Educational Psychology (Father = E.L. Thorndike)
- According to James Drever: Education psychology is the branch of practical psychology that deals with the use of psychological theories and discoveries in education as well as psychological studies of education problems.
- Main Methods of Educational Psychology
| Observation Methods-Introspection Method -Observation/Extrospection Method -Experimental Method -Field Study Method | Exposition Methods-Case History Method -Survey Method -Comparative Method -Psycho-analytic Method -Psycho-physical Method -Interview Method -Genetic/Developmental Method -Experimental Method -Clinical Method-Testing Method -Differential Method -Statistical Method |
1) Introspection Method:
- It is propounded by Titchner.
- Self-observation: Introspection means observing one’s own behaviour through self-analysis. Subject and investigator are the same person.
- This method is the most subjective method.
- Oldest method of Psychology.
2) Observation Method:
- Related to Behaviourism.
- It is propounded by J.B. Watson.
- It means looking outside of oneself.
- Also known as the Extrospection Method.
- Helpful where experiments can’t be conducted – This method is suitable for observing children or abnormal people who can’t be studied through introspection.
3) Experimental Method:
- It is propounded by William Wundt (Father of Experimental Psychology).
- It is a systematic and scientific approach to research for establishing causal relationships.
- It is designed for establishing cause and effect relationships between two or more variables.
- Steps:
- Identification of the problem
- Formulation of hypothesis
- Designing the experiment
- Testing the hypothesis
- Interpretation and conclusion of results.
4) Clinical Method:
- It is propounded by Lightner Witmer.
- It is concerned with the detailed study of maladjusted individuals to diagnose specific problems and to suggest measures to improve upon them.
5) Developmental Method:
- It is propounded by Piaget.
- It studies a wide range of theoretical areas, such as, biological, social, emotional, and cognitive processes.
- It consists of empirical studies obtained through Longitudinal and Cross-sectional studies.
| Longitudinal Studies | Cross-sectional studies |
| One group of people studied over a period of time. | Participants of different ages studied at the same time. |
| Several points in time. | One point in time. |
| Same sample | Several samples. |
| Change at the individual level. | Snapshot at a given point in time, changes at a societal level. |
6) Case History Method: Given by Friedrich Le Play.
7) Survey Method:
- It is used to collect information from people at a large scale.
| Questionnaire | Checklist | Rating Scale | Inventory |
