Psychology, a term which specifies mental processes going on in our mind during a certain period, leading us to do specific actions. It is the study of human behaviour and cognitive processes. Psychology is more than just mental health. It gives rise to the ability of the mind and its tendency to think. Human behaviour and development are influenced by four major factors, Biological, Social, Educational, and Economic factors.
Let there be a man X. X is the most efficient and capable man. He has a considerable energy of character and is a sharp shrewd businessman. One day, while working, an accident took place in which a metal rod shot away from his hand and went straight through his face. It ripped through his face, entered his brain, and ripped past it as well.
After months of hardships, X finally recovered, although he had a bizarre mental transformation. He was nothing like before. He was now fitful, irreverent, and indulging. He started manifesting instead of doing actual work. X was not X anymore.
The above example shows us that damage to our brain alters how we think, react, speak, and eat, it alters who we are. Human behaviour is often influenced by Biological factors. We can divide biological factors into two main streams; the nervous system and hormones. Both equally affect our existence.
Social factors refer to the surroundings, the people, the cultural norms, the family to which we belong, the society in which we live, stereotypes, social media platforms, and gender roles, all equally contribute to the making of who we are. There is a vast network of uncensored information available for all age groups on social media. It starts to poison the pond when this information starts influencing how we live our lives. Fake and inflammatory news, targeting specific groups lead to communal and religious hate affecting and manipulating our mind. Such elements deteriorate the capacity of the brain and its scope for development.
Education is the most important aspect of human development. Everyone requires basic skills to be successful in their life, be it successfully understanding what the other person wants to communicate or work with tools. Educational factors contribute to the brain’s tendency to think outside of the box. Education leads to a person being more sophisticated than a person who lacks basic knowledge.
Economic factors play a key role in one’s development and human behaviour. Economic factors contribute to how our surroundings are and, thus, affect the course of our thinking. Poverty will lead a person to go through extreme situations, therefore leading a person to act in a certain manner which might not be acceptable in society hence, affecting human behaviour and development negatively.
To conclude, psychology consists of a broader range of topics from biology to economics, and social and cultural norms, all contribute to how we do every action in our lives. It contributes to our behaviour and development, both positively and negatively.