Question

According to your text, psychology can be defined as ________.

1) a way to understand the mind through individual personal stories.
2) the scientific study of behaviour, thought, and experience.
3) a way to understand disordered behaviours.
4) a field focused only on therapy, helping people become more mentally healthy.

Answer 1

Psychology is the scientific study of behaviour, thought, and experience. It is a diverse field that employs the scientific method to test hypotheses and contributes to various areas including cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and clinical psychology.

Step-by-step explanation:

Definition of Psychology

According to the text, psychology can be defined as the scientific study of behaviour, thought, and experience. This encompasses a variety of fields and applications including biological psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and clinical psychology, to name a few. The field of psychology is founded on empirical research using the scientific method, where psychologists propose hypotheses within the framework of scientific theories and conduct experiments to test these hypotheses. The results are then shared with the scientific community for replication and further study.

Psychology uses various levels of explanation to understand the mind and behavior, integrating perspectives from both the natural and social sciences. It has evolved significantly since its inception in the late 1800s, shifting from a focus on the philosophical aspects of the mind to a more empirical and scientific approach to studying mental processes and behavior.