The use of Psychology becomes more interesting and useful in our lives when we divide it into its branches. There are mainly two subfields of Psychology:
- Pure Psychology: which deals with the psychological research and data that helps to
formulate the principles of activity. - Applied Psychology: which applies the information given by Pure Psychology to the
problems of actual life
Pure Psychology
Pure Psychology is further divided into:
(i) Experimental Psychology: It aims to understand the basic psychological processes, including perceiving, memorizing, learning, thinking, etc. The research is done in the experimental laboratories. It does not limit its studies to human beings. Several Psychologists have conducted their experiments on animals.
(ii) Social Psychology: This branch studies the activities of an individual in relation to his fellow men. It studies all topics that impact social life, i.e., leadership, attitudes, groups, mind, national character, crowd behavior, fashion, propaganda, rumors, public opinion, and communication. It also plays an important role in an individual’s mental development, forming a group, following fashion, customs, manners, morals, etiquette, and religion.
(iii) Abnormal Psychology: It studies the activities that do not conform to the standard of
maturity, i.e., ineffective ways of adjustment to life. By studying abnormal minds, Psychologists have been able to cure mental and nervous abnormalities, and they are able to understand the normal mind in a better manner.
(iv) Developmental Psychology: It studies the overall psychological or biological development
of an individual at various levels. So, it usually deals with both physical and mental development. It is concerned with the development of an individual in relation to social behavior, emotions and feelings, language and ideas, and intelligence and personality.
(v) Comparative Psychology: This branch compares the mind or behavior of different animals
species or different races of man or different stages of an individual.
(vi) Physiological Psychology: It studies the functions of organs in order to understand the activities of an individual. For example, the function of the sense organs, muscles, neurons, and spinal cord.
Applied Psychology
Applied Psychology is also subdivided into:
(i) Clinical Psychology: It collects psychological data for the diagnosis and treatment of mental and behavioral disorders.
(ii) Industrial Psychology: It deals with the psychology of work and workers, vocational guidance, salesmanship, advertising, employee relationships, etc.
(iii) Educational Psychology: It applies psychological discoveries to the techniques of teaching as well as problems of children. The Kindergarten method, the Montessori method, and the Delton method of education suggest that education should be a matter of joy rather than a burden on the child. For this purpose. Educational Psychology is a very useful tool.
Application of Psychology in Medicine: Psychology is highly helpful in medicine, especially in mental and nervous disorders. Our 60% to 70% illness is due to our mind, as someone has said: “Use your minds, rather than being used by your minds!” Psychology can cure all such illnesses because it also deals with minds.
Application of Psychology in Law: The principles of Psychology can be applied to many legal
problems. It helps in the diagnosis of mentally ill criminals, so that any punishment can be avoided.
So, in this way, Psychology helps one change one’s life in a good manner. Psychology as a subject is really very interesting. It does not only make us to change ourselves, but to others too. Sometimes we do not understand others. And we give our judgments. Psychology will definitely help all of us to explain our views and understand others’ views.
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