Understanding Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior. Psychologist use strict scientific research methods to investigate overt, or observable, behavoirs and covert behaviors such as thoughts and feelings. The goals of psychology are to describe, explain, predict, and change behavior.

Psychologist perform research and can specialize in several areas including clinical, sounseling, educational, school, physiological, developmental, social, or industrial and organizational psychology. Basic research involves the study of theoretical issues; apllied research involves solving specific problems.

Cultural psychology is the study of the influences of culture on behavior with the purpose of distinguishing between culturally specific behavior and universal behavior. People tend to be ethnocentric, believing their own culture’s practices are normal and practices of other cultures, if different, are deficient or abnormal. To succeed in today’s world, we need to learn not only about how people from other culturees are different but also how much they are the same.

Psychological findings can be applied to improve our personal lives. The study of psychology leads to an appreciation for scientific methods of research, as opposed to pseudoscientific methods.