Can one discipline stand its veracity all on its own – without external help or influence on the external help? Is Psychology such a subject that can go against this fundamental tenet? Let us find out. Because it depends on each of the other sciences to varying degrees and illuminates them all in unique ways, psychology holds a special place in the family of sciences.
The study of human perceptions is known as psychology. However, experience assumes the reality of the dichotomy of objectivism and subjectivism. Psychology examines the elements of tactile stimulation in connection to cognitive states like knowing and will to explain them appropriately. However, how it approaches physical objects differs from physical sciences. Physical sciences examine the characteristics of physical stimuli without regard to how they affect a specific person. Psychology, however, examines how people interact with physical stimuli. The essence of sensory cues in and of themselves, independent from how they relate to humans, is not a topic of psychological study. It is tangentially focused on outside stimuli but principally on an individual's behavior.
Epistemology and ontology are the two pillars of philosophy. Epistemology and psychology are connected fields. Psychology addresses knowledge as a reality and the formation and growth of knowledge in a particular mind. The veracity of knowledge is a worry, and psychology takes knowledge as a potential and only charts how it develops within a particular mind. However, epistemology looks into the circumstances whereby knowing is achievable and discusses the reliability of knowledge. Locke made an effort to address epistemological issues by examining the psychology of how we come to know what we know. However, Kant attempted to resolve problems using the analytical results and sought to identify the a priori assumptions that underlie knowledge.
Ontology or metaphysics is connected to psychology. Psychology examines knowing something to be true. Epistemology studies the circumstances surrounding the veracity of knowledge. Ontology or metaphysics wonders aloud into the fundamental essence of the known reality. Concerned with the final essence of the self, the outside world, and God is metaphysics or ontology. Psychology has absolutely nothing to do with God. It assumes that the mind, the outside world, and the mind's capacity for world knowledge are all real.
Psychology examines a person's behavior patterns in connection to their social and physical environments. The physical environment is made up of the outside world, which includes things like illumination, sounds, flavor, scent, warmth, and chill. A social environment comprises our parents, siblings, friends, foes, playmates, associates, and everyone with whom we interact. The person and the society are always in contact. Sociology examines the characteristics, history, and evolution of society. It looks into a community's etiquette, traditions, and organizations in all developmental stages, from the uncivilized condition to the barbaric one. As a result, sociology and psychology are closely intertwined.
Therefore, it is clear that sociology and psychology intersect significantly. However, the two disciplines have several key differences despite the tight relationship between psychology and sociology. Psychology is largely concerned with an individual's experiences and behaviors. On the other side, sociology is interested in how a person fits into society. The study of social psychology focuses on group behavior. It looks into the special characteristics that people develop as group mates. It investigates how crowds and mobs behave. It investigates the psychological foundations of social structure. It serves as the nexus between sociology and psychology.
Education is the discipline of developing a student's abilities and shaping his personality and behavior to make him a contributing and well-adjusted society member. It is the method of enhancing a person's abilities in a balanced way and adapting his behavior to fit him into sociocultural settings. As a result, educational psychology integrates general psychological principles into the real-world requirements of education. It makes learning coherent and provides it with a psychological foundation.
An educationalist can benefit from psychology by learning about a child's intrinsic abilities, the rules governing his mental growth, and the impact of his surroundings on his intellect. They can benefit from this information by learning how one person affects another, how team dynamics affect individuals, and how school culture shapes a child's personality. In the near times, psychological methods have been used to inspire innovative behavior. According to Jackson and Messick, the human invention is the consequence of the interplay between the creative artist, their creation, and the environment's reactions to it.
The education study cannot be assisted by psychology in identifying its goal. However, it can also indicate how to achieve the goal of education. It investigates the motivations, feelings, and sentiments of children, adolescents, and adults.
Anthropology, broadly defined as the scientific study of humans, emerged as a science during the Darwinian revolution of the mid-nineteenth century. All anthropological studies are concerned with mapping human diversity (biological, behavioral, and cultural) and explaining, interpreting, and understanding the directions in the development of human behavior. The primary research areas include primitive societies, cultural relativism, human species unity, human diversity, and human evolution. Social psychology can benefit from ideas about cultures and communities that can help explain individual behavior in a given civilization. Anthropology can give a social psychologist a good view of the cultural and social milieu.
Economics is concerned with society's economic organization, such as income, spending, the function of economic institutions, and so on. A large portion of human behavior may be classified as economic behavior. For a long time, economic theories have acknowledged the relevance of psychological variables in economic behavior. Thus, Mill and Bentham promoted economic utilitarianism theory. As a result, the importance of psychological aspects in economic activities has piqued the interest of many intellectuals. McLelland and his colleagues have recently emphasized the relevance of what is known as the accomplishment incentive in economic behavior.
Economics is concerned with society's economic organization, such as income, spending, the function of economic institutions, and so on. A large portion of human behavior may be classified as economic behavior. For a long time, economic theories have acknowledged the relevance of psychological variables in economic behavior. Thus, Mill and Bentham promoted economic utilitarianism theory. As a result, the importance of psychological aspects in economic activities has piqued the interest of many intellectuals. McLelland and his colleagues have recently emphasized the relevance of what is known as the accomplishment incentive in economic behavior.
Political science is another area that has grown rapidly in recent years. Political science is concerned with political organizations, institutions, and government policies. Political science and psychology have had a tight relationship in recent years. There have been attempts to investigate and analyze the impact of the political system on human character and behavior. Psychologists have conducted a substantial study on 'authoritarianism,' attempting to explain it as a result of specific political regimes.
Similarly, psychologists have commonly used ideas like Machiavellianism, autocracy, and so on, which political scientists in huge nations commonly use, to investigate tiny organizations. Kurt Lewin and his followers conducted a famous experiment in which they analyzed and compared the functioning of authoritarian, democratic, and other organizations.
Psychologists have also sought to investigate the role of psychology in leadership. Thus, the lives of various political leaders have been examined from a psychological standpoint to comprehend their behavior and the variables that contributed to their success as leaders. There are examples of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Adolph Hitler, and other leaders whose lives have been studied. Different facets of political behavior, such as propaganda, voting behavior, the formation of public opinion, and mob mentality, have also been psychologically examined.
The area of social science, psychology is concerned with researching how people think and behave. However, psychology has applications throughout various fields, from the humanities to the physical sciences. It is not just confined to social science, as psychology studies mental processes and the pursuit of methods to influence behavior. In one form or another, most other fields are also connected to people and their activities. As a result, psychology has connections to numerous other specialties and fields. It is no secret that its influence on other disciplines and the knowledge it draws from them to structure its principles is multifold.