Systematized knowledge of the history of the subject
Having received detailed information about the development of psychology and its formation as a full-fledged science, I have a more complete idea of the versatility of this discipline. Originating in ancient Greece as the science of the soul, psychology was initially perceived as an offshoot of classical philosophy. This science has come a long way before being categorized as an independent discipline. The full-fledged birth of psychology as a science happened only at the turn of the 20th century, but since that moment the discipline has developed rapidly and progressively. The impressive rise of psychology as a science makes me understand the importance of its place in the modern world of knowledge and use its principles more confidently.
Rational doubt
A detailed study of psychology through an introductory textbook allowed me to realize the need to be more careful in my judgments and to think more carefully about my hypotheses. One of the most impressive aspects of psychology as a science for me was the assertion that people are largely shaped by the characteristics of their consciousness. The human way of thinking is conditioned by habitual patterns, and our consciousness is easily deluded. Studying psychology allows a person to weigh their reasoning and evaluate their consciousness critically. By approaching his intellect as a cinematic tool capable of errors, a psychologist can improve their observational skills.
Scientific approach
Consideration of multiple approaches to the study of the functioning of human consciousness and behavior in general raises my ability to think scientifically, to draw conclusions using and combining different methodologies. The psychology of the 20th century is replete with a variety of approaches and national schools, each of which has made significant contributions to science. Moreover, each of the approaches, be it behaviorism, psychoanalysis or functionalism, has its advantages and disadvantages. In today’s multidisciplinary situation, it is required to be able to combine various scientific approaches. One also needs to be able to select a methodology depending on a particular situation that creates a unique context.
Humanistic education
The ideas of many psychologists of the 20th century made a great impression on me, as I realized that a person is largely composed of his experiences. The more frugal the environment is towards the developing personality, the more chances it will provide for a better society. I was deeply impressed by the philosophical statement about the tabula rasa. This is the idea that a person entering the absolute world is pure from any impressions, and his experience is not predetermined but is formed by the surrounding world. It is important to realize that people are a product of the society to which they belong. It is in the hands of each person that the ability to influence the people around is found, since humanity represents a single mental ecosystem.
Sociocultural approach
The perception of human psychology as a result of numerous social, economic and political factors will help to better understand the place of a person in the modern world. The study of cultural sources from which the behavior of an individual or groups of people proceeds seems to be practically applicable. Using the methods of sociocultural psychology, a specialist can comprehend the deep connections between a person and the environment. Research in this area could help develop social programs to work with vulnerable members of society. Awareness of the direct influence of culture on the world will also allow us to perceive culture as a powerful mechanism that forms human consciousness.
Psychodynamic approach
Also known as psychoanalysis, this Sigmund Freudian method for the study of mental reflexes is cemented as the most popular in the history of psychology. Psychoanalysis in modern reality is not just an interesting and controversial scientific method, but also one of the integral parts of modern pop culture. A detailed study of Freud can thus have many-sided practical applications. On the one hand, his developments can serve as the basis for understanding clinical psychology and teaching how to work with deviant behaviors. On the other hand, they give a deeper understanding of the culture around us, formed by the mediated teachings of Freud and his followers.
Visual perception
The study of visual perception as the most appreciated feeling by the majority can bring fruitful results not only in the field of psychology, but also in the applied environment. The study of visual perception in all its diversity can provide a fertile ground for new and exciting research. The depth of human visual perception is striking in its structure, from light to color spectrum. The developments of psychophysiologists in this area can be combined with the science of neuroethics. The perception of works of art by the human brain and the analyst of sociocultural statistics could create a whole scientific field.
Behavior modification
Learning technologies developed by psychologists and tested in humans and animals provide insight into the patterns on which thinking is largely based. Modern psychology makes it possible to use these methods for successful work with human resources. The practice of replacing undesirable behaviors with more desirable ones works on principles more complex than Pavlovian scientific developments. Finding an ethical and painless way to eliminate socially unacceptable manifestations of human psychology seems to be an important mission. Moreover, the skill of modeling a psychological state seems to be important at the level of a personal relationship to oneself. Self-correcting with awareness of your habit patterns can be a productive and rewarding practice.
For more than a century, psychology has been based on the collection of empirically obtained data. In essence, we can say that psychology began to exist as a full-fledged science and not as a branch of philosophy as soon as it began to register factual information. It is the experiments conducted by psychologists that register the activity of organisms under various conditions that underlie psychology. Beginning with the behaviorist Wilhelm Wundt, experiential knowledge and statistics have enabled the accumulation and modification of knowledge in this discipline. Empirical data are especially relevant in modern realities when they can be collected in computer databases and compared with information around the world.
Psychology as a science is initially based on the search for commonalities in human behavior and thinking. At both the biochemical and philosophical levels, psychology is initially focused on looking for similarities, even when it comes to cognitive features. However, with the development of science, it became more necessary to focus on the actual practical possibilities, that is, the healing of people. Psychology began to be perceived not as a science of cognition of the mind, but as a search for personal characteristics and private problems rooted in childhood and personal trauma. Thus, despite the general patterns underlying the knowledge of the mind, psychology can and should take into account the personal history of each patient in need of help from representatives of this science.
Psychology, despite the fact that it is a relatively young science, is represented by many radically different directions. It is noteworthy that they are all focused on one factor or another that influences human consciousness. Thus, the discipline of psychology is not only a multifaceted but also a comprehensively relevant complex. The biological factor can determine the genetic predisposition of human thinking. At the same time, society and the culture generated by it can shape behavior and strengthen some of the predispositions. Thus, all of the above factors form the characteristics of a person’s consciousness, which are subsequently projected onto his adaptation to society and behavior in it.
Perception is a unique optics inherent in each person and gives a unique picture of the world to each consciousness. The human brain needs the function of forming perception to constantly navigate in the world around it. Perception forms from unprocessed information a specific representation, which includes visual and auditory data. Physical and chemical sensations are also deeply individual and are related to how the brain perceives the organism in which it is located. Each brain registers the stimuli given to it differently and has different levels of sensitivity. Perception includes such elementary things that form awareness of reality as a sense of color, shape, depth and proximity of an object.
Psychology as a science can give humanity not only a theoretical understanding of the functioning of the human brain, but also the possibility of practical application of the methods of this discipline. Knowledge of the deep susceptibility of human consciousness to the experiences that shape it should teach society to heightened tolerance and sensitivity. Psychology can teach a person the ability to listen to his interlocutor and understand and be able to feel someone else’s position. Learning to understand the psychological motivations of another person can help the frustrated members of society adapt to normal daily life.
Despite the fact that the history of psychology knows a certain number of ethically controversial cases, it is safe to say that this science is based on humanistic principles. Modern psychology is largely focused on the problems of social adaptation and the overcoming of personal problems by individuals. Psychoanalyst and psychotherapy are in search of the most humane means of treatment, developing various strategies to overcome social fears and personal neuroses. Psychopharmacology is also developing drugs that can correct biochemical imbalances in the brain. All these developments emphasize the orientation of psychological science to the interests of mankind and their high ethics.
Psychology is a relatively young science developing in accordance with the requirements of our time. 21st century politics implies maximum inclusiveness, which is in correlation with the tasks of psychology today. Current research in the field of gender and sexual orientation is aimed at ensuring that minorities or vulnerable members of society are most comfortable entering it. Psychology places the human mind and individual consciousness above racial or sexual differences. Awareness of the human mental organization as a complex structure excludes the possibility of perceiving a person as inferior to another. Therefore, from the perspective of a psychologist, formal differences in gender, orientation, race, should not have any significance other than sociocultural.