacting our actions, encompassing communication, memory, thought, and emotion. Psychologists actively engage in the exploration and comprehension of mental processes, brain functions, and behaviour. As a "Hub Science," psychology connects significantly with medical sciences, social sciences, and education.
In this article, we'll discuss the history of psychology, different types of psychology, and some famous psychological experiments.
A Brief History of Psychology
Psychology emerged in the 1800s, initially defined as the scientific study of consciousness. The primary method employed was introspection, which involved examining one's thoughts and experiences. However, introspection faced a significant challenge as it lacked the means to reconcile conflicting perspectives. This flaw became evident when individuals reported different introspections despite similar circumstances. By the 1920s, psychologists began to redefine their field as the scientific study of behaviour. Behaviourists argued that genuine scientific inquiry in psychology should focus solely on observable behaviour.
While behaviourism may seem to limit the scope of psychology by disregarding the mind, Hilgard argued that it expanded the field. Behaviourism enabled psychologists to study individuals unable to provide introspective reports, such as animals and infants. In the United States, behaviourism dominated psychology from the 1920s to the 1950s. Humanistic psychology emerged in the early 1960s as an alternative approach due to behaviourism's neglect of subjective mental processes.
The 1970s witnessed a resurgence of cognitive psychology due to advancements in computer technology. Computers offered a fresh metaphor for understanding mental processes and provided researchers with new tools to investigate human information processing. Additionally, the emergence of neuroscience as a significant source of behavioural and cognitive process information, was another notable development during the 1970s and 1980s. Using technologies like brain scanning, scientists could identify the specific brain regions activated during cognitive processes. Presently, various psychological approaches coexist, each offering valuable perspectives. These approaches can be combined when multiple views are relevant to a particular topic.
Types of Psychology
It is a common misconception that psychologists solely focus on addressing specific personal issues of "patients." These issues can range from behavioural problems like alcohol addiction to emotional challenges such as grief over losing a loved one or even pathologies treated in psychiatry. The application of psychology is extensive, reflecting the diverse range of human behaviours. Psychologists aim to achieve four objectives: explaining, predicting, describing, and influencing behaviour. The field of psychology encompasses four primary areas:
Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology can be likened to a branch on the psychology tree, focusing specifically on evaluating and treating mental, behavioural, and emotional disorders. These disorders can vary in severity, ranging from everyday stress and anxiety to more severe and persistent conditions like schizophrenia, personality disorders, or depression. Clinical psychologists can practice in various settings, including private practices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation facilities, and community and mental health centres.
Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that focuses on the study of mental processes, including thoughts, memory, and problem-solving. This field has significantly contributed to our understanding of various automatic mental processes, such as attention, language acquisition, memory storage and retrieval, and even introspection. The discoveries made in cognitive psychology have profoundly impacted other areas within the field of psychology, including social, educational, and developmental psychology, advancing our knowledge and insights in these domains.
Behavioural Psychology
Biopsychology
In 1913, Hideyo Noguchi identified the bacterium responsible for syphilis in the brain of a deceased patient at a mental hospital, making a significant discovery. This discovery was groundbreaking because it provided biological evidence for a previously believed to be a solely psychological condition. It prompted further investigation into the connection between our physical and mental well-being. Since then, biological psychology has focused on studying human behaviour's genetic and physiological mechanisms, emphasizing the role of nature rather than nurture. This field has contributed significantly to our understanding of the origins and development of mental health issues.
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Famous Psychology Experiments
Numerous influential experiments exploring human behaviour have contributed significantly to our foundational knowledge of psychology. Although certain experiments may be deemed unethical today, their significance remains unchanged. These studies have yielded valuable insights, such as a deeper understanding of depression and its symptoms, the process of associative learning, and the phenomenon of conformity within groups. Let's examine some of the renowned psychological experiments that have significantly shaped the field of psychology and enhanced our comprehension of human behaviour.
The Milgram Experiment
Milgram conducted an experiment where participants were instructed to administer electric shocks to a "learner" whenever they provided incorrect answers. However, the learner was a collaborator in the study who pretended to receive the shocks. The objective of the experiment was to investigate the extent to which individuals would comply with the commands of an authority figure. Milgram discovered that 65% of participants were willing to administer the highest level of shocks, even when the learner appeared to be in significant distress or unconscious.
Milgram's experiment is widely regarded as one of the most contentious studies in the history of psychology. Its impact extended beyond its findings, as it significantly influenced the establishment of ethical principles and guidelines for conducting experiments involving human participants in the field of psychology.
Asch Conformity Study
In this study, a group of individuals were presented with three lines of varying lengths and were tasked with identifying the longest line. However, it was revealed that only one participant was genuine, while the others were actors instructed to provide incorrect answers intentionally. Surprisingly, the results demonstrated that most participants chose the wrong answer despite initially knowing which line was the longest. When questioned about their decision, participants explained that they did not want to be perceived as unusual or different by going against the majority opinion.
This study demonstrates that there are instances in life where individuals prioritize conformity over correctness. It also highlights the influence of group dynamics, as a collective decision can overpower an individual's judgment and lead them to question their own beliefs.
Stanford Prison Experiment
In 1971, Philip Zimbardo, a psychology professor at Stanford University, conducted an experiment known as the Stanford Prison Experiment. This experiment aimed to examine the influence of individual personality traits on conflicts and mistreatment between prisoners and prison guards. Zimbardo and his team created a simulated prison within the Stanford psychology building and assigned 24 volunteers to either prisoner or guard. The participants were dressed according to their assigned roles, with Zimbardo taking on the part of the superintendent. Although Zimbardo intended for the guards to establish a sense of powerlessness among the mock prisoners, the experiment took a disturbing turn. Some guards displayed sadistic behaviour, subjecting the prisoners to humiliation, stripping them, providing unsanitary conditions, and forcing them to sleep on concrete floors. One prisoner was even confined to a cupboard. Zimbardo became so engrossed in his role that he failed to recognize the severity of the situation. After six days, Zimbardo decided to end the experiment due to protests from his girlfriend. However, at least five prisoners had experienced emotional trauma by that time.
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