What Is Psychology? What Is It Not?
When we look through the sources in the field, the sentence we come across most often is: 'Psychology is the science that studies human behavior and mental processes.'
So how does the science of psychology study human behavior? Before answering this question, we should point out that there is no single method for it. Psychologists' work is with people. That is why they can work, observe and assess anywhere there are people. Of course, since every setting has its own assessment criteria, specialization is the most fundamental step. For this reason, the science of psychology has developed many subfields. To briefly mention a few of them:
'Clinical Psychology' focuses on the abnormal aspects of human behavior. It is a practice-oriented field. Terms many of us have heard, such as 'psychotherapy', 'psychopathology' and 'client', belong to this subfield. The psychologist in statements like "I have an appointment with my psychologist" or "I'm very happy with my psychologist" is most likely a clinical psychologist, or does work considered close to this field. Some branches considered close to clinical psychology include family counseling, psychological counseling, addiction counseling and so on.
'Social Psychology' is the subfield in which human behavior within society is studied and evaluated by setting up specific experimental conditions. The concept we often hear about as a 'social experiment' belongs to this field. For example, the Zimbardo Prison Experiment.
'Developmental Psychology' is the subfield that studies the stages of development from a person's birth to their death, based on psychological factors. Which cognitive stage a child is in at what age, people's expectations of life at different ages, behavioral norms across developmental stages and more are the topics of this field.
'Industrial Psychology' focuses on individuals' performance in the workplace and on employer and employee motivation. Companies' hiring processes, brand value, product pricing and marketing techniques are among the areas this field is concerned with.
'Forensic Psychology' is considered a field where law and psychology intersect. Psychologists working in this field are expected to carry out assessments in cases involving legal matters. Forensic psychologists take part in court cases where children appear as witnesses and in divorce cases.
Learning psychology focuses on the learning processes of humans and animals. Based on the assumption that our behaviors and mental processes emerge and change as a result of learning, it examines how they are shaped. The concept of "conditioning" belongs to this subfield. You've probably heard of Pavlov's dog. Yes, that dog helped us discover how we learn and how our behaviors are shaped.
Psychology has dozens of subfields. By mentioning a few of them, we wanted to give you an idea of how broad the field really is.
So, What Is Psychology Not?
Many people have a number of misconceptions about what the science of psychology is. That's why we thought it was important to explain not only what psychology is, but also what it is not.
Psychology is not a field of mind reading. There's no need to be afraid when you meet a psychologist: unless you say what's on your mind, nobody but you knows it.
There is no place for giving advice in the science of psychology. Psychologists shed light on the paths a person might take, and support them once they choose the path they want.
People who graduate in psychology are not 'doctors for crazy people'. Anyone who wants counseling can see a psychologist about any area of their life.
Psychologists do not prescribe medication. They refer clients who they think may need medication to psychiatrists.
Unfortunately, when we graduated in psychology, we forgot to pick up our 'magic wands'. Jokes aside, even the smallest change in life takes effort and time to become a habit. When you see a psychologist, don't expect the whole problem to be solved at once in the first session and then end up disappointed. When you attend sessions regularly with patience and effort, collaborate with your psychologist and are motivated to change, you'll see that you can truly make a lot of progress. :)
