Welcome to this first session of this course, psychology of everyday life . As we had told

in the introduction that we will try to understand behavior from various angle and going to the

realm of what is normal or how do we label abnormal . So, the most common word which

actually comes to our mind, when we talk of behavior is of course, you understand that

everybody behaves as long as they are alive and everybody is bothered about the behavior

of the others and this behavior and understanding, it has been a concern from the ages since,

probably almost Homo-Sapien started thinking.

So, let me tell a word about the format which we are going to follow is not it . What we

have decided that instead of giving you lot of theory and you try to discuss, pickup things

from our life around us and then discuss it.

So, it will be more of a conversation and we will try to give give you a specific inputs

. In in fact; in fact, those who are interested

in theories, those who are interested in the technical jargons,are we already have some

courses say like; introduction to psychology, brief introduction to psychology , you have

a course on psychiatry.

Yes, psychiatry in another one on how the brain creates mind.

um.

Then we havea course on biological basis of behavior.

Yes.

We have a course on psychology of adjustment.

So, there are five six courses already.

from where you can come across theories, models,different kinds of jargons, which are used in the technical

world.

This course specially, we havetailor made.

So, that we minimize on the jargons, we minimise on the number of concepts that we discuss

or the models, the theoretical prepositions or the empirical findings.

We do not want to engage ourselves into that.

Right . Our intention is towith very what you call

more glaringly visible kind of examples that we see around us, we take those examples,

we talk about them, Yes

so that people in general can become very much clear in terms of deciphering the nuances

of those behavior, which usually the clinical practitioners would do and then to understand

how much of it can be considered as aberrations, which require treatment or any other.

Right.

Kind of intervention.

So, it would help all of you and us also, that after each weekly videos which you see

, if you can ask more and more questions which Yeah

we will get for the next session.

So, maybe it will become more tailor made to your needs and so we are keeping it with

some broad framework and we are open to discussion.

So, please feel free to ask question at the end of it.

So, I would ask the first question to Professor Braj.

Yeah this word psychology has become very popular

and this psychology of every behavior, of everything of each act and of decisions of

language people are out and it has become a very-very popular also in magazines, in

we see our article on psychology almost.

So,I would like that if you could just tell us, whether this think of psychology is it

a phenomenon of the modern world or this process of trying to understand behavior was present

in the form of psychology in times immemorial and how did it evolve to the way it is now?

Um in fact, I must complement you, because the last part of your question had the answer

also.

Yes human beings by default are inquisitive in

nature.

We always have shown our interest in terms of understanding, how thing goes in and around

us.

Right things which are even unseen to us say like;

sitting in a closed room, I think of a space, I think of life after death.

So, things which are very difficult to visualize things which are extremely abstract, human

beings have been interested even in those things.

So, by nature we should accept the fact that as human beings, we have been very-very inquisitive

and this has helped us lot in terms of understanding the world around us, which includes our own

behavior.

Right Human beings by default have tried to understand

each and everything and there were people who were highlyaccurate in terms ofmaking

this kind of what you call introspection, based kind of an finding, which was derived

out of one's own experience and, because few more people you know their experiences also

came forward, then people started collating them and this is how knowah shape would have

come in terms of defining how human beings behave in general and gradually, society would

have given recognition to these individuals Right

Who were little more capable in terms of deciphering the behavior

Yeah of others.

Right And finally, this would have lead to some

kind of a stream, a discipline, which in turn lead to taxonomy.

Yeah So, now you have no terms for each and everything

you have symptoms , you have what you call classificatory mechanism,both what the WHO

does as the international classification of diseases or bothwhat the who does the international

classification of diseases or what the DSM does for psychiatric disorders and then finally,

people tried to package it, Um

as if this kind of behavior , a set of behavior would be classified as one kind of an anomaly

Right and this kind of an anomaly would benow, subjected

to x kind of a treatment, Yes

either through pills, drugs , injections Right

or kind of behavioral interventions.

Right So, people by default , they were inquisitive

and I think perhaps all human beings should bekind enough and graceful enough to accept

Yes that as you said in the beginning that people

are more keen at observing others Yes

than observing their own selves Their own selves.

and we find fault mostly in others compared to

ourselves ourselves and therefore, when the clinical

practitioners whether it is clinical psychologist, psychiatristeven those who are in the allied

areas of mental health and psychiatric nursing, psychiatric social work, all of them they

have a larger scope.

There are certain problems or conditions, whichever word one wants to use and there

are methods of identifying them, traditions will use the word diagnose them , I am using

a softer word for them.

So, you are able to identify the problem the nature of the problem and the kind of a mix

that you find in the behaviorwhich usually is not found in others.

Right right and then you say that ok this person is deviating

from the normal course and therefore, is diagnosed with some kind of an anomaly

Absolutely a disorder.

So, sitting in India ah, I think before we go further let us go back ,

Um because India has a ah, all Greece also had

it, and Europe also had it, and China also had it and that is go said 2500 3000 years

back, because all this oriental eastern culture, they always hadwriting,

Um whether a scripture or writing or philosophical

writing or just sermon, but they always had, if you look look at them now, even from the

lens of modern psychology, they always had this element of what psychology is in the

philosophy.

Um like Upanishads, if not Vedas

Um at least Upanishad with very-very deep introspection.

Um um um um The Indian philosophical systems had ways

of living, which they had devised like the pillars of society like; Dharm, Arth, Kama,

moksha right.

So, they already society even 3000 years back was evolving mechanism, which probably was

talking of mental well-being.

That is true that is true and then Buddha came

Um who was who; obviously, Buddhist philosophy

can be translated to the today at present day psychology to the nearest.

Um Right yeah

He was talking about um detachment and desires and all which we all talk about these days.

China had Confucius and Laozi Yeah .

and Greek philosophy , all mythology of Greece Um

is about psychology only . So, from this rich traditions, modern psychology would you agree

it is just a phenomena of um in the modern terminology of last 200 years maximum or less

than that ? Less than that, less than that.

Less than that 100 years.

But frankly speaking as you rightly said, we have this cultural, rich cultural repository

Yes . ah largely what people use to consider as

philosophy or as part of religion, Um

but even if youbreak even the elements of modern day psychology

Um you have behavior , the manifested behavior

as one of the components, Right,

the value belief system that the person has, Right,

and the kind of affective or the emotional response that individual has

Right to the stimulus the situation that one is

encountering as well as to the outcome Right

after the interaction with that situation is over.

Right And entire psychology is perhaps only about

how much of harmony you have been able to maintain and how much of conflict you have

been able to invite.

Right An entire discourse of disorder or

Right order right what in psychology you know, we

go for abnormal psychology, psychopathology Right

clinical psychology, even counseling psychology.

Right.

For instance; it is all about harmony and conflict.

Right.

So, in from if you if you just continue this that epics like Greek epics, Omar and specially

something like Mahabharata in India.

Um . Mahabharata almost probably brought out all

possible conflicts and though it never talks about the clear unconscious and conscious.

Um . So, it would fall nearer to more cognitive

framework , but it always talked about things, which can go or the things which can go into

a bizzare direction.

These are with persons involvement in handling and managing those things on a daily life

Um um um So so, probably what they were writing at

that time , they had probably realized what psychology is trying to treat today.

Exactly exactly, it was the full spectrum.

Absolutely.

So, right from one end to the extreme end.

Yes yes and and the so, prob in at least this one epic, both the pros and cons, the follies

and the rewards of both good behavior and bad behavior were mentioned.

Exactly.

Probably, they they were using more stories than

Um um ah directly putting theories, but even good behavior,

what appears as a good behavior does not always good, get good rewards or or good side also

may have a flip side to it.

Um um . Goodness of one angle can be badness.

That is true, seeonce you have a bright image of any object ,

Yes because you are looking from

Yeah perspective.

Yes.

So, say if that perspective is the light that you are emitting on the object,

Yes then that object by default would create a

darker shadow on the other side.

On the other side so, all good things would also have a flip sight.

Yeah.

So, so, even I would say, I mean it would, I am not trying to bring it to a very small

frame, but what Krishna was telling Arjun, when Arjun did not want to fight at the just

at the beginning of Mahabharata and the way Geeta

Um that was what Krishna told opens up, then

Arjun was probably having what in modern terms we would call as depression, acute onset of

depression or anxiety.

He was saying my hands are shivering this bows

Um slipping out of my hand, my mouth is drying

and my heart is and he was totally what he wanted to do was, run away . So, if somebody

comes with these symptoms to a modern day psychologist, what they would do is either

advised him cognitive behavior therapy or some behavior therapy or may be refer to a

psychiatrist for medication.

So, I often wonder what was Krishna having at that time, because the war was ready, everybody

was ready to fight, Um

and the main warrior is saying that I cannot.

So, he had mantras he could have told mantras he say it 108 times and, but he

Um He was not trying for that.

So, what probably he did was and this is very important to what our topic of our course,

because how do people handle the conflicts, the problems, the troubles which they face

in daily life on from their own resources.

Um So, what Krishna probably was doing is he

gave one shortest on the field cognitive behavior therapy.

Um In a so, in fact, many psychologist Indian

psychologists some of them have written on this episode.

Yes And they call it counseling counseling.

Counseling Ok, they say that Krishna did a fantastic

job.

Yes And the outcome was very visible.

Yeah, but I think it is more than counseling, because counseling is very-very problem oriented

Um focused which we will discuss later whereas,

psychotherapy goes to a deeper thing.

Geeta itself goes to much deeper levels.

Much deeper ha ha.

Than counseling would be what is the problem?

Why do not you want to fight?

He said no, I cannot fight my own relative.

He said fine, if you do not want to fight means ,I will tell you why you should fight,

but he it did not end there.

Um He went into the philosophical system, he

went into the ancient knowledge Um

which was existing Um

before Krishna.

So, usually usually in the modern day context, this is what will be considered to be part

of the CBT program.

CBT program or some as elements of psychodynamics Ha ha

And, but the surprising thing was that we have not been able to device any 90 minute

therapy till date.

[Laughter] So, what Krishna could do.

Um . So, that is one part of the psych psychology

which handles Um

But as a psychologistthey there are lot of other terms which come when you talk of psychology

Um Like organizational psychology, social psychology

Um Um and so on, so forth.

In fact, so, what is your take of that I mean are these divisions very valid or are they

just a functional divisions or I am not sure how many psychologists would

agree to my view point.

Yeah , my understanding and take on this matter

is that it is basically psychology is one Right

Because we have our own limitations . We cannot understand each and everything with the kind

of complex elements it has.

Right Therefore, we have split it into different

divisions.

Right So, if you are just looking at the behavior

in an or initial set up then we call itearlier, it was called industrial psychology, then

it become became industrial and organizational psychology

Yes Now, people call it organizational behavior

right.

You study the same human dynamics in a community set up, people call it it is community psychology.

Um . larger social system, then you call it social

psychology.

So, ah, but basically it is the nuances of that behavior still remains the same human

being is same whether you are in your house, in your family, in the society , in the community,

in the organization , on the table of a clinical practitioner

So, You are the same.

If I understand you correctly, what you mean that is the the basic frame the foundation

the pillars of psychology are the same, Exactly

The basic processes are the same, which come out of a general study of human behavior

Um And these when applied to a specific situations

can be worked out as various disciplines Exactly exactly

Yeah This is how people name them you know this

is one field of psychology this is.

Right right This is that field of psychology

So, this terminology, because this terminology has also entered the um it has been altered,

where lot of young people will agree, whoever doing management and all um what you said

of behavior dynamics and human resource management.

So, That is

I think all this, the moment people start studying the behavior

Um whatever terminology you may give, whatever

set of parameters you want to study, but ultimately it is all psychology.

Exactly.

Right Right

If you are setting the behavior of a soldier , so there is nothing called war behavior

it is like, Um .

You have to know why somebody is fighting ha for instance this very example you know

there is sub discipline You are right

It says know, it is military psychology Right right right

Now, I am a normal human being who is servingforce Right

My behavior Right

The components of my dynamics, human dynamics is the same.

Now I might say that ok this is very exceptional kind of a war place

Right Therefore I would like to rename it as military

psychology Um

, because I would be specifically looking at the induction program, mid carrier training

or say post war kind of a psychological outcomes Right

Somebody might say, but it is still organization.

Right Arm forces is also an organizational set up

Right So, why are you trying to you know de-link

between organizational behavior and military psychology

Right But people have fascination, know the world

is happy drawing lines after lines Yes yes

So,.

So, the what you have already said that there are, there is a behavior, there is a there

is a action, there is cognition; that is thought and judgment

Um And abstraction and all those qualities, there

is a emotion and then between these three there are attitudes, motivation

Exactly Right.

So, they remain universal as the human brain is evolved; is not it

Exactly So, In fact, we say that cognitive,

Um Conative,

Um And affective

Affective So, everything human being can be just reduced

to these three elements and the interplay of these three element is what is psychology.

So, for the benefit of people who are listening, affective means emotion

Emotions Cognitive is thought process,

The thought process with all judgment, rationality, Exactly

Abstraction, Um

Insight right.

Yeah yeah And conative means is what is related to the

will or intent an action Conative is action

Action yes Action.

So, the motor outcome is Motor outcomes

conition Yeah which also includes the will will

ha ha To some extent . All these areas blur actually,

the way neuro science will talk about Yeah, because because these are not say independent

they do not have independent existence.

Yes yes One will affect the other

Right So, all three will work in coordination right.

So, the more coordinated outcome it finally, elicits the more normal you are, you are the

most successful you are.If you have a problem in terms of what you feel and what you have

to do, Um

If there is an inconsistency, if there is adiscordance then of course, you will end

up in a trouble.

Right . So, what you are saying essentially is that

whatever difference of behavior we may see in people who do various things from a doctor

to a um politician, to soldier, to manager, to businessman, they are all superficial differences

in the field of action Um

As we go down deeper, the basic framework which pushes them to do will be the same

Exactly, exactly Their attitudes,

Um um Motivation.

Now yeah; obviously, because everybody will not act in the same field

Um So, as it becomes more complex then the fields

differ, but the basic reason for acting, the basic feelings, the basic thought process

is the same.

Is the same More or less

More or less yeah Within a certain range .

Um Obviously not everybody will behave in the

same way Yeah therefore, we have a classification of

normal, subnormal, abnormal, so we areright now looking at the broad range; Yes in which

large segment of this population will fall into

Right.

So, psychology should actually on the deeper level should unite people

It should, it should should, because if I know that I and you are the same and we are

governed by the same operating principle Right

then I should be able to appreciate the weirdness that I see in your behavior

Right And you should be able to appreciate the kind

of you know megalomania kind of an approach that I show in my behavior

Right, right.

So, What I would know the inherent components,

the dynamics that leads to this Yes yes

Kind of an outcome So, that is what probably people like Gandhi

realized early in their life Those who have realized yes, they have been

they have been a social celebrities They have been social celebrities and they

have also probably it is a very important word which is often .I see it is a problem

because lot of this deeper issues are been discussed in a very very popular fashionable

manners; like empathy is one word, everybody is talking about empathy, but I really wonder

to even practice empathy which is natural to the brain because of

Um You know, when we talk biology we will talk

about it, but people ah.

So, I think what you have, you already said it, because people have this tendency to make

theories around thing Um

So, when you make theories around things then obviously, you have to tell theories and,

but um developing genuine empathy probably would help people.

ah.

See we will of course, talk it with an with an example when we come to understanding behavior

from clinical, biological and social cultural prospective ah, but this is truethat something

which is a buzz word nowadays; empathy for instance,is something that we all have within

us um and it is just a matter of saycoining a strategy or prescribing a formatto train

somebody within a specific period Um

Which would magnify the reflection of this kind of an approach

Um . , but we all feelgood when we look at certain

things Um

We all feel attachment to certain things Um

we all feel clear and compassion for certain kinds of things

Um And these are the integral limits of empathy

Right, right.

So, so what you said is the that the fashionable things, because these days if you see, especially

in metros and all you have workshops on everything, how to be a good parent, how to how to do

the, how to . See let us let us let us take one examplenowadays,

I think for decades now perhaps Um

One of the widely used programs; Um

One is stress management the other is Yes

Anger management, I think that is a billion dollar industry

also Exactly exactly.

Now a stress is something which has Inherent to us

Inherent in, yeah yeah of course, it is inherent to us.

There is a biological mechanism Yes

And all stress will have to you know take a particular course

Right There is a psychological price that you pay

for it and there is also a psychological mechanism of handling it

Yeah Now, when thesewhat what you call as structured

kind of a training program were not there still stress was available and people were

handling it True

And especially in a collectivist culture like ours, where if you if you are watchman does

not see you for two days, next day he will ask

Right .

Um Now, we belong to a culture like that.

Yeah absolutely, absolutely Where you realize that people do demonstrate

their empathy towards others Right, right, right

There is a mechanism which will work as a buffer when you are know under duress

Absolutely But still as you said know this is a million

dollar Yeah

Industry.

So, of course, people practice it, there are.

I think it always has been, because everywhere in all the cultures probably

Exactly There were people who were telling and there

were people who were always listening [Laughter]

So, um, so the this was a broad way that psychology the broader term we have been able to introduce.

Um . I think can after this next section we will

move on to how do we look at what is mental health from whatever prospective.

Um . Thanks .