psychology
Americannoun
plural
psychologies-
the science of the mind or of mental states and processes.
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the science of human and animal behavior.
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the sum or characteristics of the mental states and processes of a person or class of persons, or of the mental states and processes involved in a field of activity.
the psychology of a soldier; the psychology of politics.
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mental ploys or strategy.
He used psychology on his parents to get a larger allowance.
noun
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the scientific study of all forms of human and animal behaviour, sometimes concerned with the methods through which behaviour can be modified See also analytical psychology clinical psychology comparative psychology educational psychology experimental psychology
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informal the mental make-up or structure of an individual that causes him or her to think or act in the way he or she does
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The scientific study of mental processes and behavior.
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The behavioral and cognitive characteristics of a specific individual, group, activity, or circumstance.
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◆ Clinical psychology ◆ is the application of psychological knowledge to the diagnosis and treatment of patients.
Usage
What is psychology? Psychology is the study of the mind, mental processes, and behaviors of humans and animals.The term psychology is used to describe many specific areas of study. Generally, psychology is interested in the brain and, more specifically, why we think the way we do.Because the mind is so complex, psychology is a very wide field with many subdivisions and branches of study. A few of the major areas of psychology include:
- clinical psychology, which involves diagnosing and treating personality and behavior disorders;
- cognitive psychology, which studies mental processes such as memory, language, and perception; and
- developmental psychology, which studies how our mental processes change as we age and experience more of life.
Discover More
The two main divisions of psychology are individual or personality psychology and social psychology; social psychology deals with the mental processes of groups.
Other Word Forms
- prepsychology noun
- psychologist noun
Etymology
Origin of psychology
From the New Latin word psȳchologia, dating back to 1675–85. See psycho-, -logy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nature can have a positive effect on regulating our brain and body according to Annalisa Setti, senior lecturer of applied psychology and sustainability at University College Cork.
From BBC
“We didn’t have a background in psychology or social work, we just had each other and a mic,” Greenberg recalls.
From Los Angeles Times
With precision and care, the author elegantly chronicles his own shame, envy, boredom, regret and despair, illuminating his experiences with insights from philosophy, psychology, ethnography and history.
In that sense, the Chinese consumer story in 2026 is less about stimulus checks or shopping festivals and more about psychology.
From MarketWatch
“You have to learn to cater to what’s developmentally appropriate to each person. You learn about child behavior, child psychology and the formation of the brain and how they learn.”
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
