1. Definition of psychology as a science.

2. The main branches of psychology.

3. Research methods in psychology.

1. Psychology Is a science that occupies an ambiguous position among other scientific disciplines. As a system of scientific knowledge, it is familiar only to a narrow circle of specialists, but at the same time almost every person who has sensations, speech, emotions, images of memory, thinking and imagination, etc., knows about it.

The origins of psychological theories can be found in proverbs, sayings, fairy tales of the world and even ditties. For example, they say about personality “There are still devils in a still pool” (a warning to those who are inclined to judge character by appearance). In all nations, one can find similar everyday psychological descriptions and observations. The same proverb among the French sounds like this: "Do not immerse your hand or even your finger in a quiet stream."

Psychology - a kind of science. Man's mastery of knowledge has been going on since ancient times. However, for a long time psychology developed within the framework of philosophy, reaching a high level in the writings of Aristotle (treatise "On the Soul"), so many consider him the founder of psychology. Despite such an ancient history, psychology as an independent experimental science was formed relatively recently, only from the middle of the 19th century.

The term "psychology" first appeared in the scientific world in the 16th century. The word "psychology" comes from the Greek words: "syhe" - "soul" and "logos" - "science." Thus, literally psychology Is the science of the soul.

Already later, in the XVII-XIX centuries, psychology significantly expanded the scope of its research and began to study human activity, unconscious processes, while retaining the former name. Let us consider in more detail what is the subject of study of modern psychology.

R. S . Nemov suggests the following scheme.

As can be seen from the diagram, the psyche includes many phenomena. With the help of some, knowledge of the surrounding reality occurs - this cognitive processeswhich consist of sensation and perception, attention and memory, thinking, imagination and speech. Other mental phenomena are necessary in order to control the actions and actions of a person, to regulate the process of communication, these are mental states(a special characteristic of mental activity for a certain period of time) and mental properties(the most stable and significant mental qualities of a person, his features).

The above division is rather arbitrary, since it is possible to move from one category to another. For example, if a process takes a long time, then it already goes into the state of the organism. These processes-states can be attention, perception, imagination, activity, passivity, etc.

For a better understanding of the subject of psychology, we present a table of examples of mental phenomena and concepts presented in the works of R.S. Nemov (1995).

So, psychology Is a science that studies mental phenomena.

2. Modern psychology - this is a fairly extensive complex of sciences, which continues to develop at a very rapid pace (every 4–5 years a new direction appears).

Nevertheless, one can single out the fundamental branches of psychological science and special ones.

FundamentalThe (basic) branches of psychological science are equally important for the analysis of the psychology and behavior of all people.

This versatility allows them to sometimes be combined under the name "general psychology".

Special(applied) branches of psychological knowledge study any narrow groups of phenomena, that is, the psychology and behavior of people employed in any narrow branch of activity.

Let us refer to the classification presented by R.S. Nemov (1995).

1. Psychology of cognitive processes and states.

2. Psychology of personality.

3. Psychology of individual differences.

4. Developmental psychology.

5. Social psychology.

6. Zoopsychology.

7. Psychophysiology.

1. Educational psychology.

2. Medical psychology.

3. Military psychology.

4. Legal psychology.

5. Space psychology.

6. Engineering psychology.

7. Economic psychology.

8. Psychology of management.

Thus, psychology is a ramified network of sciences that continues to actively develop.

3. Research methods - these are techniques and means for scientists to obtain reliable information, which are then used to build scientific theories and develop recommendations for practical activities.

In order for the information received to be reliable, the requirements of validity and reliability must be observed.

Validity - this is a quality of the method that testifies to its compliance with what it was originally created to study.

Reliability - evidence that repeated use of the method will yield comparable results.

There are various classifications of methods of psychology. Let's consider one of them, according to which methods are divided into main and auxiliary ones.

Basic methods: observation and experiment; auxiliary - surveys, analysis of the process and products of activities, tests, twin method.

Observation - This is a method by which the individual characteristics of the psyche are cognized through the study of human behavior. It can be external and internal (self-observation).

1. Planned and systematic conduct.

2. Purposefulness.

3. Duration of observation.

4. Fixation of data using technical means, coding, etc.

1. Structured (there is a detailed step-by-step observation program) - unstructured (there is only a simple listing of the data to be observed).

2. Continuous (all reactions of the observed are recorded) - selective (only individual reactions are recorded).

3. Included (the researcher acts as a member of the group in which the observation is carried out) - not included (the researcher acts as an outside observer).

Experiment - a method of scientific research, during which an artificial situation is created, where the studied property is manifested and evaluated best.

1. Laboratory - is carried out in specially equipped rooms, often using special equipment.

It is distinguished by the rigor and accuracy of data recording, which makes it possible to obtain interesting scientific material.

Difficulties of a laboratory experiment:

1) the unusual situation, due to which the reactions of the subjects can be distorted;

2) the figure of the experimenter is capable of causing either a desire to please, or, conversely, to do something in spite of: both distort the results;

3) not yet all mental phenomena can be modeled under experimental conditions.

2. Natural experiment - an artificial situation is created in natural conditions. Was first proposed A.F. Lazursky ... For example, you can study the features of the memory of preschoolers by playing with the children in the store, where they have to “make purchases” and thereby reproduce a given set of words.

Polls - auxiliary research methods containing questions. Questions must meet the following requirements.

Before the survey, it is necessary to conduct a short briefing with the subjects, create a friendly atmosphere; if you can get information from other sources, then you should not ask about it.

There are the following survey methods: conversation, questionnaire, interview, sociometry.

Conversation - a survey method in which both the researcher and the subject are in equal positions.

Can be used at various stages of research.

Questioning - a method thanks to which you can quickly obtain a large amount of data recorded in writing.

Types of profiles:

1) individual - collective;

2) full-time (there is a personal contact between the researcher and the respondent) - correspondence;

3) open (the respondents formulate their answers themselves) - closed (a list of ready-made answers is presented, from which one must choose the most suitable for the respondent).

Interview - a method carried out in the process of direct communication, answers are given orally.

Types of interviews:

1) standardized - all questions are formulated in advance;

2) non-standardized - questions are formulated during the interview;

3) semi-standardized - some of the questions are formulated in advance, and some arise during the interview.

When drafting questions, it should be remembered that the first questions should be supplemented by subsequent ones.

Along with direct questions, it is necessary to use indirect ones.

Sociometry - a method through which social relations in groups are studied. Allows you to determine the position of a person in a group, assumes the choice of a partner for joint activities.

Process and product analysis - the products of human activity are studied, on the basis of which conclusions are drawn about the mental characteristics of a person.

Drawings, crafts, essays, poems, etc. can be studied.

Twin methodused in developmental genetic psychology.

The essence of the method is to compare the mental development of identical twins, by the force of circumstances brought up in different living conditions.

Tests - a standardized psychological technique, the purpose of which is to provide a quantitative assessment of the studied psychological quality.

1. Test questionnaire - test task.

2. Analytical (they study one mental phenomenon, for example, the arbitrariness of attention) - synthetic (they study the totality of mental phenomena, for example, the Cattell test allows one to draw a conclusion about 16 personality traits).

3. Depending on the content, tests are divided into:

1) intellectual (they study the features of intelligence, the so-called IQ);

2) tests of professional suitability (examines the level of professional compliance);

3) personality tests (verbal; projective, when a person's qualities are judged by how he perceives and evaluates the situation offered to him).

So, the methods of psychology are diverse and their choice is determined by the objectives of the study, the characteristics of the subject and the situation.

1. Development of psychology from ancient times to the middle of the XIX century.

2. Formation of psychology as an independent science.

3. Modern psychological concepts.

1. Interest in problems that belong to the category of psychological, arose in humans in ancient times.

The philosophers of ancient Greece in their treatises tried to penetrate into the secrets of being and the inner world of man.

The philosophers of antiquity explained the psyche, proceeding from the four elements on which, in their opinion, the world was based: earth, water, fire and air.

The soul, like everything in this world, consisted of these principles.

The ancients believed that the soul is located where there is warmth and movement, that is, all nature is endowed with a soul.

Subsequently, the doctrine that inspired the whole world was called "animism" (from the Latin "anima" - "spirit", "soul").

Animism was replaced by a new philosophical doctrine - atomistic.

A prominent representative of this trend was Aristotle ... He believed that world -it is a collection of the smallest indivisible particles - atoms, which differ from each other in different mobility and size, and the material carriers of the soul are the smallest and most mobile.

Proceeding from this mobility of atoms, Aristotle explained the mechanisms, laws of the functioning of many mental phenomena: thinking, memory, perception, dreams, etc.

Aristotle's treatise "On the Soul" is regarded by many scientists as the first major scientific research in psychology.

According to Aristotle, man has three souls: vegetable, animal and rational.

The mind depends on the size of the brain, emotions - on the heart.

The representative of materialistic views was Democritus ... He believed that everything in the world is made of atoms.

Atoms exist in time and space, in which everything moves along a given trajectory. In infinite space, according to certain laws, indivisible and impenetrable particles move; the soul is formed by light, spherical particles of fire.

The soul is a fiery principle in the body, while death occurs as a result of the disintegration of the atoms of the soul and body. Both body and soul are mortal.

The merit of Democritus is that he laid the foundation for the development of the theory of knowledge, especially visual sensations. He developed recommendations for memorization, dividing the methods of preserving material into material and mental.

It is impossible not to mention the views Plato .

According to his views, a man is a prisoner in a cave, and reality is his shadow.

A person has two souls: mortal and immortal.

The mortal solves specific problems, and the immortal, whose life continues after death, is the very core of the psychic, the highest form endowed with reason.

Only an immortal soul gives true knowledge obtained as a result of enlightenment.

There are eternal ideas, and the world is a weak reflection of ideas. In the process of life, the soul recalls those immortal ideas that it encountered before entering the body.

Interesting are the views of Plato concerning the functioning of human memory.

Memory Is a wax tablet. People have different memories and it depends on the quality of the wax.

We keep memories as long as they are stored on a wax plate.

The doctrine of the soul in the early Middle Ages became part of the theological worldview and completely departed to religion, which lasted until the 17th century. in the era.

Renaissance, all sciences and arts began to actively develop again.

Natural science, medical, biological sciences, various types of art, one way or another, affected the doctrine of the soul.

French, English and other European philosophers of that time, based on the mechanistic picture of the world, began to interpret many manifestations of the psyche from the standpoint of biomechanics, reflex, while the appeal to the internal manifestations of the psyche, to the soul, remained outside of their consideration.

However, internal phenomena really existed and required an explanation of their role in human life. As a result, a new philosophical trend began to form - dualism, which asserted that there are two independent principles in man: matter and spirit.

The science of that time was never able to explain the relationship and interdependence of these two principles, so it abandoned the study of behavior and focused on the subjective experience of a person (XVII – XVIII centuries).

Such positions were held by R. Descartes and J. Locke .

The psyche was considered only as a manifestation of consciousness, the world of matter was excluded from the subject of psychology.

The method of self-observation (introspection) was recognized as the main research method, and natural-scientific methods were considered unacceptable for studying the phenomena of the soul.

Simultaneously with such views, the atomistic understanding of the structure of the world developed. Simple manifestations of the psyche began to be viewed as atoms.

This atomistic psychology developed over two centuries, up to the end of the 19th century.

Thus, from ancient times to the middle of the XIX century. psychology developed within the framework of other sciences, more often philosophy, medicine, biology.

2. In the middle of the 19th century, profound changes took place in the scientific worldview.

This also applied to the relationship between soul and body, material and mental manifestations.

The successes of medicine, in particular psychiatry, undoubtedly proved that there is a close connection between disorders of the brain and mental disorders, which refutes the postulate of dualism about their separate existence.

The need arose to take a fresh look at the role of mental phenomena in human life and behavior.

The mechanistic understanding was good at explaining monotonous movements, but it became inconsistent in the understanding of intelligent behavior.

The provisions of atomistic psychology also did not fit into the new scientific facts and required revision.

Thus, in the second half of the nineteenth century. psychological science was on the verge of a crisis, for the following reasons:

1) understanding mental phenomena has become impossible from the standpoint of exact natural knowledge;

2) the relationship between the mental and the bodily did not lend itself to rational explanation;

3) Psychological scientists were unable to explain complex forms of human behavior that go beyond reflexes.

The resulting crisis led to the collapse of dualism and introspection as the only reliable source of psychological knowledge. In search of overcoming the crisis, three areas of psychological teaching arose: behaviorism, gestalt psychology and psychoanalysis (Freudianism).

Let's consider them in more detail.

Behaviorism.Its founder is an American scientist D. Watson , who proposed to consider behavior (from the English behavior) as a subject of psychology, and to consider mental phenomena as unknowable using natural scientific methods.

For cognition of behavior, it is enough to describe the behavior itself, to find out and describe the external and internal forces acting on the body, to study the laws according to which the interaction of stimuli and behavior occurs.

Behaviorists believed that the difference between animal behavior and human behavior lies only in the complexity and variety of reactions.

Nevertheless, Watson could not help but recognize the existence of purely human mental phenomena.

He interpreted mental states as functions that play an active role in the adaptation of the organism to the world, while admitting that he was not able to understand the meaning of this role.

Scientists in this direction denied the possibility of studying consciousness.

As Watson wrote, the behaviorist "does not observe anything that he could call consciousness, feeling, sensation, imagination, will, insofar as he no longer believes that these terms indicate the true phenomena of psychology."

However, already in the 30s. XX century, such extreme views of D. Watson were softened by non-behaviourists, primarily E. Tolman and K. Hull ... So, E. Tolman led the concept of rationality and expediency of behavior.

goal - this is the final result achieved as a result of the performance of behavioral acts.

The most important psychological phenomena, according to Tolman, are purpose, expectation, hypothesis, cognitive picture of the world, sign and its meaning.

K. Hull developed a model of behavior based on responses to a variety of stimuli.

The body responds to stimuli through innate and acquired ways that are associated with a system of "intermediate variables" that mediate this interaction.

Thus, behaviorism does not study human consciousness, believing that psychology must explain behavior by examining the stimuli entering the body and outgoing behavioral responses.

From this thesis comes the theory of learning, which is based on the use of all kinds of punishments and reinforcements when it is necessary to form appropriate reactions, thanks to which the theory is still popular, primarily among American psychologists. (B.F.Skinner).

Gestalt psychology originated in Germany and spread almost throughout Europe, including Russia, especially in the pre-war years.

This direction was influenced by sciences such as physics and mathematics.

Outstanding representatives are K. Levin , M. Wertheimer , V. Kehler and etc.

The essence of this direction was formulated by M. Wertheimer, who wrote: “... there are connections in which what happens as a whole is not derived from the elements that supposedly exist in the form of separate pieces that are then tied together, but on the contrary, what appears in a separate parts of this whole, is determined by the internal structural law of this whole. "

That is, Gestalt psychology studies not phenomena, but the structure of connections, therefore it is sometimes called structural psychology (translated into Russian, the word “gestalt” means “structure”).

K. Levin is known for his work in the field of personality and interpersonal relations.

He believed that the behavior of a person can be understood only on the basis of the integral situation in which this person finds himself.

The environment is determined by the subjective perception of the people acting in it.

The merit of Gestalt psychology lies in the fact that it found modern approaches to the study of the problems of psychology, but the problems that caused the crisis were not fully resolved.

Psychoanalysiswas developed by an Austrian psychologist and psychiatrist S. Freud, therefore it is sometimes called "Freudianism".

Founding the scientific theoretical direction in psychology, Freud proceeded from the analysis of his rich psychotherapeutic practice, thereby, as it were, returning psychology to its original subject: penetration into the essence of the human soul.

The fundamental concepts of psychoanalysis are consciousnessand unconscious.

It is the unconscious (the main of which is sexual desire - libido) that is assigned a significant role in the regulation of human activity and behavior.

Censorship from the side of consciousness suppresses unconscious drives, but they "break through" in the form of reservations, mistakes, forgetting unpleasant things, dreams, and neurotic manifestations.

Psychoanalysis became widespread not only in Europe, but also in the United States, where it is popular to this day.

In the first years of Soviet power, this direction was also in demand in our country, but in the 30s. against the general background of restrictions on psychological research (the decree "On pedological perversions in the system of the People's Commissariat for Education"), Freud's doctrine was also subjected to repression.

Up to the 60s. psychoanalysis has been studied only from a critical standpoint.

Only in the second half of the twentieth century, interest in psychoanalysis increased again, not only in Russia, but throughout the world.

So, none of the newly emerging psychological trends completely resolved the contradictions that led to the crisis of psychology as a science.

Let us consider some modern psychological concepts that began to actively develop since the second half of the twentieth century.

Cognitive psychology arose from the development of computer science and cybernetics.

Representatives of the cognitive school - J. Piaget , W. Niser, J. Bruner, R. Atkinson and etc.

For the cognitive scientist, human cognitive processes are analogous to a computer.

The main thing is to understand how a person learns the world around him, and for this it is necessary to study the ways of forming knowledge, how cognitive processes arise and develop, what is the role of knowledge in human behavior, how this knowledge is organized in memory, how the intellect functions, how the word and image relate in memory and thinking of a person.

As the basic concept of cognitive psychology, the concept of "scheme" is used, which is a plan for collecting and processing information, perceived by the senses and stored in the human head.

The main conclusion reached by representatives of this direction is that in many life situations a person makes decisions mediated by the peculiarities of thinking.

Neo-Freudianism emerged from Freud's psychoanalysis.

Its representatives - A. Adler, K. Jung, K. Horney, E. Fromm and etc.

What all these views have in common is the recognition of the importance of the unconscious in people's lives and the desire to explain many human complexes by this.

So, A. Adler believed that a person is governed by an inferiority complex, which he receives from the moment of birth, being a helpless being.

In an effort to overcome this complex, a person acts rationally, actively and expediently.

The goals are determined by the person himself, and already on the basis of this, cognitive processes, personality traits, and worldview are formed.

K. Jung's concept is also called analytical psychology.

He viewed the human psyche through the prism of the macro-processes of culture, through the spiritual history of mankind.

There are two types of the unconscious: personal and collective.

Personal the unconscious is acquired in the course of the accumulation of life experience, collective - is inherited and contains the experience accumulated by humanity.

Jung described the collective unconscious as archetypes that most often appear in myths and fairy tales, primitive forms of thinking, images passed down from generation to generation.

The personal unconscious is close to a person, it is a part of himself; the collective is often perceived as something hostile, and therefore causes negative experiences, and sometimes neuroses.

Jung is credited with identifying personality types such as introverts and extroverts.

Introverts tend to find in themselves all the sources of vital energy and the reasons for what is happening, and extroverts - in the external environment. In further studies, the isolation of these two types was confirmed experimentally and became widely used for diagnostic purposes.

According to the typology of personality developed by Jung, the following types are distinguished:

1) mental (intellectual) - creates formulas, schemes, is prone to power, authoritarianism; mostly inherent in men;

2) sensitive (sentimental, emotional) - responsiveness, the ability to empathize, a more feminine type prevails;

3) sensory - content with sensations, there are no deep experiences, adapts well to the outside world;

4) intuitive - is in a creative search, new ideas come as a result of insight, but they are not always productive and require improvement.

Each of the listed types can be both intro- and extroverted. K. Jung also introduced the concept of individualization, which means the development of a person as an individual, distinct from a community. This is the ultimate goal of the educational process, however, at the initial stages, a person must learn the minimum of collective norms that are necessary for his existence.

Another prominent representative of neo-Freudianism is E. Fromm , who was the founder of humanistic psychoanalysis. E. Fromm believed that the psyche and human behavior are socially conditioned.

Pathology appears where personal freedom is suppressed. These pathologies include: masochism, sadism, hermitism, conformism, a tendency to destruction.

Fromm divides all social structures into those that promote human freedom, and those where human freedom is lost.

Genetic psychology. Its founder is a Swiss psychologist J. Piaget, who studied the mental development of the child, mainly his intellect, therefore, in part, he can be considered as a representative of cognitive psychology.

In the process of cognitive development, there are three periods:

1) sensorimotor (from birth to approximately 1.5 years);

2) the stage of specific operations (from 1.5-2 to 11-13 years old);

3) the stage of formal operations (after 11-13 years).

The onset of these stages can be accelerated or slowed down, depending on the nature of training, on the influence of the environment.

Training will only be effective when it is started on time and takes into account the existing level.

J. Piaget wrote: “Whenever we prematurely teach a child something that he could discover over time for himself, we thereby deprive him of this, and therefore deprive him of a full understanding of the subject.

This, of course, does not mean that teachers should not design experimental situations that stimulate student creativity. "

The main factors that determine cognitive development are maturation, experience and social learning.

The modern structure of psychological knowledge is characterized by the following trends:

1) blurring the boundaries between previously existing independent directions in psychological science, for example, many modern scientists use in their theories the knowledge accumulated in various directions;

2) modern psychology is increasingly becoming a popular practice, and this leads to differentiation not according to theoretical schools, but according to the areas of application of knowledge in practical areas of activity;

3) psychological knowledge is enriched at the expense of those sciences with which psychology actively cooperates, solving common problems.

So, the field of theoretical and practical application of modern psychology is very wide, and psychology is an actively and dynamically developing science.

Psychology as an independent science emerged relatively recently - in the 19th century. It was born more than 2 thousand years ago. The term "psychology" was introduced by the German philosopher H. Wolff in 1732.

It translates as "psyche" - soul, "logos" - doctrine, word, science. Based on this, it becomes clear what psychology studies - the soul of people and animals. To be more precise, initially the scientists were really looking, but never finding it (or rather, unable to prove where it is, measure it or somehow isolate it), they started studying the psyche, as it turned out to be more possible.

What is psyche

A person does not just exist in the world, but constantly interacts with it. And this requires a tool. The psyche is the ability of the brain to analyze and synthesize information that comes from the environment through the senses, and respond accordingly. An example of her action is receiving sensations, an emotional reaction to ongoing events. That is, it is an instrument of interaction. Temperament, character and abilities also depend on the individual characteristics of mental work. This also applies to what psychology studies.

Branches of psychology

In order to understand the peculiarities of the behavioral reactions of an individual or even a group of people (age, social), one branch is not enough. Therefore, studying a person is divided into several directions. For instance:

• general psychology, which summarizes theoretical and experimental research on the psychology of personality and the processes it recognizes;
• (a synthesis of sociology and psychology), engaged in social research. Explores the masses, crowds, nations, groups, interpersonal relationships, leadership;
• psychodiagnostics - associated with the study of methods for recognizing the human psyche, its features.

In addition to general ones, there are also applied and specialized industries. So, there are age, pedagogical, military, medical, and many others. Perhaps this is why many people ask the question: "What does psychology study?"

Practical use

Today, the subject of this science is hundreds of different directions. Of course, common psychology is the basis for all. But lately, not so much independent directions have appeared in it, as a synthesis or fusion with other sciences (medicine, engineering, pedagogy, sociology, etc.). Understanding the question "what is studying makes it possible to apply it widely. When introducing new methods and technologies (for example, when teaching at school), psychology takes into account the peculiarities of the age of children, the correct distribution of loads so as not to overwork the delicate psyche. Psychologists help to resolve conflicts at enterprises, sometimes contribute to introduction of trainings for better preparation of staff There are also family psychologists who are involved in saving relationships or helping to survive separation, divorce.

is engaged in leadership, studying which distinguish a person from the crowd.

Important

The main thing that psychology studies is the properties, characteristics of temperament, inclinations and abilities of the individual. Thus, it helps a person understand himself. This science also helps in choosing a profession, allows you to more effectively interact with people. With knowledge of psychology, it is easier to understand others, the motives of their behavior, desires. And when helping other people achieve their goals, it's hard not to become a successful person, isn't it?

2. Analysis of the formation and development of mental phenomena in connection with the conditioning of the psyche by the objective conditions of human life and activity.

3. Study of the physiological mechanisms underlying mental processes, since without knowledge of the mechanisms of higher nervous activity, it is impossible either to correctly understand the essence of mental processes, or to master the practical means of their formation and development.

General psychology is of great theoretical importance, since it is designed to reveal the properties, characteristics and laws of the psyche and human consciousness in accordance with the basic provisions of dialectical and historical materialism.

At the same time, like any true science, psychology has as its ultimate goal not just the theoretical study of its subject, but the application of the acquired scientific knowledge to practice. The task of Soviet psychology is to promote the construction of methods of teaching and upbringing on scientific foundations, the rationalization of the labor process in various types of production, as well as other types of human activity.

In this regard, separate branches of psychology, or particular psychological disciplines, have arisen and are developing:

1. Educational psychology, which studies the psychological characteristics and patterns of the processes of training and education of the younger generation. The tasks of educational psychology include the study of the processes of assimilation of knowledge and the formation of skills and abilities in connection with the needs of school education, the psychological substantiation of methods, techniques and methods of teaching and upbringing, issues of upbringing the personality of students in the school team, psychological issues related to polytechnic education and training of students to practical activities, etc.

2. Child psychology, which studies the mental characteristics of children of different ages. The task of child psychology is to study the process of forming a child's personality, mental development of children, age-related psychological characteristics of the processes of perception, thinking, memory, interests, motives of activity, etc.

3. Labor psychology, which has as its task the study of the psychological characteristics of labor activity in order to rationalize labor processes and improve the formulation of industrial training. Serious psychological study requires such issues as the organization of the workplace of the worker, the psychological characteristics of work operations (including skills) in various types of production activities, the study of the psychological factors of increasing labor productivity, the study of abilities for one or another detailed profession and the patterns of their development and education. etc.

4. Engineering psychology, which has been rapidly developing in recent years in connection with the improvement of the technique of labor processes. Of great importance in this branch of psychology is the problem of correlating the technical requirements of modern machines and human mental capabilities - the speed and accuracy of the processes of perception, the volume and distribution of attention, etc.

5. Psychology of art, which studies the psychological characteristics of creative activity in various types of arts (in music, painting, plastics, etc.) and the peculiarities of the perception of works of art, a psychological analysis of their influence on the development of a person's personality.

6. Pathopsychology, which studies disorders and disorders of mental activity in various diseases and thus contributes to the development of rational methods of treatment.

7. Sports psychology, which studies the psychological characteristics of sports activity. The tasks of this branch of psychology include the psychological characteristics of various sports, the analysis of the processes of perception, attention, memory, thinking, emotional processes and volitional actions in connection with the tasks of teaching physical exercises and sports training; psychological characteristics of sports competitions, the question of the importance of sports in the formation of moral and volitional traits of a person's personality, etc.

8. Psychology of the cosmonaut, which studies the features of human mental processes in space flight, including the effect on the human psyche of large physical overloads, unusual environmental conditions during space flight, weightlessness, performance characteristics during flight, in particular, if necessary, act in conditions extreme lack of time, etc.

Thus, psychology has not only theoretical, but also great practical importance in connection with the tasks of rationalizing various types of human activity.

It is impossible, however, to consider these practical branches of psychology as a simple application of theoretically based psychological laws to certain cases of practical life. Practice is not only enriched by theory, but itself helps the theory to get on the right path. Only in the process of resolving concrete practical problems put forward by life can the theoretical problems of psychology be correctly formulated and understood and psychological laws revealed.

Any scientific psychological research can be successful only when it is constructed not abstractly, but in connection with the solution of practical problems in various types of human activity. Studying the laws of the psyche, psychology does this not in isolation from certain types of human activity, but in connection with them and with a special purpose: to use the data of psychological research to improve these types of activity.

Our whole life is an endless series of events, situations, deeds, meetings, conversations, changes, victories and defeats, hopes and disappointments. In other words, a person's life is a constant interaction of his inner world with the surrounding reality. Every day we wake up, start our day, do different things, talk to a lot of people, go to work, develop a business or do something else. Human life in the modern world is life in the world of high technologies, an endless flow of information, rapid development and changes. And in order to meet all the requirements of the surrounding reality, a person must be developed, able to overcome difficulties and have an unbending inner core that will always support and help to stay strong. The modern world is ready to swallow a person in a matter of seconds, make him a part of the gray mass, depersonalize, devastate and throw him to the sidelines. And if a person is not ready for this, then defeat cannot be avoided. But there is a way to emerge victorious in this fight.

One of the most important knowledge for a person in our time is knowledge in the field of psychology, and one of the most important skills is the ability to apply it in practice. To understand people, be able to find a common language with them and communicate, be able to instantly adapt to any situation, always help yourself and others, you need to understand psychology. So that the problems and stress, which today press on a person with great force, do not break you or your loved ones, and you or they can continue on your way, you need to understand human psychology. To understand others at a deep level, to be able to raise oneself, raise one's children, influence others, one needs to know the nuances of human psychology. To achieve success, achieve new results, conquer new heights, live in prosperity, harmony and well-being, you need to have important knowledge - knowledge of human psychology.

Considering the importance of psychological knowledge, as well as the reasons that motivate people to grow and develop, their desire to become better and improve their lives, we have created this course called "Human Psychology". In the lessons of this course, we explore in detail very important things: we reveal the main and key problems of human psychology, the stages and patterns of its development and, the formation of the features of its behavior and communication with people. This course provides an opportunity to answer questions about how to understand human psychology, how to influence your own life, others and, most importantly, yourself. Studying psychology and applying the knowledge gained in life contributes to personal growth, improving personal life, establishing excellent relationships, achieving success in the professional sphere and other areas of activity. This course "Human Psychology" is an online training course consisting of lessons that contain interesting theoretical information about human psychology, provide examples (experiences, tests, experiments) and, most importantly, give a large number of practical advice that you can put into practice on the first day of acquaintance with the training. At the end of the course, links to useful materials are provided: books (including audiobooks), videos, recordings of seminars, experiments and quotes about psychology.

Psychology (from the ancient Greek "knowledge of the soul") is a science that studies structures and processes inaccessible to external observation (which is sometimes called "soul") in order to explain human behavior, as well as the behavior of individuals, groups and collectives.

It is a complex, but important and interesting discipline to study. As it has probably already become clear, human psychology is a very fascinating area of \u200b\u200bscientific knowledge and covers many sections, which you, if you wish, can get acquainted with on your own. You can even say that from this moment your self-development will begin, because you will independently make a decision about what exactly you would like to study and begin to master new knowledge. Human psychology, in itself, has many properties, one of which is the fear of everything new and incomprehensible. For many people, this is an obstacle to self-development and the achievement of the desired results. We recommend that you set aside any fears and doubts, and start studying the materials of our site and this course. After a while, you will be proud of yourself, thanks to new skills and achieved results.

Psychology object is a person. Hence, we can conclude that any psychologist (or interested in psychology) is a researcher of himself, due to which a close relationship of the objective and the subjective arises in psychological theories.

Psychology subject in different historical eras has always been understood in different ways and from the standpoint of different directions of psychological science:

• Soul. All researchers adhered to this position until the beginning of the 18th century.
• Phenomena of consciousness. Direction: English Empirical Association Psychology. Key representatives: David Gartley, John Stuart Mill, Alexander Ben, Herbert Spencer.
• Subject's immediate experience. Direction: structuralism. Key representatives: Wilhelm Wundt.
• Adaptability. Direction: functionalism. Key Representatives: William James.
• The origin of mental activities. Direction: psychophysiology. Main representatives: Ivan Mikhailovich Sechenov.
• Behavior. Direction: behaviorism. Chief Representatives: John Watson.
• The unconscious. Direction: psychoanalysis. Main representatives: Sigmund Freud.
• Information processing processes and their results. Direction: Gestalt Psychology. Key representatives: Max Wertheimer.
• Personal experience of a person. Direction: humanistic psychology. Key representatives: Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, Victor Frankl, Rollo May.

The main sections of psychology:

• Acmeology
• Differential psychology
• Gender psychology
• Cognitive psychology
• Virtual psychology
• Military psychology
• Applied Psychology
• Engineering psychology
• Clinical (medical psychology)
• Neuropsychology
• Pathopsychology
• Psychosomatics and psychology of corporality
• Oncopsychology
• Psychotherapy
• Pedagogical psychology
• Psychology of art
• Parenting psychology
• Labor psychology
• Sports psychology
• Psychology of management
• Economic psychology
• Ethnopsychology
• Legal psychology
• Criminal psychology
• Forensic psychology

As it is easy to see, there are many branches of psychology, and different directions study different aspects of a person's personality and his activities. Which section will be to your liking personally, you can determine by reading each of them yourself. In our course, we consider human psychology in general, without highlighting any directions, types or sections, but making it possible to use new skills in any area of \u200b\u200blife.

Application of psychological knowledge

The application of psychological knowledge is necessary and useful in absolutely any field of human activity: family, study, science, work, business, friendship, love, creativity, etc. But it is important to learn how to apply the relevant knowledge in different situations. After all, what can work effectively in communicating with colleagues at work may not work at all in a relationship with a loved one. What is family-friendly may not be creative. Although, of course, there are general techniques that are universal and work almost always and everywhere.

Knowledge of psychology gives a person many advantages: it develops and makes him more erudite, educated, interesting, versatile. A person with psychological knowledge is able to understand the true reasons for the events occurring with him (and others), realize the motives of his behavior and understand the motives of the behavior of others. Knowledge of human psychology is the ability to solve many problems with significantly greater speed and efficiency, an increase in the ability to withstand adversity and setbacks, the ability to achieve outstanding results where others cannot. The skill of applying psychological knowledge, subject to its systematic and regular consolidation, will make you a stronger personality, with significant advantages over others. You can list all the advantages for a very, very long time. But, as they say, it is better to see once than hear a hundred times. And drawing an analogy with this proverb, we can say that it is better to apply once than read a hundred times.

It is also worth noting that the knowledge of psychology has long been applied by you in everyday life. But only this is done spontaneously, unconsciously and without understanding what kind of strength, power and potential this knowledge actually carries in itself. And if you really want to get closer to your “better self” and improve your life, this can and should be deliberately learned.

How can I learn this?

Naturally, knowledge about psychology is not present with us from birth, but is formed during life. Someone, of course, has a predisposition to psychology. Such people often become psychologists, intuitively understand people, look at life a little differently. Others have to specifically study psychological knowledge, apply more effort and patience to assimilate them. But, in any case, you can learn everything. And to master the skill of applying psychological knowledge - even more so. Moreover, you can do it yourself.

There are two aspects of teaching this skill - theoretical and practical.

• The theoretical aspect of psychology - this is the knowledge that is taught in educational institutions, as well as given in the presented course;
• The practical aspect of psychology is the application of new knowledge in life, i.e. transition from theory to practice.

But it often happens that a theory remains a theory, because people simply do not know what to do with the information they now possess. Any lessons, courses, trainings, lectures, seminars, etc. should be aimed at the practical application of knowledge in real life.

Taking this feature into account, the course was compiled, the introduction to which you are now reading. The purpose of this course is not only to give you a good theoretical base of psychological knowledge, but also to teach you to use this knowledge. All lessons of the course have a two-way focus - this is theory and practice. The theoretical part contains the most important knowledge on the topic of human psychology and represents their quintessence. The practical part, in turn, consists of recommendations, advice, psychological methods and techniques, calculated on the fact that you will use them.

This course "Human Psychology" is:

• Material, systematized and understandable to any person, presented in a simple, interesting and accessible form.
• A collection of useful tips and tricks that are easy to put into practice from day one.
• The opportunity to see yourself and your life, as well as other people from a new, previously unknown side to you.
• The ability to increase the level of your intelligence, education and erudition to several levels, which undoubtedly plays a significant role in the life of a modern person
• The ability to find the main motivating force that will motivate you to go only forward and achieve success.
• An opportunity to grow as a person and improve the level and quality of your life.
• The opportunity to learn how to establish contact with any people (from your own children and parents to bosses and hooligans on the street).
• The way to come to harmony and happiness.

Do you want to test your knowledge?

If you want to test your theoretical knowledge on the topic of the course and understand how it suits you, you can take our test. In each question, only 1 option can be correct. After you have selected one of the options, the system automatically proceeds to the next question.

Psychology lessons

Having studied a lot of theoretical materials, choosing the most important and adapting for practical application, we have created a series of lessons on human psychology. They consider the most popular sections and areas of psychology, provide data from scientific research and expert opinions. But the most important thing is that the emphasis of each lesson is made precisely on practical advice and recommendations.

How to take classes?

The information from the lessons of this course is fully adapted for use in practice and is suitable for absolutely everyone. The most important thing here, as has been said more than once, is the transition from theory to practice. You can read smart books for years and know a lot of things, but all this will be equal to zero if it remains just a baggage of knowledge.

You can divide the study of all lessons into several stages. For example, set yourself a task, study 2 lessons per week: 1 day - study the material, 2 days - check in practice, 1 day - day off, etc. But you need not just read, but study: carefully, consciously, purposefully. The very same tips and practical recommendations presented in the lessons are important not just to check or apply once, but to systematically introduce them into your daily activities. Make it a habit to always remember that you are studying human psychology - this will automatically make you want to apply something new in life over and over again. The skill of applying psychological knowledge in practice will, over time, become refined and automatic, because it depends more on experience. And our lessons are precisely aimed at teaching you how to get this experience and give it the right direction.

Add-ons and support materials:

Psychological games and exercises

Games and exercises designed specifically to learn about the peculiarities of the human psyche. There are different types of such games and exercises: for children and for adults, massive and single, for men and for women, arbitrary and purposeful, etc. The use of psychological games and exercises helps people to understand others and themselves, to form some qualities and get rid of others, etc. This includes exercises for the development of various qualities, overcoming stress, increasing self-esteem, role-playing, developmental, health games and many other games and exercises.

1. Psychology is a science that studies the facts, mechanisms and patterns of development and functioning of the human psyche. The subject of psychology as a science is the psyche: mental processes, mental properties and mental states. Mental processes reflect the objective world in different forms of mental phenomena - this is sensation, perception, imagination, memory, thinking. Mental states are temporary, relatively stable levels of mental activity. Mental properties (natural, moral, volitional, intellectual, emotional) form the temperament, character, abilities and orientation of the personality. The human psyche develops and manifests itself in activity, which is why the category of "activity" is also included in the subject of psychological science.
The question of the subject of psychology has always been debatable throughout the history of the development of both philosophical and psychological thought. In the formation of the subject of psychology, the following stages are distinguished:
Psychology as a science of the soul originated in the framework of the main philosophical trends: idealism and materialism (until the 18th century). From the point of view of idealism, the soul was presented as a kind of absolute spirit, idea, mind (Plato). Materialists believed that the soul is composed of atoms that move, collide with each other and set in motion both the body and the soul itself. Aristotle's doctrine had materialistic tendencies and acted as a systematized concept of the soul. Despite the contradictory views on the soul of idealism and materialism, they were united by the idea that the soul is the primary cause of everything, but the reason for the soul itself remains unknown. That is why, with the appearance of a causal worldview, the soul ceases to be considered as an object of psychology.
Psychology as a science of consciousness (18th century). The founder of this trend is J. Locke. The subject of psychology is the "phenomena of consciousness": thoughts, representations, feelings, needs, desires, that is, everything that relates to the inner world of man. The only method of studying consciousness was the method of self-observation or introspection, which was the basis of introspective psychology. However, this was a subjective method of research, which did not make it possible to obtain objective scientific information about the phenomena of consciousness of another person.
Psychology as a science of behavior. In the 19th century, an objective research method was introduced in science - an experiment (1879), first in the field of psychophysiology, and later in psychology. In this regard, a new psychological direction appears, which also tried to solve the question of the subject of psychology - behaviorism. Only behavior was recognized as the subject of the study of psychology (J. Watson, E. Thorndike, B. Skinner). The task of psychology, from the point of view of bi-heviorists, is that knowing the stimulus (S) or stimulus that affects the senses, to predict in advance what will be the response or reaction ®. J. Watson believed that psychology should become an exact science and can be based solely on the observation of behavior, not consciousness. Consciousness is a "black box" into which it is impossible to look. This denied the possibility of studying consciousness, and after that the activity of the individual.
Psychology as a science of the unconscious (late 19th - early 20th centuries). Along with behaviorism, another psychological direction arises - Freudism (3. Freud). The scope of the unconscious is included in the subject of psychology. 3. Freud wrote that the human psyche is not limited only by the phenomena of consciousness; it contains a huge, unexplored layer - the unconscious. A person is governed by unconscious impulses, instincts and desires hidden in the unconscious. In the sphere of the unconscious, inaccessible to a given individual (mainly sexual) drives and traumatic experiences are displaced, which is the main source of neurotic disorders.
Psychology as a science of the psyche. Modern materialistic psychology considers the psyche as its subject.
Currently psychology is a ramified system of sciences, consisting of various branches: fundamental and applied, general and special.
General psychology studies the individual, cognitive processes and personality.
Special branches of psychology are closely related to the theory and practice of human education and upbringing, include genetic psychology, age-related, social, pedagogical, medical, legal psychology, etc. Genetic psychology studies hereditary mechanisms of the psyche and behavior. Differential psychology identifies and describes the individual differences between people. Age psychology - differences by age. Social psychology studies human relationships in different groups. Educational psychology studies the laws of education and upbringing. Medical psychology, pathopsychology and psychotherapy study deviations from the norm in the psyche and behavior of a person.
Psychology is closely related to other sciences: philosophy, pedagogy, anatomy, physiology and others. Psychological science is of particular importance for pedagogy, since the success of training and education of the individual depends on the solution of psychological problems.
The tasks of modern psychological science are to determine the general laws of the development of the psyche in ontogenesis, the psychological mechanisms of a person's assimilation of social experience, the identification of the psychological foundations of personality formation in the process of education and upbringing, the development and implementation of differential psycho-diagnostics, the determination of the reasons for the child's lag in mental development and others.