Aiming to establish a new base for psychological education on the basis of 50 years of tradition Meisei University-University Journal Online

Known for the catchphrase of "Meisei University of Education," Meisei University has 11 faculties, 2008 departments, 2017 courses, and a correspondence course.In the humanities field, we have been promoting reforms such as establishing a new Faculty of Education based on the Department of Psychology and Education of the Faculty of Humanities in 50, but in XNUMX, the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Humanities, which has a history of XNUMX years, was the eighth. We are planning to power up to the Faculty of Psychology, which will be the faculty.From the beginning, the first national qualification in psychology, "Certified Public Psychologist" was also established, and expectations for the new faculty are further increasing.We asked Dr. Atsushi Sakai, who is planning to be the Dean of the Faculty, about why he is in the Faculty of Psychology, along with advice for the students.

What is Psychology?The subject of psychology is not the "mind"

　Before talking about the new faculty, I would like to reconfirm what psychology is in the first place.

　Generally, the subject of psychology is considered to be the "mind", but first of all, there is a big pitfall here. Psychology is often misunderstood as a dubious discipline that seeks to uncover the subjectivity of others, as the "mind" is often understood with nuances such as "the subjective thoughts of the individual."In addition, another misconception about psychology that "only those who want to be a counselor who wants to be a counselor to solve an individual's worries learn" also stems from the idea that psychology is a quest for the "mind."

　However, even if I enroll in the Department of Psychology with the interest of "I want to expose the subjectivity of others," that interest will not be satisfied.The subject of psychology is not the "mind" but the human being, and its purpose is not to expose the subjectivity of others.Therefore, if an examinee enrolls in the psychology department with such a misunderstanding about psychology, he / she may be worried because he / she will notice the difference from the actual situation after he / she starts studying at university.
　
　"Psychology" is a translation of English psychology, and its origins are the Greek words Psyche and Logos.Psyche is sometimes translated as "mind" in Japanese, but originally it means a living body, and the philosopher Aristotle also defines it as "a body that has the potential to live and work on the surrounding world." I am.Unlike the conventional wisdom that many modern people hold, "the mind resides in the body, but is clearly distinguished from the body," or "the subjective thoughts that individuals have," the world around us, In other words, we cannot talk about the "mind" separately from the "environment".Psyche (heart) originally refers to "a person who lives while interacting with the environment and others."Therefore, we think that psychology is "a study that scientifically explores living human beings while interacting with the environment and others, and uses the results to improve and solve practical problems in society." I am.