Meaning
The
word psychology comes from two Greek words. ‘Psyche’ which means ‘soul’ and
‘logus’ which means ‘science’ or ‘knowledge’ thus ‘psychology’ literally means
the science of the soul.
With the passage of time, psychology has undergone several
changes as regards its meaning. In its first phase, it was meant as the science
of soul, in the second phase as the science of mind, in the third phase as the
science of consciousness and finally as the science of behaviour.
Historical
development of psychology
Psychology as
the science of soul
The word psychology comes from two
greek words; pscyche means soul and logus mans science. Thus psychology means
the science of soul. Philosophers like Democritus (460 B.C), Plato(427-347 A.C)
and Aristotle (384-322 B.C) interpreted psychology as the science of soul.
Aristotle defined soul as “an entity which realizes an idea not separable from
body and its abode in the human heart”. The nature of soul could not be
defined. Therefore, the meaning of psychology in terms of soul was rejected.
Psychology as the science of mind
Kant(1724-1804), german philosopher
criticised psychology as a science of soul and instead laid stress on the mind
aspect of science. Other philosophers also in the middle ages considered
psychology as the science of mind. However, they failed to give the exact
nature and form of the mind of an individual. According ot descartes (1596-1650
A.D), mind is a kind of matter located in the brain. E.B. Titchener (1867-1927
A.D) divided mind into three elements; sensations, images and affections. Some
thinkers consider mind as nothing but an asseblage of ideas in the brain,
gatered by experience. Opinions also differ as to the location of the mind in
the human body. Thus the concept of mind was also not clear and psychology as
the science of mind could not progress.
Psychology as the science of
consciousness:
Psychologists like william wundt
(1832-1920), william james (1842-1910) and others considered psychology as the
science of consciousness or immediate experiences. By consciousness, the
psychologists means awareness of wakefulness. There were several interpretations
of consciousness and this concept was rejected. Freud (1856-1939) criticised
this and laid stress on unconscious.
Psychology as the science of
behaviour:
The latest and the modern concept of
psychology is in terms of behaviour. The term behaviour was popularised by J.B.
Watson (1878-1958) according to him psychology is the positive science of
behaviour.
In the words of charles F.Skinner
(1938) “psychology deals with responses to any and every kind of situation that
life presents. By responses or behaviour is meant all forms of processes,
adjustments, activities and experiences of the organism.
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