Introduction to Psychology: Nature, Scope, Schools and Methods
This section covers the nature and scope of psychology, its major schools, and the research methods the CHSE elective paper tests. Expect matching items linking school, founder and central claim, plus short answers on why psychology counts as a science.
Nature and scope
- Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes. Behaviour is observable; mental processes such as memory and emotion are inferred from behaviour.
- It is a science because it uses systematic observation, testable hypotheses, operational definitions, controlled procedures and replication.
- Scope includes biological, cognitive, developmental, social, personality, clinical, educational, organisational, sports and forensic psychology.
Schools
- Structuralism (Titchener): introspection to break experience into elements.
- Functionalism (James): mental processes as adaptations.
- Gestalt (Wertheimer, Koehler, Koffka): experience is organised wholes, not sums of parts.
- Behaviourism (Watson's 1913 manifesto; Skinner): observable stimulus-response and reinforcement.
- Psychoanalysis (Freud): unconscious conflict and early experience.
- Humanistic (Maslow, Rogers): growth, choice and self-actualisation.
- Cognitive: information processing.
Methods
Experiment (IV manipulated, DV measured, controls), correlation, naturalistic observation, case study, survey and historical introspection.
Worked example
A researcher records students' social-media hours and exam marks without manipulating either. Reasoning: this is correlational; it gives direction and strength of relationship but cannot establish causation. Only an experiment with manipulation and control supports causal claims.
Traps
- Wundt founded the first laboratory (Leipzig, 1879); Titchener led structuralism in America.
- Introspection is a historical method, not a modern experimental one.
- Correlation does not prove causation.
- Psychoanalysis is not an experimental school.