Psychology is a very old science. In the literal translation from the ancient Greek language - it is "the science of the soul." In a general sense, psychology studies the laws of development and functioning associated with the activities of the human psyche within the framework of one individual or group of people. In a practical and everyday sense, psychology (we will consider the principles in the article) is used to help those who are confused in their lives or in themselves. But it’s not so simple. In psychology there are a lot of branches, principles, tasks and methods, which we will consider below, but for now we will concentrate on the development of this science.
History
Psychology originated in the days of antiquity. Many scientists and philosophers of that time began to think about the human soul (psyche). Of the written works to this day, little has survived. But it was in Antiquity that the first foundations for psychology as a science were laid. For example, Hippocrates made a classification of temperaments, Plato was engaged in psychoanalysis, brought out some of the basics in psychology that are still relevant. But there was another important person named Aristotle in the history of psychology, who, one might say, laid the foundation for science by writing a treatise "On the Soul", which deals in detail with many questions of the human psyche.
In the Middle Ages, people are interested in human consciousness in terms of faith and religion. But in the new era, development is underway. In 1590, the term “psychology” was first used by Rudolf Golenius to refer to the science of the soul. Around the same time, Otto Kasman first used the word in a more modern scientific sense. Also, many modern scientists have already believed that the soul and body have a "different nature" (Rene Descartes).
In the 19th century, psychology firmly occupied its niche of full-fledged science. Officially, the year of birth is considered the 1789th, when Wilhelm Wundt organized the first psychological laboratory. Ernst Weber, Hermann Helmholtz and many other scientists also made a great contribution to the development of science.
In the twentieth century, psychology went to a completely different level. Both medicine and biology were developed. Mankind already knew about the relationship of the brain, about the influence of the psyche on the person himself, but it was in the 20th century that various therapies and methods began to be put into practice. There were many outstanding psychologists of that time, whose ideas were sometimes contradictory and criticized, nevertheless, thanks to many hypotheses, psychology developed. For example, Sigmund Freud deduced psychoanalysis, deduced the theory of the conscious and the unconscious. There were also Carl Gustav Jung, Alfred Adler, Erich Fromm and other scientists.
In the last century, psychology began to be actively divided into schools, trends, types. For example, at the beginning of the century, gestalt psychology (which is still relevant all over the world) initially appeared in Germany, and the American psychologist John Watson deduced the basic principles in the psychology of behavior. This is how behaviorism came about.
Science paralleled history. During the First World War, psycho-diagnostics were used to test soldiers. Species are also distinguished: for example, cognitive, social and cultural-historical psychology (based on Marxism). But that was not the limit. Scientists have also begun to notice how psychology is intertwined with many other sciences. So, for example, psycholinguistics arose.
In the present century, when equipment and technology came to the rescue, the emphasis is on the study of neural networks using tomography, incompletely revealed brain functions, and so on, are studied.
Subject
Of course, a person acts as a subject of activity. The subject is the psyche and the laws of its development, functioning, the ability to reflect reality, to act as a mediator between the individual and the world, society. An important role is played by the laws of mental processes, the way information is acquired by the psyche and, as a result, affects the activity and behavior of a person depending on his individual characteristics.
Objects of study
As we have already seen from the history of psychology, science has been changing all the time depending on various factors. Despite all the progress in development, the object of concentration of attention of psychologists, philosophers, scientists and even ordinary people was different for each period:
- The longest time, starting from 2 millennium BC. and ending with the 17th century CE, scientists and thinkers paid special attention to the knowledge of the soul. It was she who was the object of study all this time. It is worth noting that the soul was understood in different ways: as part of the physical body (in the modern world that would be called the human psyche) or as something ideal, intangible, eternal, etheric, sometimes divine.
- From the 17th century to the beginning of the XX century. the object of psychology was consciousness. Religion is not as influential as in past centuries, people have become more materialistic. Descartes suggested that consciousness determines being, the psychology of a particular individual. He also believed that everything is subjective and should be questioned.
- Late 19th - early 20th centuries Just with the development of a new branch in psychology - behaviorism - the behavior of a person becomes an object. The main formula for the adherents of such a theory was that the stimulus generates a reaction.
- In the 50s of the last century, psychologists finally began to focus on the psyche.
Psychology Objectives
Science exists for a reason and carries important, useful for society and people individually goals. The tasks of psychology include: the study of mental phenomena and their psychological mechanisms, analysis of how such processes are formed and developed, and, most importantly, how to apply the information received in practice in life (for example, how a psychologist can help a person cope with difficult situation in life).
Methods
The principle of psychology also lies in the fact that psychologists use different methods to identify something new, concerning both a specific individual and science as a whole:
- The experimental method is one of the most important. It is also called laboratory, because for this method people are usually placed in artificially created situations to find out how they will behave and to draw certain conclusions.
- The method of scientific observation implies an explanation of a process within the framework of its natural course based on theory. So, for example, psychologists or scientists observe a person and the course of his actions, reactions, speech.
- Testing means identifying certain features through testing. Questions may be different, goals may be different.
- The study of the products of human activity. For example, handwriting, drawings, etc. that can talk about his "creator", what kind of character he is (whether he is creative, sloppy, illegible, diligent, calm, etc.).
- Psychologists also often use biographical analysis. In other words, they diagnose a person’s life, his habits, family, methods of adaptation in society. Thus, it is possible to predict what future life will be like, how it will develop further relations with people, in the family, at work, what crises will be, and also ways to overcome possible difficulties.
This does not end the methods. There are also comparative genetic, psychological modeling, and others, but above we examined the 5 most basic ways to study something in the science of the soul.
Principles
Scientists distinguish the theoretical basic principles of psychology, because they are needed as fundamental statements, without which science itself would not be possible:
- Determinism (determinability) - this means recognition of the fact that human consciousness, the ability to think and other mental processes are the result of socialization, the influence of society on human development (at an early age).
- The unity of activity and consciousness. That is, all our actions are the influence of our mind; in other words, people do everything consciously.
- The principle of development in psychology. The psyche always changes, develops, it cannot "freeze" once and for all.
- The personal approach. Each person is individual, despite the fact that the psyche in general can function according to certain laws. But in a private approach, it is simply necessary to consider the personality and character of the individual.
We examined the most basic principles in general psychologists. They affect all other branches, but there are more special cases with their own fundamentals, which we will now consider.
Domestic psychology
This science is a more private view of the general. Domestic scientists also contributed to the development and occupied their solid niche as theoretical psychologists. Therefore, it is worth noting that the principles of Russian psychology are slightly different:
- Materialistic monism means the need to first consider the psycho-physiological processes in order to move from physiology to the processes of the psyche.
- Reflection. Such a principle lies in the fact that consciousness subjectively reflects objective reality.
- The unity of theory and practice - to solve practical problems, one must also take part in theoretical research.
- The principle of objectivity. Although some psychologists are of the opinion that the inner world of a person is very subjective, and therefore unrecognizable, the majority still believes that one can objectively judge thoughts, desires, motives, experiences by considering his actions, activities, analysis of speech, words, behavior.
- Determinism, the development of the psyche, the unity of consciousness and activity (as in general psychology).
Basic principles of developmental psychology
The bases and goals of this branch are also more private. Age psychology is important in practice, as development, crises, life stages, psychological trauma, personality formation, change, work with children, and much more are associated with age.
In addition to the above general principles, age psychology also highlights the account of age-related personality changes and an individual approach to a person, revealing his characteristics in order to predict further development.