Psychology - what is it? Basic functions and types of psychology

Recently, the study of human psychology has become very popular. In the West, the consulting practice of specialists in this field has been around for a long time. In Russia, this is a relatively new direction. What is psychology? What are its main functions? What methods and programs do psychologists use to help people in difficult situations?

The concept of psychology

Psychology is a science whose purpose is to study the mechanisms of the functioning of the human psyche. She considers the patterns of people's behavior in different situations, the thoughts, feelings and experiences that arise.

Psychology is what helps us to better understand ourselves, to understand our problems and their causes, to realize our shortcomings and strengths. Her study contributes to the development in a person of moral qualities and morality. Psychology is an important step on the path to self-improvement.

Object and subject of psychology

As an object of psychology, there must be some carriers of phenomena and processes that are studied by this science. This could be considered a person, but according to all norms, he is the subject of knowledge. That is why the object of psychology is considered to be the activity of people, their interaction with each other, behavior in various situations.

The subject of psychology has constantly changed over time in the process of developing and improving its methods. Initially, he considered the soul of a man. Then the subject of psychology was the consciousness and behavior of people, as well as their unconscious beginning. At present, there are two views on what is the subject of this science. From the point of view of the first, these are the mental processes, states and properties of the personality. According to the second, its subject matter is the mechanisms of mental activity, psychological facts and laws.

Basic functions of psychology

One of the most important tasks of psychology is to study the characteristics of people's consciousness, the formation of general principles and laws, according to which the individual acts. This science reveals the hidden potentialities of the human psyche, the causes and factors that affect people's behavior. All of the above is a theoretical function of psychology.

However, like any science, psychology has practical application. Its importance is to help a person, develop recommendations and strategies for action in various situations. In all areas where people have to interact with each other, the role of psychology is invaluable. It allows a person to properly build relationships with others, avoid conflicts, learn to respect the interests of others and reckon with them.

Processes in Psychology

The human psyche is a single whole. All processes occurring in it are closely interrelated and can not exist alone without the other. That is why their division into groups is very conditional.

It is customary to distinguish the following processes in human psychology: cognitive, emotional and volitional. The first of these include memory, thinking, perception, attention and sensations. Their main feature is that it is thanks to them that the human brain reacts and responds to influences from the outside world.

Emotional mental processes form the attitude of a person to these or other events, allow us to evaluate ourselves and others. These include feelings, emotions, people's moods.

Volitional mental processes are represented directly by will and motivation, as well as by proactivity. They allow a person to control their actions and actions, control behavior and emotions. In addition, the volitional processes of the psyche are responsible for the ability to achieve the goals set, to achieve the desired heights in certain areas.

Types of Psychology

In modern practice, there are several classifications of the types of psychology. The most common is the division of it into everyday and scientific. The first kind is based primarily on the personal experience of people. Life psychology has an intuitive nature. Most often it is very specific and subjective. Scientific psychology is a science based on rational data obtained with the help of experiments or professional observations. All of its provisions are thought out and precise.

Depending on the scope of application, the theoretical and practical types of psychology are distinguished. The first of them is engaged in studying the laws and features of the human psyche. Practical psychology sets as the main task the provision of help and support to people, improving their condition and increasing the productivity of their activities.

Methods of Psychology

To achieve the goals of science in psychology, various methods of studying consciousness and features of human behavior are used. In the first place, such is the experiment. It is a simulation of a situation that provokes a certain behavior of a person. At the same time, scientists fix the obtained data and reveal the dynamics and dependence of the results on various factors.

Very often in psychology, a method of observation is used. With the help of it, various phenomena and processes occurring in the human psyche can be explained.

Recently, methods of questioning and testing have been widely used. At the same time, people are invited to answer certain questions for a limited amount of time. Based on the analysis of the findings, conclusions are drawn about the results of the study and certain programs on psychology are drawn up.

To identify problems and their sources, a particular person uses a biographical method. It is based on the comparison and analysis of various events in the life of the individual, the key points of his development, the identification of crisis stages and the defining stages of development.