Definition of Psychology
☆ Definition of Psychology
Psychology has been defined in a number of ways by various authors. Psychologists had been debating whether psychology should focus on ‘mind, ‘consciousness’ or ‘behaviour’.
Psychology was first defined by ancient
philosophers in terms of ‘the science of soul’. This definition was not accepted by psychologists. Next, psychology was defined in term of ‘the science of mind’ by some ancient Greek philosophers. Since this definition does not include overt behaviour of human beings and mind cannot be measured directly, this definition was also dropped by psychologists. Then psychology was defined as ‘the science of consciousness’. But consciousness cannot be studied objectively as it is more personal and subjective; secondly the term ‘consciousness’ does not include animal or human behaviour. So this definition too is now obsolete and has been rejected.
Finally, modern psychology has been defined as ‘a science of behaviour’. In the early decades of twentieth century, Watson, the father of the school of ‘behaviourism’, defined psychology as ‘the study of behaviour’.
Psychology has been defined in a number of ways by various authors. Psychologists had been debating whether psychology should focus on ‘mind, ‘consciousness’ or ‘behaviour’.
Psychology was first defined by ancient
philosophers in terms of ‘the science of soul’. This definition was not accepted by psychologists. Next, psychology was defined in term of ‘the science of mind’ by some ancient Greek philosophers. Since this definition does not include overt behaviour of human beings and mind cannot be measured directly, this definition was also dropped by psychologists. Then psychology was defined as ‘the science of consciousness’. But consciousness cannot be studied objectively as it is more personal and subjective; secondly the term ‘consciousness’ does not include animal or human behaviour. So this definition too is now obsolete and has been rejected.
Finally, modern psychology has been defined as ‘a science of behaviour’. In the early decades of twentieth century, Watson, the father of the school of ‘behaviourism’, defined psychology as ‘the study of behaviour’.
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