Introduction to Educational Psychology The word psychology is derived from Greek word psycho & logos . ‘Psycho’ means “soul” and ‘logos’ means “science”. The science of soul.
History Before 1870 psychology was not a separate discipline rather it was studied under Philosophy . Some of the contributors of psychology were as follows:- Wilhelm Wundt in 1879 opened first experimental laboratory in psychology at the University of Leipzig, Germany. He is considered as the father of psychology .
G. Stanley Hall A student of Wundt’s who established what many consider as the first American psychology laboratory at Johns Hopkins University in 1883. Hermann Ebbinghaus - A German who reported on the first experiments on memory, 1885. J. MckeenCattell – student of Wundt. Called as the 1st professor in Psychology in 1888. He was known for designing a personality test, the 16 PF.
American Psychological Association ( APA ) was established in 1892 and the founder was G. Stanley Hall . In 1896 John Dewey and William James supported the functionalism in Psychology. In 1896 Sigmund Freud developed the theory of psychoanalysis . On the basis of this therapy later on he developed the therapy of free association and dream analysis . In 1905 IQ test developed by Alfred Binet and Thiodore Simon .
Titchener – Wundt trained psychologist. introduced Structuralism in latter part of 19th century. Focused on mental structure and consciousness. Introspection as major method. William James – psychologist from Harvard, opposed structuralism and advocated functionalism, how conscious function.
Sigmund Freud – 20th century physician from Vienese introduced the psychoanalytic theory where human behavior is governed by the unconscious. John Watson – founded behaviorism in 1920. Ivan Pavlov – founded the behaviorism which focused on classical conditioning. Max Wertheimer – founded the Gestalt psychology in Germany. Gestalt means Form or Configuration.
In 1913 John B. Watson supported the behavioral aspects of psychology . In 1921 Swiss psychiatrist Hermann Rorschach devised a personality test based on patients' interpretations of inkblots which is named as Rorschach ink blot test . In 1921 First Nobel Prize for psychological research was given to Charles Frederick Menninger . In 1921, Ivan Pavlov developed the theory of classical conditioning through the experimental approach
In 1935 Gestalt Psychology came into existence . (Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Kohler, Kurt Koffka) B.F. skinner proposed the theory of Operant conditioning . Sigmund Freud - Psychoanalytic Theory He Studied neurology, but wanted to be a medical researcher, forced into being a private physician.
Abraham Maslow: Hierarchy of Needs: People ’ s struggle is to be the best they possibly can, known as self-actualization. Carl Rogers: Former minister; believed all people strive for perfection; some interrupted by a bad environment. They developed Humanistic Theory They said Everyone striving to reach their highest potential
Jean Piaget: developed Cognitive Theory studies children ’ s cognitive development. Thought Processes: Can infer mental processes from observable behavior. Noam Chomsky • Language • Cognitive Perspective • Humans have an inborn native ability to develop language. Lawrence Kohlberg • Pre-conventional morality • Conventional morality • Post-conventional morality
Howard Gardner • Theory of multiple intelligences – Practical intelligence – Emotional intelligence – Natural intelligence – Analytical intelligence Albert Bandura • Bobo Doll • Observational Learning • Social-Cognitive Perspective of personality. Gordon Allport • Cardinal Traits (dominant personality characteristic) • Central Traits • Secondary Traits • PERSONALITY theorist Carl Jung • People have conscious & unconscious awareness • Archetypes • Collective Unconscious
Concept of Psychology Meaning: The word "psychology" comes from the Greek word Psyche and Logos ‘Psycho’ means “soul” and ‘logos’ means “study of ” psychology means the study of soul
Psychology definitions in different stages First Stage: Psychology was defined as the “study of the soul” • Second Stage: It was again defined as the “study of the mind” • Third Stage: Again it was defined by William James (1890) as the “Study of Consciousness” • Fourth Stage: “Study of total Behaviour” (consciousness and unconsciousness).
Definitions of Psychology • According to Woodworth & Marquis “ first psychology lost its soul . Then it lost its mind . Then lost its consciousness , its still has behavior of sort ” . N.L. Munn defines “ Psychology today concerns itself with the scientific investigation of behaviour ” . Psychology is the study of human behavior and human relationships – Crow and Crow
Nature of psychology Emphasizes the search for truth. Belies in cause and effect relationship Having objective investigation, systematic and controlled observation. Predicting future developments. Helps in putting theory into practice. It emphasizes the search for truth by advocating objectivity, reliability and validity in the assessment of behaviour. It is scientific study of behaviour.
The study of behaviour can be verified by other experiments under similar conditions. The established facts, principles and laws of behaviour have universal applicability in practicle life. Description and quantification of behaviour is possible in psychology. It helps us to make dependable predictions about the organism in the light of its studied behaviour.
BRANCHES OF PSYCHOLOGY General psychology - study human development, emotions, motivation, learning, perception, thinking, memory, intelligence and processing. Abnormal psychology - study unusual pattern of behavior. Developmental Psychology- scientific study of changes that occur in human beings over the course of their life span Experimental Psychology- the scientific investigation of the responses of individuals to stimuli in controlled situations Social Psychology- social interactions, including their origins and their effects on the individual Behavioral Psychology- study the behaviors of living organisms. Biological Psychology - study of physiological, genetic, and developmental mechanisms of behavior in humans and non-human animals.
Cognitive Psychology- the study of mental processes such as "attention, language use, memory, perception, problem solving, creativity, and thinking. Comparative Psychology- scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of non-human animals, especially as these relate to the psycho-genetic history, adaptive significance, and development of behavior. Experimental Psychology- the ways and means of carrying out psychological experiments by using scientific method under controlled or laboratory setting.
Educational Psychology- The branch of psychology concerned with the scientific study of human learning. Clinical psychology- explains the causes of abnormal behaviour of a client and suggests individual or group therapy for the treatment of affected persons in society. Industrial psychology- seeks application of the psychological principals, theories and techniques for the study of human behaviour in relation to the industrial environment. It deals with selection, training, solutions for labour problems. Forensic Psychology - the intersection between psychology and the justice system. Health Psychology -the study of psychological and behavioral processes in health, illness, and healthcare.
What is Educational psychology? Educational psychology is the branch of applied psychology . It is the scientific study of human behaviour in educational setting. What do we mean by behavior Behavior is any action or reaction which causes a human or animal to adapt to its environment. Behavior can be overt =observable Behavior can be covert =internal or hidden
It is an attempt to apply the knowledge of psychology to the field of education . Educational psychology is mainly devoted to an understanding of the different aspects of the teaching-learning process . It helps the teacher to understand the development of his pupils, the range and limits of their capacities the process by which they learn and their social relationships. In other words , educational psychology is the study of the experience and behavior of the learner in relation to educational environment .
Definitions of Educational psychology According to Crow and Crow “ Educational Psychology describes and explains the learning experience of an individual from birth through old age ”. • According to Peel, Educational Psychology is the science of education . B.F Skinner defines It is that branch of psychology which deals with teaching and learning.
Stephen– Educational Psychology is the systematic study of the educational growth and development of a child. Educational psychology is concerned with nature, conditions, outcomes and evaluation of school learning and retention by Ausubel , David P. Finally educational psychology is processes of teaching and learning that take place within formal environments and developing ways of improving those methods.
Educational psychology is concerned with an understanding of: The child - his development, his need and his potentialities The learning situation including group dynamics and its effect on learning The learning process -its nature and the ways to make it effective. Stated differently, the Central theme of Educational Psychology is Psychology of learning.
NATURE OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY Following are the important characteristics of the nature of educational psychology: It is an applied branch of fundamental Psychology . It combines two fields - Education and Psychology . It is the scientific study of human behaviour in educational situations .
It is concerned with these factors, principles and techniques which relate to the various aspects of a child‘s growth and development . It is concerned with learning situation and process by which learning can be more efficient and effective . Educational Psychology, draws heavily from various branches of psychology, biology sociology and anthropology Educational Psychology is not as exact as natural sciences since the human behavior cannot be predicated exactly, because it is dynamic. Educational Psychology is a science of education dealing primarily with how, when and what of education .
Focal areas covered by Educational Psychology are: The Learner. The Learning Experiences The Learning Process. The Learning Situation or Environment The Teacher Evaluation of the Learning Process
The Learner The term learner applies to students individually or collectively, who participate in educational programmes. The subject-matter of educational psychology is knitted around the learner. Educational psychology as an applied branch deals with the study of the problems a learner may face and how such problems can be managed.
The Learning Experiences Educational psychology helps in deciding what learning experiences, activities and skills are desirable at each stage of the growth and development of the learner, so that these experiences can be acquired with greater ease and satisfaction.
The Learning Process Educational psychology discusses laws, principles and theories of learning. Other items in the learning process are remembering and forgetting, perceiving, concept formation, thinking and reasoning.
The Learning Situation or Environment This aspect of Educational Psychology deals with the environmental factors and learning situations which come midway between the learner and the teacher. Topics like classroom climate and group dynamics, practices that facilitate learning, evaluation techniques and practices are all considered to be a part of the subject-matter of educational psychology.
The Teacher Educational psychology discusses topics such as the teacher’s conflicts, motivation, anxiety, adjustment, and level of aspiration, and how these factors affect the learning process .
Evaluation of the Learning Process Educational psychology equips the teacher with different methods of assessment that can be used, and how and when to use them.
Relevance of Educational Psychology to the Teacher ( Contd ) Understanding Learners Helps teachers understand students’ cognitive, emotional, and social development, enabling them to teach effectively according to age and ability. Improving Teaching Methods Guides teachers in selecting appropriate teaching strategies, learning activities, and instructional materials to enhance learning outcomes. Managing Classroom Behavior Provides insights into behavior management, helping teachers maintain discipline and create a positive learning environment.
Addressing Individual Differences Helps teachers recognize and accommodate diverse learning needs, abilities, and interests, including those of gifted and special needs students. Enhancing Motivation Assists teachers in motivating students by understanding what drives learning and engagement. Assessment and Evaluation Informs teachers on designing, administering, and interpreting assessments to improve student learning and instructional planning. Professional Growth Encourages teachers’ self-reflection, empathy, and emotional intelligence, contributing to more effective and fulfilling teaching.
Methods of Educational Psychology Introspection method Observation method Experimental method Case history method
Methods of Educational Psychology cont.. 1 . Introspection method: This method which is the oldest method of studying behaviour where the learner should make a self-observation, i.e. looking inwards. For example, when a person is angry he may be asked to determine how he felt during that period of anger by his own observation. This method is simple, direct, cheap and reveals one’s behaviour. But this method lacks reliability and can be used only for adult normal human beings.
2 . Observation method: In this method the learner’s behaviour is observed under natural conditions by other individuals. Such observation will be interpreted according to the perception of the observer. This helps to find out behaviour by observing a person’s external behaviour. For example, if a person frowns we can say that he is angry. But when we are studying behaviour in natural conditions we have to wait for the event to take place. This method is helpful in studying the behaviour of the children. However, this method will explain only observed behaviour, subjectivity of the investigation may affect the results.
3. Experimental method: In this method, behaviour is observed and recorded under controlled conditions. This is done in psychological laboratory or in classrooms or outside the classrooms. Accordingly the cause and effect relationships are established. Theories of behaviour can be developed. These experiments require the creation of artificial environment. Therefore, the scope is limited. Human behaviour is very dynamic and unpredictable. This method is also costly and time consuming.
4 . Case history method: This method is one of the steps used in the clinical method of studying behaviour. This method is used for those who are suffering from physical or mental disorders. For this the case history has to be made of the earlier experiences of the individual which may be responsible for the present behaviour. Information is also collected from his parents, family, relatives, guardians, neighbours , friends, teachers, and from reports about the individual’s past. This information will enable the clinical psychologists to diagnose and suggest treatment if there is any problem. However, this method will be successful only if the clinical researcher is technically efficient. The findings are limited to the individuals observed and the findings cannot be generalized.
Section two Learner Developmental Characteristics and Individual Differences 2.1 Learner Developmental Characteristics Understanding learner developmental characteristics is fundamental in education because it provides insights into how students grow, change, and differ in their learning capacities, interests, and behaviors. Development is a lifelong process, and in school contexts, teachers need to recognize the physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and moral changes that influence learners’ performance and adjustment.
2.1.1 Definition of Development and Related Terms Development refers to the systematic and progressive changes that occur in an individual throughout the lifespan, beginning from conception to death. These changes are generally orderly, cumulative, and directional , moving from simpler to more complex forms of functioning. Development involves both quantitative changes (measurable aspects such as height, weight, vocabulary) and qualitative changes (such as reasoning ability, emotional maturity, and social skills).
Growth : Growth is the biological increase in size, weight, height, and other measurable physical attributes of the body. It is quantitative in nature and is one aspect of development. For example, a child growing taller and heavier shows growth. B. Maturation : Maturation refers to the natural unfolding of abilities and characteristics determined largely by heredity. It is the process through which genetic potentials are realized with time. For example, the onset of puberty or the ability to walk is primarily a result of maturation.
Terms cont.. C. Learning : Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior, knowledge, skills, or attitudes that occurs through practice and experience. Unlike maturation, it is not automatic but depends on interaction with the environment. For instance, acquiring mathematical problem-solving skills or learning to read requires instruction and practice. Developmental Characteristics : These are the unique features or patterns of change that learners exhibit at different stages of growth. For example, during adolescence, learners may show rapid physical growth, heightened emotional sensitivity, and a strong need for peer acceptance. Generally, development is a broader concept that encompasses growth, maturation, and learning . Growth provides the physical basis, maturation sets the biological limits, and learning refines and extends abilities. Together, they shape the holistic development of learners.
2.1.2 Dimensions of Development Human development is a multidimensional process that occurs across different but interrelated domains. Each dimension contributes to shaping how learners grow, think, interact, and adapt to their environments.
1. Physical development Refers to biological and bodily changes such as growth in height, weight, brain maturation, sensory abilities, and motor skills. It also includes health status, puberty, and physical fitness. In the classroom, physical development influences learners’ energy levels, handwriting, participation in physical activities, and even attention span. 2. Cognitive Development Involves the processes of thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, memory, and language acquisition. Theories such as Jean Piaget’s cognitive stages (from concrete to abstract reasoning) and Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (emphasizing social interaction and the Zone of Proximal Development) explain how children learn and build knowledge. Cognitive development directly affects academic performance, learning strategies, and creativity .
Dimension cont … 3. Emotional Development Concerns the recognition, expression, and regulation of emotions such as joy, anger, fear, and empathy. Emotional maturity contributes to resilience, self-esteem, and motivation. Learners with strong emotional regulation often display better classroom behavior and adaptability to challenges. 4. Social Development Refers to the ability to interact effectively with others, form friendships, and adapt to social norms. Family, peers, teachers, and culture all shape social development. In school, cooperative learning, peer influence, and group work are key aspects that demonstrate this dimension .
5. Moral Development Refers to the formation of values, ethical reasoning, and a sense of right and wrong. Theories like Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning explain how individuals progress from obedience to higher principles of justice and fairness. In education, moral development is nurtured through role modeling, value-based discussions, and real-life ethical dilemmas.
Controversies in Development Although development is widely studied, there are several debates and controversies about how it occurs, what drives it, and whether its patterns are universal or variable. These controversies influence how educators, psychologists, and researchers understand learners and design interventions . Four major controversies Nature vs. Nurture Continuity vs. Discontinuity Stability vs. Change Universality vs. Context-Specificity
Cont … 1. Nature vs. Nurture Nature refers to hereditary and biological factors such as genes, brain structures, and physical makeup that influence development. Nurture refers to environmental influences such as family, culture, education, and life experiences. 2. Continuity vs. Discontinuity Continuity suggests development is a slow, cumulative process where changes occur gradually (e.g., learning vocabulary). Discontinuity suggests development happens in distinct stages, with qualitative shifts (e.g., Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, Erikson’s psychosocial stages).
3. Stability vs. Change Stability implies that individual characteristics such as temperament, personality, or intelligence remain relatively consistent over time. Change implies that traits can be altered by experiences, education, and environment. 4. Universality vs. Context-Specificity Universality argues that developmental patterns are the same for all humans regardless of culture (e.g., cognitive milestones like object permanence). Context-Specificity argues that development is shaped by cultural, social, and environmental contexts (e.g., social roles, language use, moral values ). Generally, Development is complex, multidimensional, and dynamic . No single factor or theory can fully explain it
Individual Differences Individual differences refer to the variations or uniqueness among learners in terms of their abilities, learning styles, personality traits, and other characteristics. Even when learners are of the same age or in the same class, they can differ significantly in how they learn, respond to instruction, and interact with peers. Abilities and intelligence (e.g., quick vs. gradual learners). Personality traits (e.g., introverted vs. extroverted). Learning styles Cultural and linguistic backgrounds . Motivation and interests . Special educational needs or disabilities .
Types of Individual Differences cont …. Cognitive Abilities Learners vary in intelligence, memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Some may excel in analytical tasks, while others are better at creative or practical activities. Learning Styles and Preferences Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners process information differently. Preferences influence how learners understand concepts, retain knowledge, and engage in tasks. Personality Traits Introversion vs. extroversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and emotional stability affect classroom behavior and learning interactions. Personality impacts participation, motivation, and peer relationships.
4. Motivation and Interests Learners differ in intrinsic or extrinsic motivation, curiosity, and goal orientation. Highly motivated learners tend to persist in challenges, whereas less motivated learners may need additional support. 5. Cultural and Linguistic Backgrounds Differences in language, customs, and cultural expectations influence communication, learning styles, and classroom participation. 6. Special Needs and Disabilities Learners with physical, cognitive, or sensory impairments require adaptations in teaching methods and learning materials.