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This article will help you to make comparison between western psychology and Hindu psychology.
Comparison # Western Psychology:
1. General Objectives and Orientations:
Normative, aims to arrive at general laws and principles, places a high value on quantification and measurement.
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2. Relation to Other Disciplines:
While there are basic philosophical roots, mostly modelled after physical and natural sciences, attempts to be natural and value free.
3. Individual Cosmic Relationship:
Views the individual as an independent entity, with no relationship with cosmic reality.
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4. Evolution:
Implicitly accepts the view that the human being is the most evolved organism. Sees a lot of parallelism between human behaviour and animal behaviour.
5. Methods of Investigation:
Scientific methods, empirical investigations, experiments, case studies.
6. Individuality:
Emphasis on individual difference along a horizontal continuum as in the case of IQ tests and other psychometric tests or vertical dimension as in the case of Maslow’s heirarchy of motivation.
7. Body-Minded Relationship:
Guided mainly by body-mind dualism-predominantly inter- actionism-emphasis on the role of the body to a large extent. However, some schools of thought like humanistic psychology make an attempt to emphasize independence of psychological reality.
8. Structure and Function:
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Clear distinction between the structure of the personality and functional aspects. Pre- dominantaly emphasis on structure excepting in the case of some dynamic theories.
9. Heredity and Individual:
Traditionally heredity and environment were considered as opposite forces-increasing emphasis on the role of environment. Still heredity is considered important in determining intelligence, susceptibility to behaviour disorders and certain other areas.
10. Self-Concept:
The concept is emphasized by some schools-regarded as acquired and as part of the personality.
Comparison # Hindu Psychology:
1. General Objectives and Orientations:
Individualistic, though there may be some broad underlying currents of thought. Essentially directed towards individual adaptation, effective growth, development and happiness; the emphasis is on self-understanding rather than objective measurement.
2. Relation to Other Disciplines:
An inclusive approach, closely integrated with philosophical beliefs and value systems and also other branches of scientific knowledge. Does not make a distinction between philosophy, science and religion. It is more integrated and guided by a value system.
3. Individual Cosmic Relationship:
Individual life and actions are closely related to cosmic- reality. The former is a part of the latter.
4. Evolution:
Emphasis on evolution of the individual soul or self-through a series of births and rebirths; believes in the immortality of the soul and continuity of psychological development.
5. Methods of Investigation:
Based on understanding and awareness of experience-one’s own experience or authority of development.
6. Individuality:
Emphasis on the total individuality and uniqueness of each individual. In fact individuality is the central concept-individually does not mean merely individual differences. But the uniqueness of the total psychological make up of the individual.
7. Body-Minded Relationship:
Dualism-the emphasis is on the mind, the self and psychological processes. Body regarded as unreal and perishable while soul and mind are regarded as eternal.
8. Structure and Function:
The distinction between structure and function is there. But emphasis predominantly on function.
9. Heredity and Individual:
Distinction is made between heredity and environment. Emphasis is not on biological heredity, but on continuity of the role of psychological factors in the individual over a series of birth inheritance rather than heredity.
10. Self-Concept:
Self is the central concept, real psychological individual independent of the body and the mind. There is a distinction between empirical self and the real self.