What is psychology ?

1. Whatispsychology? The various branches of psychology

2. Definition The mind: l’esprit Vs. Spirit, wit The soul : l’âme The brain: le cerveau Behavior: comportement Comportment To process (treat, handle) A process • Psychology is the study of the psyche or mind. In addition to information, the mind constantly processes thoughts and emotions. An individual's behavior is influenced by the mind's perception of stimuli received via the five senses. • Psychologists also study the impact of the mind on the body, which is manifested by behavior.

3. Therapists • Generally, psychologists conduct evaluations and psychological testing to diagnose patients. • IQ tests and personality inventories are commonly used to determine if a learning or emotional disability exists. • Research or experimental psychologists may conduct studies via lab experiments or surveying a specific population. • Counseling psychologists may provide therapy during times of adjustments to major life changes. They develop treatment plans and help individuals modify / altertheir behavior. • Psychologists help individuals focus on what is causing the symptoms to manifest or intensify, then they work with patients to develop coping skills. Psychologists provide a safe environment to express one's feelings. • They are bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, except when future harm to self or other is mentioned.

4. THE VARIOUS BRANCHES THAT MAKE UP THE DISCIPLINE

5. Abnormalpsychology • Abnormal psychology is the area that looks at psychopathology and abnormal behavior. • The term covers a broad range of disorders, from depression to obsession-compulsion to sexual deviation and many more. • Counselors, clinical psychologists and psychotherapists often work directly in this field.

6. Behavioralpsychology • Behavioral psychology is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. • Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. According to behaviorism, behavior can be studied in a systematic and observable manner with no consideration of internal mental states. Through : à travers, par le bias Throughtheirstudy of brainactivity, behavioristpsychologistsstudyourresponses to various stimuli.

7. Biopsychology • The branch of psychology focused on the study of how the brain influences behavior is often known as biopsychology, • It analyzes how the brain and neurotransmitters influence our behaviors, thoughts and feelings. • Biopsychologists often look at how biological processes interact with emotions, cognitions and other mental processes.

8. Cognitive psychology • It focuses on internal states, such as motivation, problem solving, decision-making, thinking and attention. • It studies how people acquire, process (traitent) and store (stoquent) information. The aim can be to improve / enhancememory, how to increase decision-making accuracy (comment rendre la prise de décision plus juste, exacte), and how to structure educational curricula to enhance learning (miexstimulerl’apprentissage).

9. Educationalpsychology • Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with schools, teaching psychology, educational issues and student concerns. Educational psychologists often study how students learn or work directly with students, parents, teachers and administrators to improve student outcomes.

10. Schoolpsychology • School psychologists work within the educational system to help children with emotional, social, and academic issues. • These psychologists collaborate with teachers, parents, and students to find solutions to academic, social, and emotional problems. • Most school psychologists work in elementary and secondary schools, but others work in private clinics, hospitals, state agencies, and universities. Some go into private practice and serve as consultants.

11. Developmentalpsychology • This branch of psychology looks at development throughout the lifespan, from childhood to adulthood. It seeks to understand and explain how and why people change throughout life. This includes all aspects of human growth, including physical, emotional, intellectual, social, perceptual and personality development. Topics studied in this field include everything from prenatal development to Alzheimer's disease.

12. A person experiencesseveral psychological changes over the course of his/her life span. • Developmental psychology includes any psychological factor that is studied over the life of a person, including motor skills, problem solving, moral understanding, acquiring language, emotions, personality, and identity formation. Developmental psychology also looks and compares innate mental structures against learning through experience. A developmental psychologist will be interested in how a person's characteristics interact with environmental factors and how development is impacted / affected / modified / altered.

13. There are a number of important issues that have been debated throughout the history of developmental psychology. Nature vs. Nurture: Today, most psychologists believe that some aspects of development are distinctly biological, such as puberty. However, the onset of puberty can be affected by environmental factors such as diet and nutrition. Early Experience vs. Later Experience: Are we more affected by events that occurin infancy or early childhood, or do later events play an equally important role? According to Freud, much of a child’s personality is completely established by the age of five. In contrast to this view, researchers have found that the influence of childhood events does not necessarily have a dominating effect over behavior throughout the life. Continuity vs. Discontinuity: Some theories of development argue that changes are simply a matter of quantity; children displaymore of certain skills as they grow older. Other theories outline a series of sequential stages in which skills emerge at certain points of development.

14. Neuropsychology • Neuropsychology  studies the structure and function of the brain in relation to clear behaviors and psychological processes. Neuropsychology is also involved in lesion studies in the brain, as well as recording activity from cells.A neuropsychologist will use a Neuropsychological Evaluation - a systematic assessment procedure - to determine the degree of any possible behavioral problems following suspected or diagnosed brain injury in a patient.

15. Experimentalpsychology • Experimental psychology is the branch of psychology that utilizes scientific methods to research the brain and behavior. An experimentis a scientificprocessthataimsatvalidatinghypothesis. Experienceiswhatyou gain throughoutyour life. He has a long experience of treating patients withbipolardisorder. Yourexperience feelings of distress, or despair but youexperiment a new drug or treatment.

16. Forensicpsychology • Forensic psychology is a specialty area that deals with issues related to psychology and the law. • Forensic psychologists may provide testimonyin court cases, assesschildren in suspected child abuse cases, prepare children to give testimony and evaluate the mental competence of criminal suspects.

17. Personalitypsychology • This branch of psychology is focused on the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior that make a person unique. • Some of the best-known theories in psychology have arisen from this field, including Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality and Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. • Remember that persoNality is spelt with 1 N in english!

18. Personality arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life. • Some of the fundamental characteristics of personality include: Consistency - There is generally some regularity to behaviors: people act in the same ways or similar ways in a variety of situations. Psychological and physiological - Personality is a psychological construct, but research suggests that it is also influenced by biological processes and needs. Impact behaviors and actions - Personality does not just influence how we move and respond in our environment; it also causes us to act in certain ways. Multiple expressions - Personality is displayed in more than just behavior. It can also be seen in out thoughts, feelings, close relationships and other social interactions.

19. Social psychology • Social psychology seeks to explain and understand social behavior and looks at diverse topics including group behavior, social interactions, leadership, nonverbal communication and social influences on decision-making. • According to psychologist Gordon Allport, social psychology is a discipline that uses scientific methods "to understand and explain how the thought, feeling and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of other human beings" (1985).

20. Clinicalpsychology It is concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental disorders. While they often work in medical settings, clinical psychologists are not medical doctors and do not prescribe medications. Specialty areas within clinical psychology include child mental health, adult mental health, learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, substance abuse, geriatrics and health psychology. In addition to working with clients, clinical psychologists have to keep detailed records of client assessment, diagnosis, therapeutic goals and treatment notes.

21. Clinical psychology  integrates science, theory, and practice in order to understand, predict and relievemaladjustment, disability, and discomfort. Clinical psychology also promotes adaption, adjustment and personal development. In other words, clinical psychology is the scientific study and application of psychology in order to understand, prevent, and alleviate psychologically-caused distress or dysfunction (disability) and promote the patient's well-being and personal development. 

22. Industrial - organizational/ occupationalpsychology • I-O psychology is concerned with the study of workplace behavior. I-O psychologists often apply research to increasing workplace productivity, selecting employees best suited for particular jobs and product testing. • Many I-O psychologists work in business in positions dealing with employee training and assessment and human resources.

23. Work (U) I have muchwork. The workload Ms Works on the road Working: working habits, workinghours, working conditions, etc. Labour: child labour A job, a position The job market, a temporary job, a part-time job • I-O psychology, work psychology, organizational psychology, work and organizational psychology, occupational psychology, personnel psychology or talent assessment) - studies the performance of people at work and in training, develops an understanding of how organizations function and how people and groups behave at work. The occupational psychologist aims to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction at work. 

24. Psychoanalysis Consciousness Awareness The unconscious Be unaware of Behaviours, whetherthey are conscious or unconscious, tell much about ourpersonality. The patient wastotallyunaware of hisowndelusions. • Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), Austria, developed psychoanalysis - a method of psychotherapy. His understanding of the mind was mainly based on interpretive methods, introspection and clinical observations. He focused on resolving unconscious conflicts, mental distress and psychopathology. Freud's theories on sexuality and the unconscious mind became famous; probably because sexuality was a taboo subject at the time. The main principle of Freud's theory was that the unconscious is responsible for most thought and behavior in everybody and the disorders of the mentally ill.