Psychology

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Psychology (Greek: Ψυχολογία, lit. "study of the mind", from ψυχή psukhē "breath, spirit, soul"; and -λογία, -logia "study of") is an academic and applied discipline involving the systematic, and often scientific, study of human/animal mental functions and behavior. Occasionally, in addition or opposition to employing the scientific method, it also relies on symbolic interpretation and critical analysis, although it often does so less prominently than other social sciences such as sociology. Psychologists study such phenomena as perception, cognition, attention, emotion, motivation, personality, behavior and interpersonal relationships. Some, especially depth psychologists, also study the unconscious mind.

Psychological knowledge is applied to various spheres of human activity, including issues related to everyday life—such as family, education and employment—and to the treatment of mental health problems. Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behavior, while also exploring the underlying physiological and neurological processes. Psychology includes many sub-fields of study and applications concerned with such areas as human development, sports, health, industry, media and law. Psychology incorporates research from the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. A professional theorist or practitioner of psychology is called a psychologist.

For more information about Psychology, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

News tagged with psychology

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Organizational psychologists use Rock Band to study how people achieve flow while at work

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 24, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

By playing the video game Rock Band for an hour, Kansas State University students were able to help a pair of psychology professors with their research to understand how people can achieve flow while at work or while performing ...

'Too fat to be a princess?' Study shows young girls worry about body image

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 24, 2009 | 4 / 5 (2) | 2

Even before they start school, many young girls worry that they are fat. But a new study suggests watching a movie starring a stereotypically thin and beautiful princess may not increase children's anxieties.

Shifting blame is socially contagious

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 19, 2009 | 4.6 / 5 (9) | 3

Merely observing someone publicly blame an individual in an organization for a problem - even when the target is innocent - greatly increases the odds that the practice of blaming others will spread with the tenacity of the ...

The developing child: Rating aggressive and delinquent behavior in pre-adolescence

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 19, 2009 | 3 / 5 (2) | 0

In a study published in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry researchers show that over reactive parenting, such as heavy criticism or yelling as a response to a child's negative behavior, can pr ...

Unrealistic optimism prompts risky behavior

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 17, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

Unrealistic optimism about drinking behavior can lead to later alcohol-related problems, according to research published in the current issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (PSPB), the official monthly journa ...

Client-directed therapy technique drastically reduces divorce/separation rates

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 13, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

Using four simple questions to generate client-directed feedback can greatly increase the chances that struggling couples will stay together, according to a recently published study.

Walking, talking and memory

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 12, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- How easy is it to walk, talk and remember what was said? Dr Dee Way studied how actors learn a script and whether walking affects their memory performance.

Virtual reality games could help bullying victims

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 09, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- Virtual reality games could help children to escape victimisation and bullying at school, according to researchers at the University of Warwick.

UWM study explores why women leave engineering careers

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

Nov 06, 2009 | 2.8 / 5 (4) | 3

While only one in 10 male engineers leave their field by the time they reach their 30s, about one in four women are not working in engineering despite having completed the necessary education.

Study shows cell phone users miss the obvious, like a unicycling clown

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 04, 2009 | 4 / 5 (5) | 0

How blind to their surroundings can people be when they're talking on their cell phones?

Study shows that sleep deprivation can negatively affect information processing

Medicine & Health / Health

Nov 02, 2009 | not rated yet | 0

A study in the Nov.1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that sleep deprivation causes some people to shift from a more automatic, implicit process of information categorization (information-integration) to a more controlled, explic ...

Chronically ill may be happier if they give up hope, research shows

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Nov 02, 2009 | not rated yet | 1

Holding on to hope may not make patients happier as they deal with chronic illness or diseases, according to a new study by University of Michigan Health System researchers.

No pain, no gain: Mastering a skill makes us stressed in the moment, happy long term

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Oct 29, 2009 | 5 / 5 (6) | 1

No pain, no gain applies to happiness, too, according to new research published online this week in the Journal of Happiness Studies. People who work hard at improving a skill or ability, such as mastering a math problem or lea ...

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity problems associated with low folate levels in pregnant women

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

Oct 28, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

It has long been suggested that healthy folate (the natural form of folic acid) levels in expectant mothers goes hand in hand with healthy nervous system development in their children. A study published in an upcoming issue ...