PSYCHOLOGY

Introduction to Psychology
By
Dr. Abdullah AL-ZAhrani
 Introduction to Psychology
 What is Psychology, and Why is it a
science?
 What are the different branches of the field
of psychology?
 Where do psychologists work?
 Definition of Psychology
 Psychology is the scientific study of
behavior and mental processes.

 Psychology attempts to explain, predict,

modify, and ultimately improve the lives of
people and the world in which they live.
 The Branches of Psychology
 The major specialty areas in physical and
mental health is that;
1. Clinical psychology which deals with the study,
diagnosis and treatment of abnormal behavior.
2. Health psychology explores the relationship
between psychological factors and physical
aliments or disease (e.g., stress can affect
physical health).
3. Counseling psychology which focuses
primarily on educational, social and career
adjustment problems.
 The Branches of Psychology

4. Educational psychology is concerned

with teaching and learning processes.
For example, concerned with ways of
understanding intelligence, developing
better teaching techniques, and
understanding teacher-student
interaction.
5. School psychology, in contrast, is the
specialty area devoted to assessing
children in elementary and secondary
 The Branches of Psychology
schools who have academic or emotional
problems and developing solution to
teach problems.

6. Social psychology is the study of how

people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions
are affected by others. Social
psychologists focus on such diverse
topics as human aggression, liking and
loving, persuasion, and conformity.
 The Branches of Psychology

7. Developmental psychology, is the branch of

psychology that studies how people grow and
change from moment of conception through
death.
8. Personality psychology, attempts to explain
both consistency and change in a person’s
behavior over time. Also, the individual traits
that differentiate the behavior of one person
from another when they confront the same
situation.
 The Branches of Psychology

 What is psychology and why is it a science?

- Although the definition of psychology- the

scientific study of behavior and mental
processes-is clear-cut, it is also deceptively
simple, since “behavior” encompasses not just
what people do, but their thoughts, feelings,
perceptions, reasoning, memory, and biological
activities.
 The Branches of Psychology

 What are the different branches of the field of

psychology?
- Psychology includes a number of major specialty
areas. Biopsychologists focus on the biological
basis of behavior. While experimental
psychologists study the processes of sensing,
perceiving, learning and thinking about the
world. Cognitive psychology, considers the study
of higher mental processes, including thinking,
language, memory, problem solving, knowing,
reasoning, judging, and decision making.