The main branches of psychology. Basic Characteristics

Psychology is a relatively young science that took shape at the end of the 19th century. But for a short period of its existence, a large number of directions have already appeared, which could stand out due to the variety of practical and theoretical problems facing it. Thanks to this, a very rich library on psychology was formed. In recent years, it has been replenished with more and more modern scientific and educational methods.

The main branches of psychology are united by a single subject - the psyche. At the heart of their selection is what aspect of it and under what conditions it is studied. That is why the proposed classification for the main sections is conditional and can change with time.

The main branches of psychology are as follows.

General psychology studies the practical and cognitive activity of man. Thanks to the results obtained in this branch, scientific knowledge and concepts of basic principles were formed, as well as a system of methods of psychological science.

Within the framework of social psychology, the basic laws of the social and individual in the human psyche are comprehended, which are formed by the interaction of society and personality, as well as in groups. This industry has appeared relatively recently.

Age psychology studies the psyche in ontogeny (development from the moment of conception to the death of a person). In it, during its formation, several sections were already able to stand out: children's ( individual psychological characteristics of children under six are considered), and also depending on the age stage (psychology of primary school age, adolescent, adolescent, adult, and gerontology).

As the subject of pedagogical psychology is the psyche of the student and the teacher, which is considered in the educational process, as well as education and upbringing.

There are narrowly focused main branches of psychology. Let us dwell in more detail on some of them.

Honey. Psychology , or as it is also called, clinical , considers the psyche in conditions of bodily or mental illness. Within its framework, there have already emerged: somatopsychology, pathopsychology and neuropsychology.

Special psychology considers the anomalous development of human consciousness. Within its framework, typhlopsychology, surdpsychology and oligophrenopsychology took shape.

Psychophysiology is a special branch that studies the correlation of mental and biological interaction, physiology of GNI and psychology. In recent years, psychogenetics has become very active.

The psychology of labor is considered by the psyche in working conditions. It includes the following sections: psychology of creativity, sports, advertising, trade; As well as professional psychology (judicial, legal, political, military, organizational, aviation, space, engineering and others).

Psycholinguistics studies speech as a specific kind of psyche, which uses language systems as an internal means. Within its framework, such sections as psychosemantics and psychosemiotics are distinguished.

Differential (comparative) psychology reveals differences in the psyche of people: ethnic, typological, individual and others.

Mathematical psychology is closely involved in questions of measurement in this science, methods of quantitative analysis of the results that have been obtained in psychological research.

The main branches of psychology that have formed at the present time make it possible to present it as one of the most fundamental and system-forming disciplines, the future of which is at the junction of various sciences.