"Psychological science" redirects here. For the journal, see Psychological Science (journal).
Psychology (from Greek, literally "to talk about the soul", from ψυχή, "psyche", soul, and λόγος, "logos") is an academic and applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes and behavior. There is some tension between scientific psychology (with its program of empirical research) and applied psychology (dealing with a number of areas, but primarily counseling).
Psychologists attempt to explain the mind and brain in the context of real life, in contrast to the physiological approach used by neurologists. Psychologists study such phenomena as perception, cognition, emotion, personality, behavior, and interpersonal relationships. Psychology also refers to the application of such knowledge to various spheres of human activity, including issues related to daily life—e.g. family, education, and work—and the treatment of mental health problems.
In addition to dissecting the brain's implementation of elementary mental functions, psychology also attempts to understand the role these functions play in social behavior and in social dynamics, while incorporating the underlying physiological and neurological processes into its conceptions of mental functioning. Psychology includes many sub-fields of study and application concerned with such areas as human development, sports, health, industry, media, law, and transpersonal psychology.
