Psychology benefit to social sciences
1. Introduction This report will discuss the history of psychology and how its unique elements add to the social sciences. The four main psychological theories to be discussed below are: ? Psychoanalysis ? Behaviourism ? Humanistic Psychology ? Bio-psychology In order to stress the importance of psychology and its distinctive and intricate attributes, this report will attempt to reveal the essence of the discipline of psychology. In doing this, this report will answer: How does psychology?s mission add unique elements to the social sciences?? 2. Social Science Social science has a number of different factors and is made up of many different disciplines which include geography, anthropology, psychology, political science, economics and sociology. Although some of these disciplines have been researched and developed more thoroughly than others, psychology may be argued as being the most prominent. Psychology?s theories have been evolving for well over a century and are the subject of continuous debate in the academic world and beyond. The key factor that differentiates psychology from the other five social sciences is its individual humanistic focus. The study of psychology is based upon the human condition (who am I? why am I?) whereas the other five disciplines are focused on humans as a group (who are we? why are we?). It is this factor that separates psychology from the other social sciences.
3. Psychological Theories Nathaniel Branden (2001, p. 5) states that ?psychology is the science that studies the attributes and characteristics which certain living organisms possess by virtue of being conscious?. Psychology stands alone as the one single social science to focus on individual actions and reactions whereas other social sciences focus their research on living organisms in a group. Many different theories have been developed over the years for psychology, four of which will be discussed below.
3.1 Psychoanalysis Little value was giving to the discoveries of
3. Psychological Theories Nathaniel Branden (2001, p. 5) states that ?psychology is the science that studies the attributes and characteristics which certain living organisms possess by virtue of being conscious?. Psychology stands alone as the one single social science to focus on individual actions and reactions whereas other social sciences focus their research on living organisms in a group. Many different theories have been developed over the years for psychology, four of which will be discussed below.
3.1 Psychoanalysis Little value was giving to the discoveries of
References: Branden, N. 2001. The Psychology of Self-Esteem, 32nd Edition, USA, Jossey-Bass. Myers, D. 2002. Exploring Psychology, 5th Edition, New York, Worth Pulishers. Stevenson, A. 2001. Studying Psychology, Great Britain, Palgrave. Strada, M. 2003. Through the Global Lens: An Introduction to the Social Sciences, 2nd Edition, Sydney, Prentice Hall.