PSYCHOLOGY-FOUR GOALS

Psychology-Four Goals

Psychology-Four Goals

The field of Psychology is the study of the mind, how it works, and its impact on thinking, behaviors, and our abilities to relate to our environment (Coco, 1998, 485). Psychologists practice their craft based on different theoretical beliefs of behavioral causes but they all share similar primary goals. Experts generally agree there are 4 primary goals that govern psychological practice and the study of personality. They occur in this order "Describe, explain, predict, and change." These goals are descrbed in Portland Community College's Psychology program. The initial job of the psychologist is to carefully observe and record everything possible about patients thought processes, behavior, and interactions with the environment. This information is used to describe objective observations to the patient. Psychology integrates observations and develops theories about causes of behaviors. "Psychologists must go beyond what is obvious and explain their observations. Why did the subject do what he or she did?" (Coco, 1998, 485) AllPsych explains.

Psychology uses prediction to anticipate future behaviors based on a person's past behaviors. The practice of psychology is understanding why something was done and using that information to project what behaviors can occur in the future. The final goal is change or control. Psychology helps an individual understand behavior and the reasons behind it (NACBT, 2005). Ultimately once it is understood why unhealthy behaviors are practiced, they can be modified and changed so healthy outcomes occur. The success of psychological practice is dependent on the skills, training, and experience of the healthcare professional and the willingness of the patient to actively participate in the process. Together they can have a mutual "intention of improving a person's life in a positive manner" according to AllPsych. (Handy, 2004, 222-224)

Psychology is based on its findings from scientific research and critical thinking. Information is obtained from direct observations and measurements, making it an ideal way to learn more about behavior. Most people don't know why psychology is so widely studied. There is a lot more to it than identifying a specific type of behavior strictly by looking at the classic symptoms. There are four main goals: to describe, explain, predict and change behavior and mental processes through the use of scientific methods. These goals were set to help psychologists to better understand what factors cause different types of behavior, and are also a thorough way to identify the problem at hand (Handy, 2004, 222-224).

Descriptions are a way to tell someone 'what' has happened. By using careful observations, one can name and classify certain behaviors just by their description. Just a description, can identify behavioral conditions such as aggression. It is an accurate way to record the types of behavior problems a person may have (NACBT, 2005). For example; an observer can gather an accurate description of a participant by monitoring them closely. Although descriptions are accurate to what you think, one person's opinion isn't always the same as another's. It is important to continue through the steps, even if your presumption is ...