Psychology
is a science which concerns itself with the study of behavior,
both human and animal, and therefore interrelates with other disciplines
such as philosophy, biology and sociology. In the minds of most though,
psychology is connected with the treatment of mental disorders (clinical
psychology) or assisting the resolution of relationship problems (counselling
psychology). Few realized that as the study of human and animal interaction
involves how these organisms perceive the world around them and how
they react to these perceptions, this interaction may be observed
in all areas of human activity. The areas of investigation for psychologist
are therefore vast and varied as illustrated by the many specialized
fields of psychology open for study, such as: Organizational Psychology,
Environmental Psychology, Educational Psychology, Forensic Psychology
and Sports Psychology. Psychologists
therefore search for answer to the question why. From this research
they develop theories of human functioning, often developing new
approaches to current knowledge. From this perspective it can be
seen that both normal and abnormal behavior are the psychologists
domain.
Although psychology
is a comparatively young science it is not static, it is growing
all the time and influencing other disciplines, particularly those
discipline which tended to place less importance on human interaction
elements, such as: Engineering, Management and the Law.
However the
cornerstone of psychological practice still revolves around the
examination and treatment of mental and emotional problems whatever
the trigger or area of concern. Be it stress related to the working
environment, trauma or shock following a catastrophic life event
or the development of a particular form of mental illness such as
schizophrenia. Here from research, whether independently or within
a multidisciplinary team, the psychologist attempts to offer answers
and formulate treatment methods.
PsychNet-UK
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