Skip to main content
Chapter 1 of 7
Revision Notes

The Subject Psychology

ICSE · Class 11 · Psychology

Quick revision notes for The Subject Psychology — ICSE Class 11 Psychology. Key concepts, formulas, and definitions for last-minute revision.

44 questions42 flashcards5 concepts

Interactive on Super Tutor

Studying The Subject Psychology? Get the full interactive chapter.

Quizzes, flashcards, AI doubt-solver and a step-by-step study plan — built for revision notes and more.

1,000+ Class 11 students started this chapter today

Key Topics to Revise

1

1. Definitions of Psychology and Behaviour

  • The term Psychology comes from Greek words psyche meaning soul or mind and logos meaning science.
  • Aristotle defined Psychology as the science of soul and defined soul as an entity which realises an idea, is not separable from body, and has its abode in the human heart.
  • Rene Descartes defined Psychology as the science of consciousness.
2

2. Nature of Psychology

  • Psychology is a scientific body of knowledge because it uses observation, investigation, and generalisation.
  • Psychology is a positive science, not a normative science like logic or ethics.
  • It is a developing positive science, not a perfect pure science like Chemistry or Physics.
3

3. Historical Development: Pre-scientific Psychology

  • Early explanations of human behaviour were linked to cosmic forces and supernatural causes.
  • During the medieval period, evil forces, witchcraft, and black magic were believed to affect behaviour.
  • Greek philosophers shifted attention from the outer world to the inner self.
4

4. Schools of Thought in Scientific Psychology

  • Structuralism was the first school of thought in Psychology.
  • Structuralism focused on the structure or basic elements of conscious experience.
  • Structuralists used introspection to study the mind.

Get complete notes with diagrams and examples

Full Notes

Key Concepts

Psychology comes from psyche and logosAristotle defined Psychology as the sciencePsychology is a positive scienceBehaviour includes overt actions as wellBefore Psychology became scientific

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in The Subject Psychology for ICSE Class 11 Psychology?
Key topics in The Subject Psychology include Chapter Overview: The Subject Psychology, The Subject Psychology - Comprehensive Overview, Timeline showing how psychology's definition evolved from philosophical to scientific understanding. These are the concepts ICSE Class 11 examiners draw on most — study them first, then practise related questions.
How to score full marks in The Subject Psychology — ICSE Class 11 Psychology?
Understand the core concepts first, then work through the 44 practice questions available for this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly, and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

For serious students

Get the full The Subject Psychology chapter — for free.

Quizzes, flashcards, AI doubt-solver and a step-by-step study plan for ICSE Class 11 Psychology.