NCERT Solutions Class 11 Psychology Chapter 1 What is Psychology?
NCERT Solutions Class 11 Psychology Chapter 1 What is Psychology?: National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 11 Psychology Chapter 1 Solutions – What is Psychology?.
Board |
NCERT |
Class |
11 |
Subject |
Psychology |
Chapter |
1 |
Chapter Name |
What is Psychology? |
Topic |
Exercise Solutions |
Review Questions
1.) What is behaviour? Give examples of overt and covert behaviour.
An organism’s behaviour is primarily what can be seen in its physical movements or activities. It results from the integration of sensory and brain components and is how an organism reacts to both internal and external stimuli. A hereditary predisposition exists as well.
There are two categories of behaviour: Overt behaviour and Covert behaviour.
Overt behaviour refers to actions that are obvious to others, such as laughing, chatting, dancing, and moving quickly. Nearly all bodily activities are Overt behaviour. Behavior that is hidden from view is what we call covert behaviour. The best examples of covert behaviour include thinking and imaginative activities.
2.) How can you distinguish scientific psychology from the popular notions about the discipline of psychology?
Common sense-based views of human behaviour may or may not hold up to scientific scrutiny. Common sense explanations of human behaviour are based on retrospect and only partially explain behaviour. As a science, psychology seeks for behavioural patterns that can be anticipated rather than described after the behaviour has place.
Psychology frequently produces scientific information that contradicts common sense. One such instance is a research by Dweck (1975). She was worried about kids who gave up too quickly when presented with a challenging situation or defeat. She questioned how she might assist them. Common sense dictates that we should give them simple challenges to solve in order to boost their success rate and confidence.We shouldn’t present children with challenging situations until later, when they will be able to handle them thanks to their growing confidence. Dweck’s research examined this. She took two groups of pupils who had had a 25-day arithmetic problem-solving training course. The first group received simple issues, which they consistently managed to solve. The issues in the second group were a combination of simple and complex. Obviously, they fell short when faced with complex issues. When this occurred, Dweck encouraged them to keep trying and persuaded them that their failure was the result of not trying hard enough. Following the training session, the two groups were each given a fresh set of mathematical issues. Dweck’s research contradicts what most people think. When faced with failure, individuals who had always succeeded because they were given simple issues to solve gave up far more quickly than those who had experienced both success and failure and had learned to blame failure on their lack of effort.
3.) Give a brief account of the evolution of psychology.
The modern discipline of psychology has a brief but illustrious background. It evolved from prehistoric philosophy. It goes through the following stages before becoming a scientific discipline:
i) Structuralism: William Wundt proposed it, and it is the earliest school of thought or method of psychology. Analysis of the human mind’s structure was of interest to structuralists.
They employed introspective methods to examine mental functions and experiences because they were curious about conscious experience and wanted to learn more about the fundamentals of the mind.
ii.) Functionalism is a method of psychology that was created by American psychologist William James. They (Functionalists) placed stress on the mind’s actions and consciousness’ role in adjusting to the environment.They also employed the introspective technique to examine mental processes and experiences, contending that consciousness is an ongoing stream of mental activities that cannot be divided into components.
iii.) Behaviourism: Developed by John B. Watson, who believed that behaviour could be objectively characterised in terms of stimuli and reactions and that psychology was the study of behaviour (S-R).
This method put out the idea that mentalist notions like consciousness, image, or mind cannot be quantified or analysed in an impartial manner by science.
Watson, who was motivated by Pavlov’s classical conditioning and was interested in the study of learning, placed a focus on a visible and verifiable reaction to stimuli.
iv.) Gestalt Psychology was developed in Germany by Wertheimer, Kohler, and Koffka as a reaction to structuralism.It concentrated on perceptual organisation (the organisation of what we perceive), and they also provided examples of its laws.When we look at the world, our perceptual experience is more than the sum of the components of the perceptions, or we give meaning to perception, according to Gestalt. For instance, when we look at a table, we do not see four wooden legs and a trapezoid plain surface above it; instead, we recognise it as a table.
V.) Psychoanalysis: Dr. Sigmund Freud proposed this method.He believed that human behaviour is a dynamic expression of subconscious wants and conflicts that we are now unaware of.His method for comprehending and treating psychological illnesses was psychoanalysis.
Vi.) Humanism: Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers were both proponents of humanism.They placed a strong emphasis on the fact that humans have free will, meaning they are able to do whatever they choose. All people have an intrinsic drive to self-actualize, and all human acts are purposeful and valuable, according to them. They also said that all beings aspire to develop and realise their inner potential, or what they are capable of achieving.
Vii.) Cognitive Perspective/Cortstructivism: This viewpoint combines the structuralist and the Gestalt approaches.This method focuses on cognition, or how we understand, perceive, remember, solve problems, and so on in order to know the world.The founders of this strategy are Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky.
The mind is considered to receive, process, transform, store, and retrieve information. It is dynamic, and people actively construct their minds as they interact with the social and physical environment, as well as interactions between adults and children. Cognitive psychologists see the human mind as an information processing system similar to a computer.
4.) What are the problems for which collaboration of psychologists with other disciplines can be fruitful? Take any two problems to explain.
Any field that works with people would recognise the value of understanding psychology. In a similar vein, psychologists recognise the importance of other fields of study in comprehending human behaviour. In the discipline of psychology, an interdisciplinary approach has emerged as a result of this tendency. The importance of psychology as a subject has been recognised by academics and researchers in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Psychology collaborates with the fields of neurology, physiology, biology, medicine, and computer science to research the brain and behaviour. Psychology collaborates with anthropology, sociology, social work, political science, and economics to investigate human behaviour (its meaning, growth, and development) in a socio-cultural framework. Psychology collaborates with literature, art, and music to examine the mental processes involved in producing these works.
Mass Communication: Both print and electronic media have made significant inroads into our daily lives. They significantly affect our thoughts, attitudes, and emotions. They have lessened cultural diversity while simultaneously bringing us closer together. Both of these fields intersect in the area of how media affects how children’s views and behaviour are formed. Developing ways for more effective and efficient communication is assisted by psychology. When reporting on breaking news, a journalist must be aware of the reader’s potential interest. Understanding characters’ motivations and feelings is crucial because the majority of stories centre on human occurrences. If a tale is grounded on psychological understanding and insight, it will have more effect.
Fine Arts: There are numerous places where music and psychology have come together. Music has been used by scientists to improve work performance. Another topic that has been the subject of several research is the relationship between music and emotions. Indian musicians have recently begun experimenting with what they refer to as “music therapy.” In this, several “Ragas” are used to treat various bodily afflictions. The effectiveness of music therapy has yet to be established.
In case you are missed :- NCERT Solution for Methods of Enquiry in Psychology
5.) Differentiate between (a) a psychologist and a psychiatrist (b) a counsellor and a clinical psychologist.
Anxiety, sadness, eating disorders, and persistent substance misuse are just a few examples of the several psychological illnesses that are the focus of clinical and counselling psychology. Counseling is a related field that helps people handle everyday difficulties and deal with difficult circumstances in order to enhance daily functioning.
Although a counselling psychologist occasionally works with clients who have less significant issues, their job is not dissimilar from that of clinical psychologists. Counseling psychologists frequently give advice to students regarding their personal issues and career aspirations.
Psychiatrists research the origins, prognosis, and treatment of psychiatric diseases in the same way that clinical psychologists do. What distinguishes psychiatrists from clinical psychologists? A clinical psychologist is one who holds a psychology degree and has undergone extensive training in the management of psychological illnesses. A psychiatrist, on the other hand, has a medical degree and has spent years specialising in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. One significant difference is that clinical psychologists cannot administer electroshock treatments whereas psychiatrists may.
6.) Describe some of the areas of everyday life where understanding of psychology can be put to practice.
Psychological knowledge is individually applicable in day-to-day living. You should utilise the psychological theories and techniques you learn in this course to analyse and comprehend who you are in relation to others. It’s not like we don’t consider ourselves. But very frequently, some of us have extremely high opinions of ourselves, and any criticism that goes against that perspective is ignored because we act defensively. In certain other situations, people start to run themselves down as a habit. We cannot develop in either circumstance. We must have a healthy self-perception that is both positive and balanced. You may apply psychological concepts in a constructive way to create healthy study habits that will enhance your memory and learning, as well as help you solve your personal and interpersonal difficulties by employing the best decision-making techniques. You may also utilise it to lessen or eliminate the pressure associated with exams. Because of this, having a basic understanding of psychology is beneficial in both our personal and societal lives.
7.) How can knowledge of the field of environmental psychology be used to promote environment friendly behaviour?
Environmental psychology oversees the examination of how physical factors including temperature, moisture, pollution, and catastrophic occurrences affect human behaviour and how they interact with human actions. A component of ecological brain research is the effect of environmental factors on people’s wellbeing, as well as exciting situations and worry feelings. Additionally, environmental psychology may be utilised to encourage people to use environmental resources sustainably in order to prevent natural disasters that are caused by human activity. The understanding of population expansion and how it affects the economy and agricultural requirements of the nation. Resources must be preserved in order to be used in the future. It’s also important to foster a sense of obligation to care for and support nature.
All of these issues support the development of environmentally friendly behaviour by people who are dependent on the environment for their livelihood.
8.) In terms of helping solve an important social problem such as crime, which branch of psychology do you think is most suitable. Identify the field and discuss the concerns of the psychologists working in this field.
Numerous distinct psychology specialities have developed over time to help us understand human behaviour and reaction.
The discipline of social psychology that examines the degree to which societal environment affects common people’s cognitive processes and how they get influenced indirectly by societal pressure or condition on them is relevant in terms of aiding in the solution of an important social problem like crime.
Social psychologists are interested in aspects, points, or circumstances that are directly or indirectly influenced by the general public, such as behaviour, conformity and loyalty to authority, relational fascination, accommodating behaviour, preference, hostility, social inspiration, within-group relationships, etc. Every one of these viewpoints is transmitted through the relationship between society and the individual who is a part of it.
A lawyer or criminologist can use this information to find out all possible answers that are related to that crime scene, such as questions about the circumstances under which a witness remembers a crime scene or what are the factors that influence the jury’s decision to render a fair decision. This information relates to the psychology of the criminal as well as the social environment in which he or she lives.
In case you are missed :- NCERT Solution for Human Development
For more updates follow our – net explanations homepage