The nature and scope of psychology

Psychology is defined as study of man’s actions and deeds subsequently its behavior. The “pattern of behavior” is the main fundamental concern of psychology. Why men work or behave in a particular or fixed way. To study this attitude of men is the sole aim of psychology. There are two main constituents of human behavior:

Individual behavior

Social behavior

Individual behavior is further determined by man’s voluntary and involuntary actions that are not under the control of his will. In voluntary actions language is the main medium of expression or communication. Whatever man does or his daily activities come under the purview of his voluntary actions. Whatever man does also constitute his behavior. The social behavior of man is determined and represented by his social associations and actions whereas his individual behavior or bodily behavior is mostly represented by his gestures and facial expressions or body movements. From the study of man’s behavior the assessment of his mental process can be made. Behind his behavior mental processes are active behind the scence in the background. Man has no access to these mental processes. The study of these hidden but most active processes is the aim of the psychologist. it is crystal clear now from the above discussion that the subject matter of psychology is man’ behavior . The journey of psychologist is from behavior to mind in some instances the reverse is also true. But this journey not straight road or smooth it is much curved.

When we define psychology as study of psychology the mind is not excluded from its purview. What man does or says is his behavior. Behavior is the avenue through which internal mental processes can be known and studied.behvior is not only the sole monopoly of psychology. There are other disciplines which study many aspects of human behavior. Psychology is not only branching of knowledge that studies behavior of animals and men human behavior has many sub groups such as.:

Cultural behavior

Sexual behavior

Social behavior

Economic and financial behavior

Health behavior

Historical behavior

Individual behavior

By making the upper sub groups as the central theme of study; many schools of thought or knowledge came into existence to exclusively study the particular aspect of human behavior now these are called subjects that are taught in colleges and universities. The prominent among these are

Anthropology

Sociology

Economics

Political science

Literature

Geography

Geology

All these sub groups make up a bigger group of knowledge collectively called “behavioral science”.

Man’s behavior is becoming very complex. In future it will be more complex. Due to the increasing consumptions of drugs, narcotics, sedatives and chemicals man’s behavior will become more bizarre, weird and eccentric and new opportunities for the application of psychology will arise tremendously. New additional avenues will be created for adjustment of more human resources in the filed of psychology.