
Folk psychology refers to the understanding of ordinary people, as contrasted with that of psychology professionals, with regard to the mental states and behaviors of people. Watson, who in 1913 asserted that the discipline is a "natural science," the theoretical goal of which "is the prediction and control of behavior." Since James defined "psychology," the term more strongly implicates scientific experimentation. However, this meaning was contested, notably by radical behaviorists such as John B. In 1890, William James defined psychology as "the science of mental life, both of its phenomena and their conditions." This definition enjoyed widespread currency for decades. The dictionary refers to "Anatomy, which treats the Body, and Psychology, which treats of the Soul." The earliest known reference to the word psychology in English was by Steven Blankaart in 1694 in The Physical Dictionary. The Latin word psychologia was first used by the Croatian humanist and Latinist Marko Marulić in his book, Psichiologia de ratione animae humanae ( Psychology, on the Nature of the Human Soul) in the late 15th century or early 16th century. The latter part of the word "psychology" derives from -λογία -logia, which refers to "study" or "research". The word psychology derives from the Greek word psyche, for spirit or soul.

Research psychologists employ empirical methods to infer causal and correlational relationships between psychosocial variables. Psychologists' interests extend to interpersonal relationships, psychological resilience, family resilience, and other areas within social psychology.

Psychologists are involved in research on perception, cognition, attention, emotion, intelligence, subjective experiences, motivation, brain functioning, and personality. Others explore the physiological and biological processes that underlie cognitive functions and behaviors. Some psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behavior. Some psychologists can also be classified as social, behavioral, or cognitive scientists.
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Ψ (or psi) is a Greek letter which is commonly associated with the science of psychology.Ī professional practitioner or researcher involved in the discipline is called a psychologist. As a social science, psychologists aim to understand the behavior of individuals and groups. Psychologists seek an understanding of the emergent properties of brains, linking the discipline to neuroscience. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between the natural and social sciences. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. Psychology is the science of mind and behavior.
