Practical psychology is what?

Practical psychology is an applied discipline. This section of psychology, in which the study of the practical application of this science. Thus, scientific practical psychology is not synonymous with popular, everyday, everyday, and certainly not public "VKontakte." It finds application in practice - in working with patients and providing social spheres.

Terminology

Practical psychology is a science that is concentrated only in the field of psychology itself and its application in practice. Until the 19th century this section was called experimental, at present the synonym "applied" is common. However, applied psychology, although it also deals with the application of discipline in practice, focuses on its related areas of activity and studies it in specific areas: advertising, education, sports, etc.

To use epithets "applied" and "practical" in this case in the same sense is incorrect. Practical psychology is a branch of science that deals with the practice of psychology itself, and as for applied science, practice is directed at related fields. In addition, the practical speaks to society in the simple language of the inhabitants, in contrast to the dry, abundant terms of the exposition of applied discipline.

Problems

The theory is often ahead of practice, because of which in science there are weakly based assumptions and hypotheses. These gaps need to be filled in. In psychology, for practical purposes and filling in the gaps, the so-called metaphors are used-unsupported but working techniques that are a specific part of the discipline under consideration.

The problem, which is sharply put before practical psychology, is that the real world's requests do not correspond to the theoretical basis. From this come the basic tasks of this science.

The main tasks of practical psychology

The basic problems faced by practical psychology are dictated by the theoretical basis and conditions of the real world:

• Individual psychological counseling for patients whose disorders are partially or completely untreatable;
• Conducting group trainings (including in the corporate and business environment);
• Psychological support of social spheres.

Application

Knowledge of practical psychology is transmitted along a kind of chain: from psychology addressed to the therapist, and from the therapist (or psychoanalyst) are broadcast to his patient. Psychotherapeutic work is an essential part of practical psychology. Thus, individual client consulting is always associated with unique personal problems that do not have a concrete solution based on theoretical knowledge. That is why doctors check various techniques and their combinations, trying to understand what exactly is suitable for this or that patient.

The remaining questions can be very narrow - such as questions of personal success, time distribution, business psychology. Others, on the contrary, affect the broad strata of education or personal development.

Practical psychology and other branches of science

What does practical social psychology do? Now it becomes clear. The point is that to solve the problems of practical psychology we have to cooperate with other fields of science. This is how new applied industries appear, which receive their names depending on the sphere in which it is applied. It can be practical psychology of education, social, legal, medical, sports or pedagogical. All of them are united by a feature in the orientation toward the academic research field of knowledge.

Methods of practical psychology

A special place in applied industries is occupied by objective scientific methods, that is, carrying out experiments, observations and tests. The methods of academic psychology in this case are considered unfit. Studies of mental reality are inferior to real practice. This is largely due to human subjectivity.

The methods of practical psychology are usually classified into two types:

• Individual - used when working with one-on-one psychologist. This section includes psychoanalysis.
• Group - psychological consultations in the form of trainings, formation of gestalt groups and other types of correction in groups.

In addition, scientific methods are often borrowed from those industries with which this science cooperates and which form it. For example, methods of reinforcement and suggestion are borrowed from pedagogy.

The methodology of psychological counseling, in view of the complexity and specificity, should be considered separately. In general, it includes counseling and psychotherapeutic work.

Schools

The following schools are of great importance for practical psychology:

• Psychoanalysis was first proposed and introduced by Sigmund Freud and is still used today. It is based on the identification and study of unconscious internal and irrational drives.
• Behaviorism is the direction by which the main subject of study is not consciousness, but the behavior of the patient. Nowadays it is mostly replaced by cognitive psychology.
• Cognitive psychology - is focused on the cognitive processes of human consciousness: memory, attention, imagination. Also, research is concerned with the study of logical thinking, decision making and the problem of choice.
• Humanistic psychology is based on humanism, that is, love of a person as a person, recognition of this unique and integral system. Proceeding from this, the self-actualization and development of the personality, its adaptation in the society, creative self-expression, etc. are studied.

Training

Those interested in practical psychology can be educated on this specialization. Bachelors and masters in the appropriate direction prepare both public and private higher education institutions. In addition, this direction can be complementary to the main training profile. It is on this principle that graduates are being prepared, for example, the Kirov Institute of Practical Psychology.

Professions

Practical psychology is a division of knowledge that is used by representatives of the following professions:

• Doctor-psychotherapist;
• Coach coach;
• Psychologist-trainer.

And if for the first the presence of the basic psychological education is an obligatory condition, then, for example, the coach can have only an additional re-profiling. This is a vivid example of how the discipline in question comes into contact with the real world and its requirements - the goal before the coach is to promote and help the client achieve the goal. Practical and firmly standing on the feet of the task. Either it is done, or not.

In the context of psychological counseling, the task - to deal directly with the patient's problems - is also made precisely and clearly.

Practical psychology: books

Books in this area are related to the scientific and popular science genre. Often they answer specific questions: how to understand what other people feel and think; How to treat yourself and people? In addition, there are only educational publications (T. Gudkevich, "Practical Psychology: Introduction to the Specialty", M. Gulina, "Consultative Psychology: Textbook") and practical guidelines (D. Raigorodsky, "Psychological Counseling"; Tarabrina, "A practical guide to the psychology of post-traumatic stress").