Social And Cultural Context Of Psychology - 818 Words

Katja Gavrilina Define the term Psychology and discuss its history in light of social and cultural context, highlighting the significance of different perspectives in Psychology. Psychology is defined as the scientific study of mental processes and human behaviour. It had roots in philosophy and physiology, before becoming an independent scientific discipline in the late 1800 s. Descartes (1641) suggested that the mind and the body work separately, together creating the human experience (Mastin L. 2008). This idea of so called dualism shaped a number of on going discussions in modern psychology, such as the nature nurture debate. In 1879 the first experimental laboratory was founded by Wilhelm Wundt, in Leipzig, Germany. This fundamental moment is referred to as the birth of Psychology. Until the 1900 s psychologists mainly studied the conscious human experience. Sigmund Freud, Austrian physician, caused a ground-breaking shift in this field (1890 s - 1930 s). He brought special importance to the unconscious mind, arguing that early childhood experiences and unconscious urges shape our adult personality. He emphasized the importance of sex and stages of early development. Contributing psychoanalysis in the 20th century, Freud had an enormous impact on the field of Psychology. His theory is unscientific and based on his individual cases, which makes it hard to generalize his assumptions. Freud s work was also criticized by feminist Karen Horney,Show MoreRelatedMulticultural Psychology Paper1094 Words   |  5 PagesMulticultural Psychology Paper Multicultural Psychology Paper Multicultural psychology is the systematic study of all aspects of human behavior as it occurs in settings where people of different cultural backgrounds encounter each other. Multiculturalism has been considered a fourth force in the field of psychology, supplementing behaviorism, psychodynamic theories, and humanistic psychology. It explores such topics as differences in worldviews and in means of communication; the acculturationRead MoreThe Impact Of Culture On Mental Health Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction The importance of a cross-cultural understanding in Psychology is imperative to successful care and assistance of mental health. Understanding and acknowledging the complexities of different cultures is the beginning of a more informed approach to mental health. Cultural factors and questions play a fundamental role, however, simply acknowledging cultural differences does not necessarily provide the best individual help. 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