PSYCHOLOGY

psychology

Psychology

Introduction

This paper discusses the debate about the nature of higher cognition has included claims that it is symbolic, compositional and systematic, and that it cannot be modelled by associative architectures (Hogg Vaughan 2008). On the other hand it has often been shown that human reasoning does not readily conform to logic, and is better modelled by more content-specific processes such as mental models, that function as analogues. There has been a parallel debate about whether learning is conscious or unconscious, and whether what is learned is rule-based or instance-based. These dichotomies also overlap to some extent with the implicit-explicit distinction . We still lack a clear definition of the nature of higher cognition and, consequently, we are unable to clearly distinguish it from more basic processes.

Discussion

Psychology is the study of human behaviour, thought processes and emotions. It can contribute to our understanding of ourselves and our relationships with other people, if it is applied in an informed way. Health psychology refers to the application of psychological theory and research to promote evidence-based personal and public health. To do this, psychology must take account of the context of people's lives. Certain sets of beliefs and behaviours are risk factors for illness; therefore some knowledge of public health and the public health agenda for change is essential. Those we care for come from a variety of different social and cultural backgrounds that value certain beliefs and behaviours above others. These may place some people at greater or lesser risk of illness than others; therefore some knowledge of sociology is essential. In order to understand the link between psychological and physiological processes, some knowledge of the biomedical sciences is also essential. Therefore psychology sits alongside these other disciplines to make an important contribution to the health and well-being of the population. But it is important to note that the psychology we draw on has evolved entirely from western philosophy, science and research, and may therefore be viewed as specific to western cultures.

Those working in the caring professions spend most, if not all, of their working lives interacting with other people. A key part of their job is to promote health and well-being. Most people are familiar with the following definition of health: 'a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity' (WHO 1946). If this is seen as an important goal, those working in health and social care need the knowledge and skills to help people work towards achieving it. There are many ways in which psychological theory and research can contribute to improvements in health and social care including:

• appreciate how people's understandings and needs vary, so that we can try to ensure that the individualized care we provide is both appropriate and optimal;

• gain a better understanding of communication processes so that we can identify ways of improving the therapeutic relationship and work more effectively in interprofessional and inter-agency contexts;

• identify factors that affect how people cope with such situations as acute and chronic illness, pain and loss, ...