The words "psychology" and "logos," which mean the study or discourse, are derived from two ancient Greek words that mean mind, soul, or spirit, respectively. 'Studying the mind' is a term that is created when these words are put together. Additionally, ancient civilizations like the Greeks, Egyptians, and Chinese explored issues related to the mind, behaviour, and mental health, which is where psychology's roots can be found. However, modern psychology as a scientific discipline emerged in the late 19th century.
Wilhelm Wundt, a renowned psychologist from Germany, is widely recognized as the pioneer of psychology. In 1879, he founded the inaugural laboratory solely dedicated to experimental psychology at the University of Leipzig. Wundt's
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These include Sigmund Freud, who formulated psychoanalysis and emphasized the significance of the unconscious mind; Ivan Pavlov, who researched classical conditioning; and B.F. Skinner introduced behaviourism and emphasized the impact of the environment on behaviour.
Nowadays, psychology is characterized as the scientific examination of the mind, behaviour, and mental processes. It encompasses a wide range of subfields and perspectives that investigate various aspects of human and animal behaviour. Key terms within psychology include:
Mind: Refers to both conscious and unconscious processes involved in perceiving, thinking, feeling, and other mental activities.
Behaviour: Refers to the actions, reactions, or observable activities that individuals or organisms engage in.
Mental processes: encompass the internal activities of the mind, such as perceiving, remembering, thinking, problem-solving, and using language.
Hypothesis: a tentative insight that is not yet verified or tested.
Subfields: Numerous specialised fields of study within psychology exist, including clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and others. These subfields concentrate on particular facets of mental and behavioural processes in