Scribd
Upload
11 views

PSYCHOLOGY

Uploaded by

Baljeet Malik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
11 views

PSYCHOLOGY

Uploaded by

Baljeet Malik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

PSYCHOLOGY: MEANING AND DEFINITION

Psychology owes its origin from Philosophy. In the year 1950, Rudolf Goeckle first used the
word ‘Psychology’. The term ‘Psychology’ is a combination of two Greek words ‘Psyche’ and
‘Logus’ which mean ‘Soul’ and ‘Science’, respectively. It has a long history. A review of the
history of psychology reveals that during the Greek period philosophers dominated the field of
psychology. At that time, Psychology was not a separate discipline. It got scientific status in the
year 1879, when Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychological laboratory at Leipzig in
Germany. It has been defined differently by different philosophers and psychologists. The most
appropriate definition of psychology has been advocated by R.S. Woodworth (1910-1960).
According to him, “Psychology is the scientific study of the activities of the organism in
relation to its environment”. Psychology is a positive science which helps to understand,
predict and control human behaviour. It uses scientific methods to study different activities and
experiences systematically. The word “activities” includes both external behaviours and internal
mental processes. It studies behavior of living organisms, both animals and human beings. It
acknowledges the role of environment in shaping the behavior of organisms. Thus, it is
concluded that psychology is the scientific study of behaviours, experiences and mental
processes of the organisms in relation to the environment.
Psychodynamic Theories of Personality
Psychodynamic theories of personality are heavily influenced by the work of Sigmund
Freud and emphasize the influence of the unconscious mind and childhood experiences on
personality. Psychodynamic theories include Sigmund Freud's psychosexual stage theory and
Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development.
Freud believed the three components of personality were the id, ego, and superego. The id is
responsible for needs and urges, while the superego regulates ideals and morals. The ego, in
turn, moderates the demands of the id, superego, and reality.
Freud suggested that children progress through a series of stages in which the id's energy is
focused on different erogenous zones.
Erikson also believed that personality progressed through a series of stages, with certain
conflicts arising at each stage. Success in any stage depends on successfully overcoming these
conflicts.

You might also like