[PDF Notes] What are the scopes of Educational Psychology?

Scope of the subject implies its field of study. Speaking in specific terms, it means the areas of study that are included in a particular subject.

The scope of Educational Psychology is securing greater and greater importance in the field of education. Educational psychology is the combination of two i.e. Educational and Psychology. So educational psychology is the study of behavior of the teacher, taught and persons connected to educational environment.

Educational psychology is, therefore, that branch of educational content, which deals with human behavior and its modification.

The following are included in the scope of Educational Psychology.

(1) Human Behavior:

It studies human behavior in educational situations. Psychology is the study of behavior and education deals with the modification of behavior and hence, educational psychology pervades in whole field of education.

(2) Growth and Development:

It studies growth and development of the child. How a child passes through various stages of growth and what are the characteristics of each stage are included in the study of Educational Psychology.

(3) Learning Process:

It studies the law of learning: learning is a major phenomenon in education. It studies how learning can take place most effectively and economically.

(4) Heredity and Environment:

To what extent heredity and environment contribute towards the growth of the individual and how this knowledge can be used for bringing about the optimum development of the child, form a salient feature of the scope of Educational Psychology.

(5) Personality:

Educational Psychology deals with the nature and development of the personality of an individual. In fact, education has been defined as an all-round development of the personality of an individual; personality development also implies a well-adjusted personality.

(6) Individual Difference:

Every individual differs from another and it is one of the fundamental facts of human nature, which has been brought to light by Educational Psychology. This one fact has revolutionized the concept and process of education.

(7) Intelligence and its Measurement:

The scope of Educational Psychology includes the study of the nature of intelligence as well as its measurement. This is of great importance for a teacher or an educator.

(8) Guidance and Counseling:

This is one of the most important fields or areas of study included in the field of Educational Psychology. Education is nothing but providing guidance to the growing child. Thus, guidance forms an important aspect of Educational Psychology.

The following five areas were named by American Psychological Associations:

(1) Human growth and development, including the effect of heredity and environment on various aspects of individual,

(2) Learning: The nature of learning process, factors influencing the learning process etc.,

(3) Personality and adjustment: It include many sub-topics, such as, mental health of the students and teachers character,

(4) Measurement and evaluation, statistics,

(5) Techniques and methods of Educational Psychology.

Thus, Educational Psychology describes and explains the learning experience of an individual from birth to old age. Its subject matter is concerned with the conditions that affect learning.