Psychology Studies the Mind and Human Behavior
The basic definition of psychology is the study of all mental processes and human behavior. The term comes from the Greek word “psyche”, which means spirit, soul or breath, and the word “logia”, which means study of something.
The Scientific Methods Used in Psychology
There are a lot of myths about psychology especially that it only relies on common sense. Psychology actually relies on various scientific methods to investigate desired questions and to find out the answer or conclusion. Through empirical methods, researchers can discover relationships between various variables. Psychologists use such techniques and methods to study human behavior and the human mind and they include experiments, naturalistic observation, case studies and various questionnaires.
Good Psychologists Consider Many Different Perspectives
If you look at the topic of violence, it can be observed in various different ways and perspectives. Some psychologists can approach it in the matter of how different parameters contribute to violence, whereas other psychologists may look at how different cultural, social and situational factors influence violence. The major perspectives in psychology are: humanistic, biological, evolutionary, cognitive and behavioral.
Various Different Sub-Fields of Psychology
The students are able to explore all the basics and approaches in the various specific areas of psychology, but in the end, they select only one as the main area of the research. They can choose between the personality, clinical, social, development and cognitive psychology, which are the biggest sub-fields of psychology.
Psychology is More Than a Therapy
It is certain that a therapy is a huge part of psychology, but it is not the only thing psychologist study and does. It encompasses various areas, which include research, teaching and consulting work. Many psychologists actually do not work in the mental health field. They can work in colleges or universities, schools, hospitals, private corporations, government offices etc.