EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY – IT’S MEANING, NATURE AND SCOPE

EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY – IT’S MEANING, NATURE AND SCOPE

In this age of science and technology, psychology has been considered as one of the

youngest, yet one of the most influential sciences. It has influenced education in many

different ways and has give a new turn; a psychological turn to the human mind. For a

skilful teacher in this day and age, a great deal of knowledge of educational psychology is highly indispensable.

The subject psychology has two aspects pure and applied. Pure psychology formulates

techniques for the study of human behaviour, which finds the practical shape in its

applied aspects, i.e. branches of applied psychology like clinical psychology, crime

psychology, industrial psychology, occupational psychology and educational psychology.

Educational Psychology as a Branch of Applied Psychology

As discussed above educational psychology is nothing but one of the branches of applied

psychology. It is an attempt to apply knowledge of pure psychology to the field of

education. It consists of application of psychological principles and techniques to human

behaviour in educational situations. In other words, Educational Psychology is a study of

the experience and behaviour of the learner in relation to educational environment. In

order to develop a clear understanding of the term educational psychology it is necessary

to understand the meaning of psychology and education separately.

Meaning of Psychology

Curiosity in man has led to know his surroundings which mainly conclude nature and

other fellow men. There is always a desire to ‘know’ what ‘one’ is, what is his

background, what is it made of, what are the associated factors and in what way can it be

useful to one self ? Each question will lead to more questions, Psychology forces to

answer many of the questions we have about ourselves, other people and the nature of

human life; why do we feel lonely ? Why do we forget ? How people learn ? What makes

someone creative ? Why do we take drugs ? What makes some one help others ? and so

on.

Psychology had its formal beginning when Wilhelm Wondt established his psychological

laboratory in Leipzig Germany in 1879. But in real sense, interest in psychology as a

discipline dates back to the work of Plato, Aristotle and other philosophers.

Psychology – The Science of Soul

The Greek Philosophers conceived psychology as a science of soul, as early as 400 B.C.

In fact, the term psychology literally means the science of soul. Etymologically, it is

composed of two Greek words “Psyche” and Logos means soul and science respectively.

Goeckel named it as psychologia. Soul is a being which dwells on the body and with the

end of life it leaves the body. Soul is a metaphysical idea. It can neither be perceived on

imagined nor its nature and function can be studied by scientific methods of observation,

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