GENERAL DEFINITION OF PSYCHOLOGY

GENERAL DEFINITION OF PSYCHOLOGY: 

PSYCHOLOGY...is the scientific study of behavior, both external observable action and internal thought.

The above definition describes the scope of psychology.

1. Psychologi is a science.

• It is defined not by what it is studied, but by how it is studied.
• Scientific, measurable, objective, can be generalized.
•  Often suggests that the study of psychology should be quantitative. 

2. Not all behavior is directly observable.

What kind of behavior ? (  Various expressions of behavior: verbal, graphic, motor / kinesthetic ). · What level of consciousness?(conscious, subconscious, unconcious) · Whose behavior ?(anima vegetativa, anima sensitiva, anima intelektiva).

In addition to describing the scope, the above definition also addressed important issues regarding the status of psychology in the realm of world science: science vs. humanities.

Psikologi is a science…..

Human beings are part of the natural world, the study of human behavior is a little more scientific approach alam.Masalah credibility as a science in the social and intellectual context of the 19th century.

Social control as it allows the reforms to social or personal.However, there are several challenges to the view of psychology as a science:

• The challenge of naturalism.

How can psychology explain the human mind and behavior in a logical and empirical, solely in the natural sciences without taking into account social variables.

• The challenge of realism.

Some of the major streams in the psychology of using implicit mental aspects to explain the behavior, such as psychoanalysis, human information processing. It is difficult to prove its reality.

• The challenge of autonomy.

There is a tendency to view that all human behavior can be explained by physiological and neurological processes. Thus, whether psychology can be reduced to particular sciences?

• The challenge of explanations.

How can psychology to create universal laws which can always be used as a common basis for the explanation of behavior?

Psychology comes from the Latin language that consists of two words, namely:

· psyche = soul, mind 

· logos = science

Thus, based on the meaning of said components are:  The study of soul / mind.

Essence of philosophy, as other sciences.

IMPORTANT QUESTION: 

Does the soul exist? What is its nature?

What are its functions?

How is it related to the body?

Psychology should be understood as a human endeavor to understand HUMAN itself.

1. Is a continuous process of defining.

psyche & logos ( psychology = psychology )

· C.G. Jung :  Anemos, animus, anima, soul, Rih

·  Criticism: too abstract, it is the soul?

Karakteriologi & typology

· Criticism: real but oversimplified

Psychology as science of expression of the soul

· Criticism: real but it is too narrow, not able to include unobservable expressions.

Psychology as a science of behavior.

2. Psychological causes should always be in contact with other disciplines. Psychology will never achieve its goal to stand alone, always be linked to other sciences.
   
   

The pre-science of self: rooted in Philosophy and Biology  Part of the philosophy that intersect:

• epistemology : how human beings know the world?

Manifested in the topics of sensation, perception, memory, thinking: cognitive psychology domain

• ethics : conception of human nature : are people by nature good? What motives do people have? Are people social by nature?

Manifest in studies of motivation, emotion, social behavior, along with terapannya in the context of counseling psychology, applied psychology, and others.Part of Biology: the branch of evolution / physiology: why should we be conscious at all?Were animals conscious? Develop into neuropsychology, physiology.

Future as an independent science: cross-disciplinary with Sociology, Anthropology, Medicine / Psychiatry, and others. 

3. Gave birth to the various school of thought or a 'flow', ie: functionalisme, behaviorism, psychoanalysis. These flows illustrate different perspectives in understanding human behavior, rather than 'competing truth'.