1. Describe significance of psychology as a science and practice: Psychology is the scientific study of behavior, cognition, and emotion. Psychology is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. Psychology also refers to the application of such knowledge to various spheres of human activity, including relating to individuals' daily lives and the treatment of mental illness.

Psychology differs from the other social sciences — anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology — in that psychology seeks to explain the mental processes and behavior of individuals. Whereas biology and neuroscience study the biological or neural processes and how they relate to the mental effects they subjectively produce, psychology is primarily concerned with the interaction of mental processes and behavior on a systemic level. The subfield of neuropsychology studies the actual neural processes while biological psychology studies the biological bases of behavior and mental states.

Psychology is an academic and applied field involving the study of behavior, mind and thought and the subconscious neurological bases of behavior. Psychology also refers to the application of such knowledge to various spheres of human activity, including problems of individuals' daily lives and the treatment of mental illness. It is largely concerned with humans, although the behavior and mental processes of animals can also be part of psychology research, either as a subject in its own right (e.g. animal cognition and ethology), or somewhat more controversially, as a way of gaining an insight into human psychology by means of comparison (including comparative psychology). Psychology is commonly defined as the science of behavior and mental processes.

Psychology does not necessarily refer to the brain or nervous system and can be framed purely in terms of phenomenological or information processing theories of mind. Increasingly, though, an understanding of brain function is being included in psychological theory and practice, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, neuropsychology, and cognitive neuroscience.

Psychology describes and attempts to explain consciousness, behavior and social interaction. Empirical psychology is primarily devoted to describing human experience and behavior as it actually occurs. In the past 20 years or so psychology has begun to examine the relationship between consciousness and the brain or nervous system. Perhaps to understand this you need to know the definition of "consciousness" and "brain state" - or is consciousness some sort of complicated 'illusion' which bears no direct relationship to neural processes? The late 19th century marks the start of psychology as a scientific enterprise. The year 1879 is commonly seen as the start of psychology as an independent field of study, because in that year German scientist Wilhelm Wundt founded the first laboratory dedicated exclusively to psychological research in Leipzig, Germany.

Wundt combined philosophical introspection with techniques and laboratory apparatuses brought over from his physiological studies with Helmholtz, as well as many of his own design. This experimental introspection was in contrast to what had been called psychology until then, a branch of philosophy where people introspected themselves.

Introspection is the direct observation or rumination of one's own heart, mind and/or soul and its processes, as opposed to extrospection, the observation of things external to one's self.

2. Explain basic methodological problems of modern psychology: Problems of methodology of research are actual for any science, especially in present period when in connection with scientific and technical revolution problems which should be solved to a science extremely become complicated, and value of those means which it uses sharply increases. Besides in a society there are new forms of the organization of a science, greater research collectives are created, inside of which scientists it is necessary to develop uniform strategy of researches, uniform system of accepted methods. In connection with development of mathematics and cybernetics the special class of the so-called interdisciplinary methods applied as "through" in various disciplines is born. All this demands from researchers all in a greater and greater degree to supervise the cognitive actions, to analyze means which use in a research practice. 

The central methodological problem of psychology is the lack of a single scientific paradigm - the general grounds of psychological research. At this point is not reached at least relative harmony in understanding the subject and method of psychological knowledge among scientists-psychologists. This trend is most evident in the long confrontation between the supporters of the natural sciences and the humanitarian paradigms in psychology.

Critical understanding of the problem gave rise to an idea of ​​the methodological crisis in psychology (Vygotsky, Leontiev). According to this view, a characteristic feature of the psychology of acts by the fact that for almost all of his scientific history, it is undergoing a systematic methodological crisis, again and again breaking up into opposing and confronts schools, research approaches, directions. In the second half of the XX century the largest domestic psychologist AN Leontiev wrote in this regard: "For nearly a century, as the world's psychology developed under the methodology of the crisis. Ruptured in his time to humanitarian and natural science, descriptive and explanatory system of psychological knowledge enables more and more cracks, which seems endangered the very subject of psychology. There is its reduction, often disguised under the need to develop interdisciplinary research ... The paradox is that in spite of all the theoretical difficulties in the world there is an extraordinary acceleration of the development of psychological research ... ". However, given the "young age" of psychology (compared to the more "ancient" disciplines), said feature can be interpreted in a positive way, as intense and fruitful search for its own scientific identity.

Allocated AN Leontiev split trend became known as "methodological dualism" and emerged in the last third of the XIX century, when psychology, clarifying his subject, he began developing an appropriate methodology. Initially the search was carried out adequate method in the range between the extremes introspectionism traditionally samodostovernosti facing the "internal" human experience, and naturalism, based on the principles of natural science knowledge. The first approach involves the mental phenomena can not be reduced to objective data and, in fact, opposes the psychology rooted in the natural scientific standards. The second, by contrast, sets the perspective of psychology as a science that studies the psyche objectively, like other objects of natural-science analysis, and casts doubt on the important psychological notions of depth, multidimensional and inexhaustible sense of "inner" world of man. The juxtaposition of the two-mention tr1H approaches due to the fundamental polarity of the "internal" (subjectively knowable) and "external" (objectively observed).

3. Illustrate a role of psychology among natural and humanitarian sciences. The word psychology comes from two Greek words: "Psyche" mean­ing "mind" or "soul" and "Logos" meaning "study of. Therefore, psy­chology means "study of the mind" and the primary goal of psychology is to describe, explain and predict why humans think and behave the way that they do.

Psychology and Physical Sciences:

Psychology is a science of experience of an individual. But experience presupposes the duality of subject and object, both of which are real. Psychology deals with mental processes such as knowing, feeling and willing, and in order to account for them adequately it must study the nature of physical stimuli in relation to knowing and willing.

But there is a difference between psychology and physical sciences in the treatment of physical objects. Physical sciences investigate the nature of physical stimuli apart from their relation to an individual. But psychology studies the nature of the interaction between an individual with physical stimuli.

Psycho­logical science is not concerned with the nature of physical stimuli in themselves apart from their relation to an individual. It is primarily concerned with behaviour of an individual, and indirectly concerned with external stimuli.

Physical sciences investigate the nature of physical phenomena, and so they help psychology to explain the experience and behaviour of the individual, which are reactions to the physical and social stimuli.

Psychology and Biology:

Psychology is a science of the experience and behaviour. However experience cannot be adequately explained without the concomitant physiological processes. The environment acts on the mind through the sense-organs; and the mind reacts to the environ­ment through the muscles. The sense-organs and muscles are organs of the body. So mental processes are closely related to bodily processes.

Psychology and Physiology:

Psychology is a science of experience. Experiences of an individual are intimately connected with physiological processes, especially of the nervous system. Hence, psychology studies these physiological processes in order to adequately account for mental processes.

It does not study those physiological processes which are not related to mental processes, because it is primarily concer­ned with mental processes and behaviour.

Psychology is not to be confounded with physiology. Psychology deals with experiences, viz., knowing, feeling and willing. These are connected with physiological processes which are, therefore, studied by psychology. Psychology also deals with behaviour which is an expression of experience.

Behaviour is bodily reaction of an individual to the physical and social environment. Hence, psychology studies the nature of the different kinds of behaviour. It does not study the nature of all kinds of physiological processes. Physiology, on the other hand, studies the nature of all kinds of physiological processes—the functions of all organs of the body.

(iv)  Psychology and Logic:

Psychology is wider in scope than Logic, because it deals with all kinds of mental processes, viz., knowing, feeling and willing. But Logic deals with thinking only, which is a kind of knowing. It does not deal with feeling and willing.

But Logic is not identical with the psychology of thinking, because psychology is a positive science, while Logic is a norma­tive science. Psychology tells us how we actually think while Logic- tells us how we ought to think in order to arrive at truth.

Psychology and Philosophy:

Philosophy has two parts epistemology and ontology. Psycho­logy is related to epistemology. Psychology enquires into the nature of knowing, feeling, and willing. It deals with knowing as a fact, and the nature and development of knowledge of an individual mind.

It is concerned with the validity of knowledge. Psychology assumes the possibility of knowledge and merely traces its growth and development in an individual mind.

But Epistemology enquires into the conditions under which knowledge is possible, and deals with the validity of knowledge.

Psychology and Sociology:

Psychology deals with the behaviour pattern of an individual in relation to the environment which is physical as well as social. The external world or light, sound, taste, smell, heat, cold, etc., constitute the physical environment. Parents, relatives, friends, enemies, playmates, companions and all the people with whom an individual comes into contact and interacts constitute his social environment.

(vii) Psychology and Education:

Psychology is the science of the behaviour of the individual in relation to the environment. Education is the science of unfolding the powers, of the pupil and moulding his character and behaviour in such a manner that he becomes a useful and well-adjusted member of the community.

Education is the process of developing the powers of the individual harmoniously, and adjusting him to the social environment by modifying his behaviour. Therefore, educa­tional psychology applies the general principles of psychology to the practical needs of education. It gives a psychological founda­tion to education and makes it sound.

Education implies two agents—viz., the teacher and the pupil. The teacher should know the mind of the pupil. Otherwise, he cannot impart appropriate education to him. There are special characteristics of the child mind which differ according to different stages of its development.

A teacher should utilize the principles of psychology to develop the child’s powers of observation, attention, memory, imagination, thinking, emotion, volition, and character.

Psychology helps an educationist by telling him of the innate endowment of the child, of the laws of his mental development, of the effect of the environment on his mind. It helps an educationist by telling him how one person acts on another, how the group life influences the individual, and how the corporate life of a school moulds the personality of a child.

Psychological principles have been very successfully applied to educational designs. “Man has himself created the human civilization through his educational designs.” It is evident, then, that the relation between psychology and education is very close.

4. Denote scientific branches of psychology according to various reasons. Psychology is the science of the mind and behavior. The word "psychology" comes from the Greek word psyche meaning "breath, spirit, soul", and the Greek word logia meaning the study of something.

There are a number of unique and distinctive branches of psychology. Each branch looks at questions and problems from a different perspective. While each branch has its own focus on psychological problems or concerns, all areas share a common goal of studying and explaining human thought and behavior. The some of the major branches of psychology within the field today:

Different Branches of Psychology are as follows:

Psychology studies and explains the behaviour of entire living organisms. The term behaviour includes the cognitive, Conative and affective, conscious, subconscious or unconscious, implicit or explicit. It also includes the behaviour of people from infancy to old age, the normal as well as abnormal.

It is very difficult to understand all these aspects of behaviour in one sphere. Hence, in order to make it convenient to study, understand and access the behaviour at different fields of life, psychology is divided into different branches. These branches are broadly divided into two categories viz., pure and applied.

1. Pure Branches:

Pure branches provide the theoretical frame work of the subject. These branches deal with formulation of principles, theories and suggest different methods for the assessment of behaviour. The pure branches also suggest certain techniques for the modification of problematic behaviour.

The important pure branches are: 

a. General psychology:

This branch deals with the fundamental rules, principles and theories of psychology in relation to the study of behaviour of normal adult human beings. It explains various psychological processes like sensations, perceptions, emotions, learning, intelligence, personality, etc.

b. Physiological psychology:

This branch describes the biological basis of behaviour. There is a close relationship between body and mind; the functions of each other are mutually influenced. The functioning of the brain, nervous system, endocrine glands and their relation to cognitive, Conative and affective behaviour is explained in this branch of psychology.

c. Developmental psychology:

Human life passes through various stages of development from conception to old age. This branch explains the growth and development of various processes in relation to behaviour.

d. Child psychology:

Childhood extends from 2 to 12 years. This is a crucial period in the life. Future life depends upon development during childhood. Growth and development will be rapid during this stage. Child psychology deals with these aspects.

e. Animal psychology:

This branch deals with behaviour of animals. Many psychological experiments are conducted to know the functioning of mind in animals. Animals like rats, dogs, chimpanzees, pigeons, guinea pigs, cats are some of the animals used for experimentation.

Findings of these experiments are many times generalized to human behaviour also.

f. Abnormal psychology:

Today the life is complex. The individual is facing a lot of competition and experiencing frustrations and conflicts. Constant pressures in life are leading to psychological abnormalities. Abnormal psychology deals with various kinds of mental disorders, their symptoms and causes.

g. Social psychology:

Human being is a social animal. Naturally the behaviour of an individual is influenced by society and in turn influences the society. Social psychology deals with interrelationships of people among themselves, likes and dislikes of people, attitudes and interests, the prejudices and social distances people have, group behaviour, group cohesiveness, group conflicts, etc.

h. Parapsychology:

Some of the psychological experiences are beyond the reach of 5 sense organs. That is why they are called extra sensory perceptions (ESP) or sixth sense. Some of the phenomena studied in ESP are as follows:

i. Clairvoyance:

This is referred to as television, which is seeing the distant things mentally. We perceive at times some situations or things without the help of our eyes. In total – seeing things which happen beyond our visual field through mind is called clairvoyance.

ii. Telepathy:

Transformations of emotions from one person to another person who is in a far of place. For example, a person who is in death bed remembering his close relative may be experienced by the concerned person who is far away from him.

iii. Psychokinesis:

Moving the objects without direct contact through power of mind is called Psychokinesis. For example, in Mahabharata, Shakuni could move dice with his power of mind.

iv. Precognition:

Knowing the future happenings well in advance. At times people will gain the knowledge of future called precognition. For example, some accident or disaster that may take place after sometime will be known before time.

v. Reincarnation:

This is otherwise called rebirth. There are some instances reported where people remember their previous life details.

vi. Contacting souls:

There are some reports that the souls of dead people are contacted through people called Mediums. These Mediums use a plate called Planchette or Ouija board and establish contact with souls.

2. Applied Branches:

Applied branches deal with the application of psychological principles and techniques for approaching the problems in different fields of life.

a. Educational psychology:

This is the most important field where psychological principles are applied. In the field of education ‘learner’ is the focal point. Other aspects like management, teachers, teaching and learning aids are all meant for learners.

Learners differ in their abilities, hence they need different approaches of teaching, learning material, etc. This branch addresses to the problems and improvement in teaching and learning processes.

b. Clinical psychology:

This branch deals with the therapeutic aspect of mental disorders. There are many types of mental illness requiring varied types of therapies like chemotherapy, psychotherapy, recreational and occupational therapies, behaviour therapy, etc.

c. Industrial psychology:

Human beings are different from machines. They will have many problems in their work place like adjustment, safety, security, health, financial and such other problems. Both the management and workers need to cooperate in dealing with such problems. Industrial psychology seeks application of psychological principles, theories and techniques for the study of all these problems and the industrial environment.

d. Counselling psychology:

Mental disorders may not be completely and easily cured just by drugs and other physical therapies.

5. Signify research subject of psychology. Psychology is the academic and applied study of mental functions and behaviors. The word "psychology" comes from two specific Greek words—psyche, which means "soul," "life," or "mind," and logia, which means "the study of." Simply put, psychology is the study of the mind. The overarching goal of psychology is to understand the behavior, mental functions, and emotional processes of human beings. This field ultimately aims to benefit society, partly through its focus on better understanding of mental health and mental illness. The subject of psychology is understood differently throughout history and from the perspective of different areas of psychology.

• Soul (all researchers until the early eighteenth century)

• The phenomena of consciousness (English empirical socialistiska psychology: D. Hartley, John Stuart mill, Alexander Bain, Herbert Spencer)

• Direct experience of the subject (structuralism — Wilhelm Wundt)

• Adaptability (functionalism — William James)

• The origin of mental operations (psychophysiology — Ivan Mikhailovich Sechenov)

• Behavior (behaviorism — John Watson)

• The unconscious (of depth psychology: psychoanalysis — Sigmund Freud, individual psychology — Alfred Adler, analytical psychology — Carl Gustav Jung)

• The processing of images and the results of these processes (Gestalt psychology — Max Wertheimer)

• The problem of being human (humanistic psychology — Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, Victor Frankl, Rollo may)

• The processes of information processing information system "brain", cognitive abilities (cognitive psychology — George Miller, Herbert Simon, Allen Newell, Noam Chomsky, David green, John sweets and others)

The object of psychology

The object of psychology is a collection of different media mental phenomena, including behavior, activities, relationships of people in big and small social groups.

Tasks of psychology

• learn to understand the nature of psychic phenomena;

• learn how to manage them;

• to use this knowledge to improve the effectiveness of the various sectors of practice;

• to be a theoretical basis for the practice of psychological services.

Methods of psychology methods of data collection (introspection, observation, study of performance, examination of documents, method of survey, method of tests, experiment, biographical method);

methods of data processing (statistical analysis, other mathematical methods);

the methods of psychological influence (discussion, training, formative experiment, persuasion, suggestion, relaxation, etc.).