8 Psychology Basics You Need to Know

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsThe Study of the Mind and BehaviorScientific MethodsMultiple PerspectivesPsychology SubfieldsBeyond Mental HealthWide InfluenceCareer PathsMaking Human Lives Better

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

The Study of the Mind and Behavior

Scientific Methods

Multiple Perspectives

Psychology Subfields

Beyond Mental Health

Wide Influence

Career Paths

Making Human Lives Better

Close

Psychology can be fun and fascinating, but it can also be a little bit daunting if you have no background in the subject. If you want to start studying this social science, it can be helpful to start with the basics. It’s not required (or even offered) in many high schools, so your college Intro to Psych class might be your first experience learning about psychology.

Psychology encompasses the scientific study of the human mind and behavior as well as the application of these principles to help prevent, treat, and diagnose mental health conditions. Psychologists explore both typical and atypical behavior to understand the human experience fully.

At a GlancePsychology plays an important role in helping people live better lives. By learning about thebasics of behavior and the human mind, people can better understand themselves and others. It may seem a vast and daunting topic initially, but understanding a few basic facts can make it easier to start. Once you understand the basics, you will be better prepared to explore ways psychology may help improve your everyday life, health, and well-being. So, let’s take a closer look at the science of psychology, how it studies the human mind and other key facts, you should know.

At a Glance

Psychology plays an important role in helping people live better lives. By learning about thebasics of behavior and the human mind, people can better understand themselves and others. It may seem a vast and daunting topic initially, but understanding a few basic facts can make it easier to start. Once you understand the basics, you will be better prepared to explore ways psychology may help improve your everyday life, health, and well-being. So, let’s take a closer look at the science of psychology, how it studies the human mind and other key facts, you should know.

Psychology Is the Study of the Mind and Behavior

Psychology can be defined as the study of mental processes and behavior. The term comes from the Greek wordspsyche,meaning “breath, spirit, soul,” andlogia,meaning “study of.”

Psychology has not always existed as it has today. In fact, it is considered a relatively young discipline, although, as the eminent psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus explained, it has a short past but along history.

Psychology emerged from biology and philosophy and is closely linked to other disciplines including sociology, medicine, linguistics, and anthropology.

Psychology has quickly grown to play a tremendous role in the world today.Psychologists are employedin hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, colleges and universities, government agencies, private businesses, and private practices.

They perform a wide variety of tasks and roles ranging from treating mental illness to performing research to influencing public health policy.

Psychology Relies on Scientific Methods

One of the mostcommon mythsabout psychology is that it is just “common sense.” The problem with this is that psychological research has helped demonstrate that many of the things that we believe are just common sense are actually not true at all.

For instance, it’s become “common sense” that smoking cigarettes is dangerous. However, people continue to smoke anyway. Psychology helps us go deeper than common sense and understand why human behavior occurs, as well as how to change it.

By challenging some of our misconceptions about how and why people behave as they do, psychologists are able to provide answers that help solve real-world problems.

Psychology relieson scientific methodsto investigate questions and arrive at conclusions. Using empirical methods, researchers are able to discover relationships between different variables.

Psychologists use a range of techniques to study the human mind and behavior, includingnaturalistic observation, experiments,case studies, and questionnaires.

Psychologists Take Multiple Perspectives

Topics and questions in psychology can be looked at in a number of different ways. Each perspective helps contribute a new level of understanding to a topic. Some of the major perspectives in psychologyinclude:

Imagine, for example, that psychologists are trying to understand the different factors that contribute to bullying.

No single perspective is the only way of looking at or thinking about a problem. Each one contributes to our understanding of a topic and allows researchers to analyze the myriad influences that contribute to certain actions.

Then, they can come up with multi-faceted solutions to combat problematic actions and encourage better outcomes and healthier behaviors.Looking at the problem from different perspectives allows psychologists to come up with better solutions.

Psychology Has Subfields

In addition to many different perspectives, there are manybranches of psychology. Psychologists often opt to specialize in a particular area. Some of the biggest subfields within psychology include the following areas:

Psychology Is More Than Mental Health

When you think of psychology, do you envision a therapist jotting down notes as a client recounts childhood experiences?

While therapy is certainly a big part of psychology, it is not the only thing that psychologists do.

In fact, many psychologists don’t work in the field of mental health at all. Psychology encompasses other areas including teaching, research, and consulting.

Mental health is certainly a major area of interest in psychology, but psychologists also do things such ashelp athleteshone their motivation andmental focus, help design products that are safe and useful, and help businesses understand how to influence consumers.

Psychology Is All Around You

Psychology is not just an academic subject that exists only in classrooms, research labs, and mental health offices. The principles of psychology can be seen all around you in everyday situations.

The television commercials and print ads you see every day rely on psychology to develop marketing messages that influence andpersuadepeople to purchase the advertised products. The websites you visit on a regular basis utilize psychology to understand how people read, use, and interpret online information.

Psychology can also play a role in improving your health and well-being. For example, understanding some of the basic principles ofbehavioral psychologymight come in handy if you are trying to break a bad habit and establish new routines.

Knowing more about some of the things that motivate behavior can be useful if you are trying to stick to a weight loss plan or exercise regimen. Overcoming phobias, managing stress, improving communication skills, andmaking better decisionsare just a few of the things with which psychology can help.

Psychology Has Many Career Paths

No matter the reason, building a better understanding ofemotion,motivation, cognition,love, communication, and research methods will serve you well.

Understanding Career Paths Can Help You Choose the Right Professional

For example, if your child is experiencing problems at school, you might seek advice from aschool psychologistspecializing in helping kids deal with academic, social, emotional, and other issues.

Suppose you are concerned about an elderly parent or grandparent. In that case, you might want to consult with a developmental psychologist who is specially trained and knowledgeable in issues related to the aging process.

It Can Also Help You Choose Your Own Career

Understanding the different training and licensing requirements for different specialty areas can help you determine which professional is right for your needs. If you are trying to select a psychotherapist, it may also be helpful to learn more about which professionals canprovide therapy services.

If you are thinking about majoring in psychology, there are many career paths to choose from. These depend largely on your educational level and work experience, so it is important to research the training and licensing requirements of your chosen specialty area.

Psychology Career OptionsJust a few of the possiblecareer optionsinclude:Clinical psychologyForensic psychologyHealth psychologyIndustrial-organizational psychologyExperimental psychologySchool psychology

Psychology Career Options

Just a few of the possiblecareer optionsinclude:Clinical psychologyForensic psychologyHealth psychologyIndustrial-organizational psychologyExperimental psychologySchool psychology

Just a few of the possiblecareer optionsinclude:

20 Different Types of Psychologists and What They Do

Psychologists Make Human Lives Better

And finally, many psychologists devote their lives to helping people who are struggling with psychological issues.

You may find these professionals working in hospitals, mental health clinics, private practices, and other settings to diagnose psychological disorders and provide psychotherapy to people from all walks of life.

While the work of psychologists may be highly varied, they all share one overriding goal: to help people live better lives.

Takeaways

Psychology is a rich and fascinating subject that has practical applications in many areas of life. If you have ever wanted to learn more about why people think and act the way they do, then studying psychology is a great way to gain greater insight into the human experience.

30+ Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Psychology

16 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Healthcare Simulation Dictionary.Morris EK.Introduction to teaching the history of behavior analysis: Past, purpose, and prologue.Perspect Behav Sci. 2022;45(4):697-710. doi:10.1007/s40614-022-00356-9Kelley HH.Common-sense psychology and scientific psychology.Annual Review of Psychology. 1992;43(1):1-24. doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.43.020192.000245Smith KV, Thew GR.Conducting research in clinical psychology practice: Barriers, facilitators, and recommendations.Br J Clin Psychol. 2017;56(3):347-356. doi:10.1111/bjc.12142King LA.The science of psychology : An appreciative view. Mcgraw-Hill Education; 2017.American Psychological Association.Helping people improve their lives.American Psychological Association.Clinical psychology.American Psychological Association.Cognitive psychology.American Psychological Association.Developmental psychology.American Psychological Association.What is forensic psychology?American Psychological Association.Industrial and organizational psychology.American Psychological Association.Personality psychology.American Psychological Association.Pursuing a career in social psychology.Eisman, E. J., & Wright, C. V.Related subfields in psychology. In J. C. Norcross, G. R. VandenBos, D. K. Freedheim, & L. F. Campbell (Eds.),APA handbook of clinical psychology: Education and profession(pp. 437–453). American Psychological Association; 2016. doi:10.1037/14774-027Garett R, Chiu J, Zhang L, Young SD.A literature review: Website design and user engagement.Online J Commun Media Technol. 2016;6(3):1-14.U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational outlook handbook: Psychologists.

16 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Healthcare Simulation Dictionary.Morris EK.Introduction to teaching the history of behavior analysis: Past, purpose, and prologue.Perspect Behav Sci. 2022;45(4):697-710. doi:10.1007/s40614-022-00356-9Kelley HH.Common-sense psychology and scientific psychology.Annual Review of Psychology. 1992;43(1):1-24. doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.43.020192.000245Smith KV, Thew GR.Conducting research in clinical psychology practice: Barriers, facilitators, and recommendations.Br J Clin Psychol. 2017;56(3):347-356. doi:10.1111/bjc.12142King LA.The science of psychology : An appreciative view. Mcgraw-Hill Education; 2017.American Psychological Association.Helping people improve their lives.American Psychological Association.Clinical psychology.American Psychological Association.Cognitive psychology.American Psychological Association.Developmental psychology.American Psychological Association.What is forensic psychology?American Psychological Association.Industrial and organizational psychology.American Psychological Association.Personality psychology.American Psychological Association.Pursuing a career in social psychology.Eisman, E. J., & Wright, C. V.Related subfields in psychology. In J. C. Norcross, G. R. VandenBos, D. K. Freedheim, & L. F. Campbell (Eds.),APA handbook of clinical psychology: Education and profession(pp. 437–453). American Psychological Association; 2016. doi:10.1037/14774-027Garett R, Chiu J, Zhang L, Young SD.A literature review: Website design and user engagement.Online J Commun Media Technol. 2016;6(3):1-14.U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational outlook handbook: Psychologists.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Healthcare Simulation Dictionary.Morris EK.Introduction to teaching the history of behavior analysis: Past, purpose, and prologue.Perspect Behav Sci. 2022;45(4):697-710. doi:10.1007/s40614-022-00356-9Kelley HH.Common-sense psychology and scientific psychology.Annual Review of Psychology. 1992;43(1):1-24. doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.43.020192.000245Smith KV, Thew GR.Conducting research in clinical psychology practice: Barriers, facilitators, and recommendations.Br J Clin Psychol. 2017;56(3):347-356. doi:10.1111/bjc.12142King LA.The science of psychology : An appreciative view. Mcgraw-Hill Education; 2017.American Psychological Association.Helping people improve their lives.American Psychological Association.Clinical psychology.American Psychological Association.Cognitive psychology.American Psychological Association.Developmental psychology.American Psychological Association.What is forensic psychology?American Psychological Association.Industrial and organizational psychology.American Psychological Association.Personality psychology.American Psychological Association.Pursuing a career in social psychology.Eisman, E. J., & Wright, C. V.Related subfields in psychology. In J. C. Norcross, G. R. VandenBos, D. K. Freedheim, & L. F. Campbell (Eds.),APA handbook of clinical psychology: Education and profession(pp. 437–453). American Psychological Association; 2016. doi:10.1037/14774-027Garett R, Chiu J, Zhang L, Young SD.A literature review: Website design and user engagement.Online J Commun Media Technol. 2016;6(3):1-14.U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational outlook handbook: Psychologists.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.Healthcare Simulation Dictionary.

Morris EK.Introduction to teaching the history of behavior analysis: Past, purpose, and prologue.Perspect Behav Sci. 2022;45(4):697-710. doi:10.1007/s40614-022-00356-9

Kelley HH.Common-sense psychology and scientific psychology.Annual Review of Psychology. 1992;43(1):1-24. doi:10.1146/annurev.ps.43.020192.000245

Smith KV, Thew GR.Conducting research in clinical psychology practice: Barriers, facilitators, and recommendations.Br J Clin Psychol. 2017;56(3):347-356. doi:10.1111/bjc.12142

King LA.The science of psychology : An appreciative view. Mcgraw-Hill Education; 2017.

American Psychological Association.Helping people improve their lives.

American Psychological Association.Clinical psychology.

American Psychological Association.Cognitive psychology.

American Psychological Association.Developmental psychology.

American Psychological Association.What is forensic psychology?

American Psychological Association.Industrial and organizational psychology.

American Psychological Association.Personality psychology.

American Psychological Association.Pursuing a career in social psychology.

Eisman, E. J., & Wright, C. V.Related subfields in psychology. In J. C. Norcross, G. R. VandenBos, D. K. Freedheim, & L. F. Campbell (Eds.),APA handbook of clinical psychology: Education and profession(pp. 437–453). American Psychological Association; 2016. doi:10.1037/14774-027

Garett R, Chiu J, Zhang L, Young SD.A literature review: Website design and user engagement.Online J Commun Media Technol. 2016;6(3):1-14.

U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational outlook handbook: Psychologists.

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