Psychology

Course summary

The usual definition of Psychology is that it is the scientific study of the human mind and behaviour. As words go, these sound a little dry and dusty and do not really do justice to what the subject is all about. Psychology has as its remit the huge task of explaining the good, the bad and the ugly in all of us. In essence it is about what makes us tick and why. It draws on many disciplines and we can find the roots of modern Psychology in Biology and Philosophy. It is a science but has as its subject the human being; a sentient, highly intelligent, complicated and often unpredictable creature. Furthermore, different psychological approaches seek to explain our behaviour in radically different ways. For behaviourists, environment, nurture and learning are the shaping forces that make us who we are. Those adopting the biological paradigm look to genetics, physiology, neurotransmitters and hormones for the answers: in their view testosterone may have a lot to answer for! Evolutionary psychology is a relatively new approach which explains all our behaviour in terms of its ultimate adaptive quality. Here, our actions are geared towards two imperatives: to survive and to reproduce and pass on our genes. Of course there are those who disagree and supporters of Sigmund Freud focus on the role of the unconscious mind and unresolved childhood conflicts and fixations. Who would have thought that when and how you were potty trained could explain so much about your adult personality?