PSYCHOLOGY

Research Paper: Perceptions of Psychology among Lay-persons

Abstract

Psychology evolved as an autonomous discipline since over a thousand years now. In 1890 Gustav Fechner published his book “Elements of psychophysics”, which shows how the procedures could be used to study experimental and mathematical mind. Psychology begins to establish itself as a subject with a field of study due to: William James, Wundt or Stanley Hall, among others. This paper aims to discuss the perceptions of psychology in the minds of lay persons as developed in an interview with them. Psychology is perceived differently by different human beings. It is therefore, necessary to establish an understanding about its domains and applications so that it is put to an effective use in society. This will be very beneficial for students and lay persons to share in each other's experiences and come up with better suggestions and recommendations. This holds true for this interview based research paper.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Introduction4

Research Questions5

Research Aims and Objectives5

Literature Review5

Research Methodology7

Analysis of Findings7

Psychology as a Filed Subject8

Psychology and Social Welfare8

Clinical Applications of Psychology9

Conclusive Outcomes11

References13

Research Paper: Perceptions of Psychology among Lay-persons

Introduction

Psychology is the discipline that investigates the mental processes of humans and animals. Every other individual holds conflicting opinions and perceptions about psychology as a filed. While some argue that we need the assistance of a psychologist every now and then , to handle life's complexities; other contend that it is only in special circumstances that one should seek the therapies and guidance of a professional psychologist (Stadler, 1998). The perception and assessment of psychological impacts on laypersons are therefore, hard to measure or quantify. However, it is essential to measure their level of acceptance of psychological interventions in order to develop therapies that are suited to their needs.

The word “psychology” means the science of the soul. The word comes from Greek: psycho-(mind or soul activity) and-logy (study). This discipline analyzes the three dimensions of these processes: cognitive, affective and behavioral (Miller, 1998). The language of the discipline of psychology still preserved many words and expressions that are derived from its original roots: animated, sincere, heartless, affinity, mental illness, intimate conversation, etc. From a linguistic point of view, "soul" and "mind" is the same thing. However, with the development of culture and science in particular, the value of these concepts differed to a great extent. Since olden times, the ways in which these theories and perceptions were adopted by the people were led by their cultural beliefs. In some cases, it was pertained to be in connection with serious mental illnesses that one tends to context a psychologist (Riemann & McNally, 1995). In other situations, the therapy was revolutionized by the themes that led people to think about it in different manners.

This paper tends to concentrate its discussion on laypersons' attitudes and opinions about psychology in different contexts. The paper makes use of primary result analysis in order to gather and analyze insights about the way in which people think of psychology as an inherent ...