Psychology research is the investigation of the mind, behavior and human experiences. This covers the mental processes we go through in our thoughts, from the tiniest of thoughts and dreams to our perception of consciousness, which includes our choices, personalities and social interactions. The study examines the influences of biology, such as the brain’s chemical and genetic predispositions as in addition to the social pressures as well as environmental factors that impact the way we think, behave and feel.

It covers a variety of diverse subjects: how children learn and develop and develop, how mental illness is treated, the way we make choices and how we conduct themselves in groups and more. Psychologists research not just the patterns of behavior that are universal, but as well the differences and challenges that make each person different.

The ability to gain a deeper and richer comprehension of psychological issues can give us insights into our behavior and gain a greater understanding of our fellow human beings.

Types of Psychology

Since its first appearance as distinct science in the late 19th century, a variety of distinct fields of study have developed. Psychology is a vast and broad field that includes studies of thoughts behaviour, behavior, development emotional motivation, personality and much more. In the process, distinct subfields and specialty areas have been created.

Here are a few of the most important areas of research and applications in the field of psychology:

• The field of abnormal psychology is the research of abnormal behavior and psychopathology. This specialization focuses on the study and treatment of various kinds of mental disorders. It’s closely related to psychotherapy and clinical psychology.
• Biology psychology (biopsychology) examines how biological processes impact the mind and behaviour. The field is closely connected to neuroscience, and employs techniques like MRI as well as PET scans to study abnormalities or brain injuries.
• Psychological clinical is a field that focuses on the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of mental disorders.
• Cognitive psychology examines human thinking processes, which include attention and perception, memory and decision-making, problem-solving and the acquisition of language.
• Psychology of Comparative is the area of psychology that studies the behavior of animals.
• Psychology of developmental is a subject that studies human growth and development throughout the course of their lives, which includes morality, cognitive capacities as well as identity, social functioning and many other areas of life.
• Forensic psychologist is a applied field which focuses on psychological research and theories within the criminal and legal justice system.
• Industrial-organizational psychology is a field that uses psychological research to enhance work performance and select employees.
• Psychology of personality concentrates on understanding how the development of personality along with the patterns in thinking behavior, behaviours, and traits that define each individual.
• Psychology of Social concentrates on group behavior, the influence of social factors on individual behaviors such as attitudes, prejudice and aggression, conformity and a variety of other topics.

Uses for Psychology

Though the psychological insights that psychologists have to offer touch in all areas life, its greatest directly affecting effects can be observed in the context of therapy. The most obvious use for psychology is within the realm of psychological health. Psychologists employ theories, research and clinical research to assist clients with managing and manage the signs of mental distress and mental illness.

Other applications of psychology include:

• Designing educational programs
• Ergonomics
• Public policy information
• Treatment for mental health
• Enhancing performance
• Well-being and personal health
• Psychological research
• Self-help
• Social program design
• Understanding child development

Impact of Psychology

Psychology is a discipline of science that can be applied to the lives of everyday people. It’s an academic as well as an applied field that helps people improve their lives as well as the society at large. Although we usually associate it with the identification as well as treatment of psychological health problems but those are only the beginning of the list in the effects of psychology.

The ways that psychology can benefit society and individuals are:

• Understanding the reasons why people behave in the way they do
• Understanding the various influences that affect humans’ minds as well as behaviour
• Understanding the issues that affect daily life, health and overall well-being
• Improving ergonomics for better product design
• Making safe and efficient work environments
• Motivating people to accomplish their targets
• Improved productivity

Psychologists do this through the use of objective scientific methods to comprehend the nature of, explain as well as predict the human character. Psychological research is extremely organized, starting with a hypothesis, which is later tested empirically.

Potential Pitfalls

There’s a lot of misinformation in the world of the field of psychology. Unfortunately, these myths about psychology prevail partly due to stereotypical depictions of psychologists in popular media, as well as the various career paths available to individuals with a psychology degree.

Sure, psychologists are there who can help in the investigation of crimes and there are a lot of experts who can help those who are dealing with mental health problems. However, there are psychologists who

• Help create healthier workplaces.
• Create and implement programs for public health
• Study safety of airplanes
• Help with the design of computer programs and technology
• Research military lifestyle and psychological consequences of battle

Understanding the History of Psychology

The psychology of today wasn’t always the way it is now. Psychology was first developed from both biology and philosophy. Discussions about these two topics go from the earliest Greek philosophers, such as Aristotle as well as Socrates.

The rise of the psychology field as a distinct and distinct discipline was born at the time that Wilhelm Wundt established the first experiment in the field of psychology located in Leipzig, Germany in 1879.

Through the history of psychology, various theories have been developed to explain human brain and behaviour. In certain cases, specific school of thought grew to become the dominant discipline of psychology for a certain period of time.

Below are some of the most important psychological schools of thought.

• Structuralism: Wundt and Titchener’s structuralism was the first theory, however others began to emerge.
• Functionalism: The first philosopher and psychologist William James became associated with the school of thought referred to as functionalism. It centered its attention on the goal of human consciousness and behaviour.
• Psychoanalysis: Soon after, these early theories of thought were replaced by a number of popular and influential methods of psychology. Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis focused on the way that the unconscious mind influences the behavior of humans.
• Behaviorism The school of behavior of thought moved away from studying the influences that affect behavior internally and made psychologists the field of study that studies visible behavior.
• Humanistic Psychology:Later, the humanistic approach was based upon the significance of self- development and self-actualization.
• Psychology of cognition The 1960s and 1970s the rise of cognitive science prompted the study of cognitive processes like thinking decisions, language development, decision-making and memory.