METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGY

1 MODULE - IFoundations ofPsychologyNotes 9 PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSEM ethods of Psychology2 METHODS OF PSYCHOLOGYIn the last lesson we noted that the interpretation of a psychological phenomenon bya psychologist may differ from that of a novice. A psychologist follows a systematicscientific procedure which has sound theoretical base in order to explain and interpretthe phenomenon. PSYCHOLOGY has various methodological ways or approaches tounderstand and explain psychological phenomena. We will be studying about someof these approaches. In order to obtain responses from individuals a number ofpsychological tools or instruments are used.

2 The responses taken on those toolsconstitute the basic data which are analyzed to study human experiences, mentalprocesses and behaviours. In this lesson we will discuss these aspects in detail. OBJECTIVESA fter studying this lesson, you will be able to: explain the different approaches to the study of psychological processes; describe some important METHODS used in understanding human behaviour; and describe various instruments used in understanding behaviour and psychologicalprocesses. APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSESAs discussed in the previous lesson psychologists use a variety of approaches todescribe, predict and control behaviour and mental processes.

3 The main approachesare briefly described Approach: This approach focuses on biological structures andphenomena such as brain, genes, hormones, endocrine system and neurotransmittersin order to understand the dynamics of behaviour. Its main focus is on the role ofMODULE - IFoundations ofPsychologyPsychology Secondary CourseNotesPSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE 10 METHODS of Psychologydifferent parts of brain in regulating feelings, memories, emotions and other aspectsof behaviour. Similarly the impact of over-secretion or under-secretion of differentkinds of hormones in governing behaviour is studied. Behaviour genetics as one ofthe subdesciplines studies the genetic determinants of behaviour.

4 Moreover, thisapproach looks for physiological basis of human Approach: The father of psychoanalytic approach Sigmund Freudfocused on unconscious libidinal energy in describing the present state of theindividual. He studied mind in terms of hierarchical arrangements of experiences inthe form of different layers of consciousness ( conscious, preconscious, andunconscious). Freud explored the nature and quality of unconscious through analysisof dreams, slips of the tongue, neuroses, psychoses, work of art, and rituals. Heassumed that majority of human behaviours are triggered by unconscious to understand the present human behaviour the analysis of unconscious mentalcontents is considered most Approach: Contrary to Freud, the father of humanistic approach CarlRogers put greater emphasis on conscious experiences of the present situation, roleof interpersonal experiences across the course of life, and people s capacity to growtoward psychological maturity.

5 This approach basically assumes that a person is anactive and self-actualizing agent and has a choice in deciding his behaviour. As apart of the self-actualizing process a person seeks to maintain a congruence betweenself and experience. However, because of past experiences with conditional positiveregard, he may deny or distort the experiences that threaten one s self-system. Sucha self-system can be changed in the therapeutic setting through genuineness,unconditional positive regard, and empathic understating of the client s problem bythe Approach: The unit of analysis for this approach is explicit, objectiveand overt behaviour and its relationship with environmental stimulation.

6 The fatherof behaviorism J. B. Watson emphasized on objective analysis of behaviour. Headvocated that behaviour is largely governed by the association between stimulusand response and the behaviour can be shaped in a desired direction bymanipulating this Approach:The cognitive approach emerged as an alternative to themechanistic paradigm of behaviourism. This approach mainly focuses on the studyof information processing capacity of the individual in terms of perception,remembering, thinking, language, reasoning, problem solving and decision makingwhich are called higher mental processes. It proposes that we look out for informationin the world and our behaviour depends upon the way we process this approach largely relies on computational models and assumes that behaviourand mental processes can best be understood by treating them in terms of - IFoundations ofPsychologyNotes 11 PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSEM ethods of PsychologyThe above discussed approaches indicate that mental processes, experiences andbehaviours can be understood from various vantage points.

7 In fact human behaviouris complex and its varied aspects are to be appreciated in many ways. INTEXT QUESTION focuses on the role of different parts ofbrain in regulating feelings, memories, emotions and other aspects of Focus of the is on the informationprocessing capacity of the assumes that the personis active and self-actualizing agent and has a choice in deciding his According to the majority of human behaviours are triggered by unconscious The unit of analysis for the isexplicit, objective and overt behaviour and its relationship with environmentalstimulation METHODS TO UNDERSTAND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSESIn order to understand human behaviour various scientific METHODS are used.

8 Thepurpose of study or research is to develop principles and theories, test them andapply for solving different human problems. In this way we develop dependableunderstanding that helps us in guiding behaviour in various situations. Since humanbeings are complex living organisms their behaviours are shaped by many factorsboth intrinsic and extrinsic to him or psychological research carried out scientifically has the characteristics of objectivitywhich means that such researches are free from any kind of biases. It is testable timeand again and can be open to all. One can verify its authenticity by following thesame method in terms of getting the same result.

9 It has scope for self-correction. Inother words the researcher corrects his or her understanding if there is some errorand goes for revision. The scientific studies have also the characteristic of replicationwhich means that the results of the study are consistently verified by similar otherstudies across different in PSYCHOLOGY a number of METHODS are used to carry out scientific METHODS are discussed : While shopping in the market you must have noticed various activitiesof the people. When you observe their activities you also think about as to why theyMODULE - IFoundations ofPsychologyPsychology Secondary CourseNotesPSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE 12 METHODS of Psychologyare doing those activities and probably you reach to a conclusion about the causes ofsuch activities.

10 Such a way of knowing about others is called observation. However,the meaning of observation goes a little further as compared to discussed as a method of enquiry is often understood as a systematic registeringof events without any deliberate attempt to interfere with variables operating in theevent which is being Interesting Facts about Observational MethodPerhaps the most famous informal observations in the history of developmentalpsychology are the observations made by Jean Piaget on his three childrenwhen they were infants. These observations went on to become the empiricalfoundation for Piaget s developmental theory.