Psychology

Psychology is the scientifi c study of behavior and mental processes. The simplicity
of this defi nition is in some ways deceiving, concealing ongoing debates about how
broad the scope of psychology should be. Should psychologists limit themselves to
the study of outward, observable behavior? Is it possible to study thinking scientifically? Should the fi eld encompass the study of such diverse topics as physical and
mental health, perception, dreaming, and motivation? Is it appropriate to focus solely
on human behavior, or should the behavior of other species be included?
Most psychologists would argue that the field should be receptive to a variety of
viewpoints and approaches. Consequently, the phrase behavior and mental processes in
the definition of psychology must be understood to mean many things: It encompasses
not just what people do but also their thoughts, emotions, perceptions, reasoning processes,
memories, and even the biological activities that maintain bodily functioning.
Psychologists try to describe, predict, and explain human behavior and mental
processes, as well as helping to change and improve the lives of people and the world
in which they live. They use scientific methods to find answers that are far more
valid and legitimate than those resulting from intuition and speculation, which are
often inaccurate .
The Sub fields of Psychology:
Psychology’s Family Tree
As the study of psychology has grown, it has given rise to a number of sub fields
. The sub fields of psychology can be likened to an extended
family, with assorted nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and cousins who,
although they may not interact on a day-to-day basis, are related to one another,
because they share a common goal: understanding behavior. One way to identify
the key sub fields is to look at some of the basic questions about behavior that
they address.