Skip to Main Content

Psychology: Home

This subject guide provides access to the library's resources relevant to Psychology

Introduction to Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It encompasses a wide range of topics, including cognitive processes, emotional responses, social interactions, and developmental changes throughout the lifespan. The field of psychology is diverse and multifaceted, integrating knowledge from various disciplines, including biology, sociology, anthropology, and philosophy.

Key Concepts in Psychology

  1. Behavior: Refers to observable actions and responses, including both verbal and non-verbal communication. Understanding behavior is central to psychological research.

  2. Mental Processes: Encompasses thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and beliefs that influence behavior but are not directly observable.

  3. Development: Focuses on how individuals change and grow throughout their lifespan, including physical, cognitive, and emotional development.

  4. Cognition: The study of mental processes such as perception, memory, reasoning, and decision-making. Cognitive psychology examines how people acquire, process, and store information.

  5. Emotion: Refers to complex psychological states that involve a subjective experience, physiological response, and behavioral or expressive response.

  6. Social Psychology: Investigates how individuals are influenced by social environments and interactions. It explores topics such as group dynamics, conformity, persuasion, and social identity.

  7. Abnormal Psychology: Focuses on the study of psychological disorders, their symptoms, causes, and treatment. This area seeks to understand deviations from typical behavior and mental processes.

  8. Biopsychology: Examines the relationship between biological processes and behavior. This includes studying the brain, neurotransmitters, hormones, and genetic influences on behavior.

Major Approaches in Psychology

  1. Behaviorism: Emphasizes the study of observable behavior and the role of environmental factors in shaping behavior. Key figures include B.F. Skinner and John B. Watson.

  2. Cognitive Psychology: Focuses on understanding mental processes and how they influence behavior. It highlights the importance of internal thought processes in shaping how we perceive and interact with the world.

  3. Psychoanalysis: Founded by Sigmund Freud, this approach emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind on behavior and the importance of early childhood experiences.

  4. Humanistic Psychology: Emphasizes personal growth, self-actualization, and the inherent goodness of people. Key figures include Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.

  5. Evolutionary Psychology: Examines how evolutionary principles shape behavior and mental processes. This perspective seeks to understand how behaviors may have been adaptive in human evolution.

Welcome

 This guide will assist you to know about the library,  facilities, services and its  resources.

University of Zululand Library Guides