Introduction to Psychology

[Audio] Psychology is not easy to define because it keeps changing as new knowledge develops. Human behaviour is complex, and no single definition can capture everything it includes. That's why the meaning and scope of psychology have expanded over time..

[Audio] The word psychology comes from two Greek words: psyche, meaning soul, and logos, meaning study. Earlier, psychology was described as the study of the soul or the mind. But today, psychology is understood as a scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes..

[Audio] Psychology studies how people think, feel, and behave. It looks at behaviour at different levels—individual, two-person relationships, groups, and organisations. It also examines how our biology, like brain processes, and our social surroundings influence how we act..

[Audio] Psychology is a science because it uses systematic methods to observe, measure, and understand human behaviour. Psychologists collect data carefully, analyse it, and form knowledge that can be tested and used to explain or predict behaviour..

[Audio] Formally, psychology is defined as the scientific study of mental processes, experiences, and behaviour in different contexts. This means psychologists study how we think, how we feel, and how we act in various situations..

[Audio] Mental processes include activities like thinking, remembering, problem-solving, and decision-making. These processes are related to brain activity, but they are not the same thing. Our mind develops from our experiences, and mental activity continues even when we sleep—for example, when we dream..

[Audio] Experiences are personal and subjective. Only the person having the experience knows exactly how it feels. Experiences are part of our awareness and can be pleasant, painful, or even altered, like during meditation. They depend on both internal factors, such as emotions, and external factors, like the environment..

[Audio] Behaviour includes all the actions and reactions we show in different situations. Some behaviours are visible, like running or smiling, while others are internal, like feeling nervous. Our behaviour is influenced by both internal and external stimuli. Psychologists often study behaviour by examining how people respond to different situations..