psychology

/saɪˈkɑlədʒi/

/saɪˈkɒlədʒi/

Other forms: psychologies

Psychology refers to the study of human behavior and the human mind, or the mental attitude of a group. Your parents will find it hard to understand the psychology of the teenager.

Psychology is more than just an academic subject. The word refers to the complex mental workings and states a person, group or activity. Marketers use the psychology of consumer behavior to sell you things you don't need. Some self-help books teach you how use psychology - mental strategies and tricks - on someone in order to win arguments or get ahead.

Definitions of psychology

1. noun

   the science of mental life
   synonyms: psychological science

   types:

   abnormal psychology, psychopathology

   the branch of psychology concerned with abnormal behavior

   applied psychology, industrial psychology

   any of several branches of psychology that seek to apply psychological principles to practical problems of education or industry or marketing etc.

   cognitive psychology

   an approach to psychology that emphasizes internal mental processes

   animal psychology, comparative psychology

   the branch of psychology concerned with the behavior of animals

   child psychology, developmental psychology, genetic psychology

   the branch of psychology that studies the social and mental development of children

   differential psychology

   the branch of psychology that studies measurable differences between individuals

   experimental psychology, psychonomics

   the branch of psychology that uses experimental methods to study psychological issues

   neuropsychology, physiological psychology, psychophysiology

   the branch of psychology that is concerned with the physiological bases of psychological processes

   psychometrics, psychometrika, psychometry

   any branch of psychology concerned with psychological measurements

   social psychology

   the branch of psychology that studies persons and their relationships with others and with groups and with society as a whole

   psychophysics

   the branch of psychology concerned with quantitative relations between physical stimuli and their psychological effects

   behaviorism, behavioristic psychology, behaviourism, behaviouristic psychology

   an approach to psychology that emphasizes observable measurable behavior

   memory

   the area of cognitive psychology that studies memory processes

   problem solving

   the area of cognitive psychology that studies the processes involved in solving problems

   psycholinguistics

   the branch of cognitive psychology that studies the psychological basis of linguistic competence and performance

   psychodynamics

   the branch of social psychology that deals with the processes and emotions that determine psychology and motivation

   type of:

   science, scientific discipline

   a particular branch of scientific knowledge