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Part of the book series: Practical Social Work

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Abstract

Psychology as a discipline is roughly one hundred years old, although interest in how we think, feel, react and interact stretches back a great deal further into human history. The development of psychology has been closely related to the work of academics in universities and similar institutions, and it is only during the last forty years or so that the practical applications of psychology have caught the imagination of people outside learned institutions. This of course has taken a variety of shapes and forms, for example in selection and training methods and advertising, as well as the ‘caring’ professions.

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Further Reading

  • There are a number of books which provide accounts of the various different approaches to psychology. Most of these are specialised and mainly of interest to psychologists. Hilgard, Atkinson and Atkinson (1979, 7th edn) is a good basic textbook and J. A. C. Brown’s Freud and the Post Freudians (1961), Bandura (1971), and Rogers (1970) give accounts of specific approaches.

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© 1984 British Association of Social Workers

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Nicolson, P., Bayne, R. (1984). What is Psychology?. In: Applied Psychology for Social Workers. Practical Social Work. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-17356-3_1

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