What is psychology?
How can we explain what people think, feel and do?
The basic idea
Psychology studies mental processes and behavior. Researchers turn an idea into a testable question by defining what they will observe and which results would support it. Behavior, personal reports and biological measurements each offer evidence about how people think, feel and act.
- Ask a question
- Define an observation
- Compare explanations
What does psychology study?
Connect everyday actions with questions about thoughts, feelings and evidence.
- Behavior
- Walking, speaking and helping are examples of observable action.
- Mental processes
- Remembering, focusing and feeling are aspects of mental life.
- Evidence
- A clear question guides what researchers observe and measure.
Picture this
Original teaching example
Two friends interpret the same unanswered message differently. One thinks the sender is busy; the other thinks the sender is annoyed. A researcher could ask how the wording of a message or a recent conversation affects these interpretations.
Your turn
What information would help you compare the two explanations for the unanswered message?
Show the explanation
The sender’s circumstances, usual reply time and recent conversation could help. Each provides evidence for comparing the explanations. A useful research question specifies which information to collect and how it would support an interpretation.
Take the idea further
Use an everyday example to form a question, then look for evidence from systematic observations.
Explore another angle
Several levels of explanationExplore how several kinds of explanation can inform the same event.Read the illustrated guide
Psychology in everyday questionsFind research questions in familiar objects and activities.Read the illustrated guide
From an idea to an observationMake an abstract idea specific enough to investigate.Read the illustrated guide
Bringing evidence togetherCompare what different methods contribute to one explanation.Read the illustrated guide