Final answer:
Psychologists use a biopsychosocial approach that encompasses biological, cognitive, and sociocultural levels of analysis to study behavior and mental processes, integrating various disciplines to understand the complexity of human behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
Each person is a complex organism that is part of a larger society and at the same time composed of smaller systems. For this reason, psychologists work from three main levels of analysis - biological, cognitive, and sociocultural - which together form an integrated biopsychosocial approach to the study of behavior and mental processes.
Psychology, as defined by the American Psychological Association, involves studying the intricate factors that influence behavior, including biology, environment, and experiences. Areas such as sensory and motor systems, neurodevelopment, and the biological correlates of psychological disorders fall under the purview of biological psychology, linking closely with neuroscience. Cognitive psychology focuses on the relationship between thought and behavior, acknowledging cognition's crucial role in understanding behavior after the cognitive revolution. Moreover, psychologists explore social factors that contribute to behavior, as indicated in the biopsychosocial model.
This multidisciplinary study integrates insights from various fields like biology, physiology, and sociology to explain behavior and the underlying cognitive and biological processes.