II. Discussion

Share your view with your group mates.

1. Psychology is an extremely varied and diverse field.

2. Psychologists can be scientists and practitioners. Which career do you prefer?

3. Why do you want to be a psychologist.

Text 2 What is psychology?

I. Vocabulary notes

to act	- вести себя, действовать
to react	- реагировать
to interact	- взаимодействовать
to be concerned with	- заниматься чем-либо, заботиться о чем- либо
thoughts	- мысли
feelings	- чувства
motivations	- мотивы, побуждения
in a sense	- в некотором смысле
to solve major problems	- решить основные проблемы
society	- общество
knowledge	- знание
amateur	- любитель, непрофессионал
science	- наука
quality of life	- качество, уровень жизни
to put to good use	- находить хорошее применение
common	- обычный, распространенный
scientific methods	- научные методы
observing	- наблюдение
measuring	- измерение
testing	- тестирование
to use statistics	- использовать статистику
to collect evidence	- собирать доказательства
to ease	- смягчать, смягчить
parental divorce	- развод родителей
to minimize accidents	- свести к минимуму (минимализировать)
rails	- рельсы, железные дороги
courts	- суды
eyewitness testimony	- свидетельства очевидцев
evidence	- доказательства, данные
on a date	- на свидании

Psychology studies people: how they think, how they act, react and interact.

Psychology is concerned with all aspects of behavior and the thoughts, feelings and motivations behind such behavior.

In a sense, you are already a psychologist: we all are. We are all in­terested in what makes people nervous, and how this understanding can help us to solve major problems in society.

Studies in psychology give you knowledge how to go from being an "amateur psychologist" to a professional one.

How can you learn the science about behavior? How can you use it to improve people's quality of life? How can you put your knowledge to good use in a career?

If you tell your friends you are interested in psychology, common re­actions might be "well, can you tell what I'm thinking then?" or "Psy­chology? That's all just logics, isn't it?" Because we know our behavior we all have theories about it.

To study psychology you have to learn scientific methods: observ­ing, measuring, testing, using statistics to show that what you find is reliable evidence. But psychologists do not simply collect evidence to explain people's behavior; they use their understanding to help people with difficulties.

For example, psychologists are concerned with practical problems such as:

• How can we ease the effects of parental divorce on children?

• How can we minimize accidents on roads, rails, in the air?

• How can the courts ensure that eyewitness testimony is reli­able?

• How should people act on a date — what do others find attrac­tive?

• How can we help people overcome depression, stress or phobias?

Adopted from: www.bsa.uk

EXERCISE 1

Answer the questions:

1. What does psychology study?

2. What is psychology concerned with?

3. How does one become a professional psychologist?

4. What is a common reaction when you say you are a psychologist?

5. Why does everyone have a theory about behavior?

6. What are some of the scientific methods in psychology?

7. Why do we need scientific methods in psychology?

8. How can psychologists help people on a date, for example?

EXERCISE 2

Translate the sentences:

1. Psychology studies people's behavior: actions, reactions, interact­ions.

2. I am very concerned with my English. I read English books every day.

3. Writers and psychologists are concerned with people's feelings and motivations.

4. Politicians are concerned with major problems in the society.

5. I have strong knowledge of mathematics and biology.

6. My mother is an amateur psychologist. She likes to talk about people's actions and motivations.

7. Psychology can improve people's quality of life.

8. To make their findings reliable scientists use observing, measuring and observations.

9. Psychologists collect reliable evidence about people's behavior.

EXERCISE 3

Make your own sentences with following words and word-combinations:

a. to act

b. to be concerned with

c. thoughts and feelings

d. in a sense

e. to solve problems

f. knowledge

g. put knowledge to good use

h. common reactions

i. measuring

j. to collect evidence

k. to explain people's behavior

1. to use understanding

m. parental divorce

n. eyewitness testimony

o. to have a date

p. depression

EXERCISE 4

Translate into English.

Мы все — психологи-любители. Мы наблюдаем, как ведут себя люди. Но этого недостаточно, чтобы помогать людям. Психологическое об­разование дает знания, помогает стать профессионалами. Психологи изучают поведение людей. Для этого они используют разные научные методы: наблюдение, тестирование, эксперименты. Ученые находят достоверные доказательства и пишут новые теории. Психологические теории помогают ответить на практические вопросы.