{"id":302,"date":"2023-03-01T15:05:44","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T15:05:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/chapter\/what-is-psychology\/"},"modified":"2025-09-24T16:57:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T16:57:47","slug":"what-is-psychology","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introductiontopsychology\/chapter\/what-is-psychology\/","title":{"raw":"Early Psychology: Learn It 1\u2014What is Psychology?","rendered":"Early Psychology: Learn It 1\u2014What is Psychology?"},"content":{"raw":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Define psychology<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Define structuralism and functionalism<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Describe the contributions and limitations of key researchers to the development of psychology<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Define Freud's psychoanalytical theory<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Define Gestalt psychology<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Many cultures throughout history have speculated on the nature of the mind, heart, soul, spirit, and brain. Philosophical interest in behavior and the mind dates back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, China, and India, but psychology as a discipline didn't develop until the mid-1800s when it evolved from the study of philosophy and began in German and American labs. This section will teach\u00a0you more about the major founding psychologists and their contributions to the development of psychology.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Defining Psychology<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm2267168\">What is creativity? What does self-actualization mean? How can we improve memory? Can a person change their personality? What are prejudice and discrimination? The field of psychology explores questions like these.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox keyTakeaway\">\r\n<h3>psychology<\/h3>\r\n<p data-start=\"251\" data-end=\"364\">Psychology is the <strong data-start=\"269\" data-end=\"314\">scientific study of the mind and behavior<\/strong>. Psychologists apply the <strong data-start=\"340\" data-end=\"361\">scientific method<\/strong>:<\/p>\r\n<ul data-start=\"365\" data-end=\"641\">\r\n\t<li data-start=\"365\" data-end=\"417\">\r\n<p data-start=\"367\" data-end=\"417\">Form a <strong data-start=\"374\" data-end=\"388\">hypothesis<\/strong> (a tentative explanation).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li data-start=\"418\" data-end=\"517\">\r\n<p data-start=\"420\" data-end=\"517\">Connect it to a broader <strong data-start=\"444\" data-end=\"454\">theory<\/strong> (a well-supported explanation of part of the natural world).<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li data-start=\"518\" data-end=\"580\">\r\n<p data-start=\"520\" data-end=\"580\">Test the hypothesis through <strong data-start=\"548\" data-end=\"577\">observation or experiment<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li data-start=\"581\" data-end=\"641\">\r\n<p data-start=\"583\" data-end=\"641\">Share results so others can replicate or expand on them.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"265\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224423\/CNX_Psych_01_01_PsycheEros.jpg\" alt=\"sculpture of a winged man embracing a woman\" width=\"265\" height=\"264\" \/> <strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. Antonio Canova's sculpture depicts Eros and Psyche. <strong>Psyche<\/strong>, which means soul, represents the human soul's triumph over life\u2014as Psyche was a mortal woman who completed a series of impossible tasks to reunite with her love (Aphrodite's son, Eros) and become a goddess herself.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm210880\">For example, scientists cannot easily test whether a bird sings because it is \u201chappy\u201d (we cannot measure bird happiness directly). Instead, they might study the bird\u2019s brain activity or ask humans why they sing\u2014questions that can be measured. This illustrates that psychological science is <strong data-start=\"933\" data-end=\"946\">empirical<\/strong>, grounded in observable, measurable data rather than speculation, hunches, or ideas.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm5396064\">It was not until the late 1800s that psychology became accepted as its own academic discipline. Before this time, the workings of the mind were considered under the field of philosophy, which examines humanity, logic, ethics, and fundamental questions about life.<\/p>\r\n<p>Given that any behavior is, at its roots, biological, some areas of psychology take on aspects of a natural science like biology. No biological organism exists in isolation, and our behavior is influenced by our interactions with others. Therefore, psychology is also considered a social science.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Why Study the History of Psychology?<\/h2>\r\n<p data-start=\"1765\" data-end=\"2033\">Understanding psychology\u2019s history helps explain how the field developed and why it looks the way it does today. The history of psychology is not just names and dates\u2014it reflects the intersection of time, culture, and ideas that shaped how we study the mind.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2035\" data-end=\"2350\">Just as we ask new acquaintances questions like \u201cWhere did you grow up?\u201d or \u201cWhere did you go to school?\u201d to understand them better, studying psychology\u2019s past gives context to its present. Knowing this history allows us to see how earlier thinkers and experiments influence the questions psychologists ask today.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">[ohm2_question height=\"350\"]3850[\/ohm2_question]<\/section>","rendered":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\n<ul>\n<li>Define psychology<\/li>\n<li>Define structuralism and functionalism<\/li>\n<li>Describe the contributions and limitations of key researchers to the development of psychology<\/li>\n<li>Define Freud&#8217;s psychoanalytical theory<\/li>\n<li>Define Gestalt psychology<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Many cultures throughout history have speculated on the nature of the mind, heart, soul, spirit, and brain. Philosophical interest in behavior and the mind dates back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, China, and India, but psychology as a discipline didn&#8217;t develop until the mid-1800s when it evolved from the study of philosophy and began in German and American labs. This section will teach\u00a0you more about the major founding psychologists and their contributions to the development of psychology.<\/p>\n<h2>Defining Psychology<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-idm2267168\">What is creativity? What does self-actualization mean? How can we improve memory? Can a person change their personality? What are prejudice and discrimination? The field of psychology explores questions like these.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox keyTakeaway\">\n<h3>psychology<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"251\" data-end=\"364\">Psychology is the <strong data-start=\"269\" data-end=\"314\">scientific study of the mind and behavior<\/strong>. Psychologists apply the <strong data-start=\"340\" data-end=\"361\">scientific method<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"365\" data-end=\"641\">\n<li data-start=\"365\" data-end=\"417\">\n<p data-start=\"367\" data-end=\"417\">Form a <strong data-start=\"374\" data-end=\"388\">hypothesis<\/strong> (a tentative explanation).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"418\" data-end=\"517\">\n<p data-start=\"420\" data-end=\"517\">Connect it to a broader <strong data-start=\"444\" data-end=\"454\">theory<\/strong> (a well-supported explanation of part of the natural world).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"518\" data-end=\"580\">\n<p data-start=\"520\" data-end=\"580\">Test the hypothesis through <strong data-start=\"548\" data-end=\"577\">observation or experiment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"581\" data-end=\"641\">\n<p data-start=\"583\" data-end=\"641\">Share results so others can replicate or expand on them.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<figure style=\"width: 265px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/902\/2015\/02\/23224423\/CNX_Psych_01_01_PsycheEros.jpg\" alt=\"sculpture of a winged man embracing a woman\" width=\"265\" height=\"264\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. Antonio Canova&#8217;s sculpture depicts Eros and Psyche. <strong>Psyche<\/strong>, which means soul, represents the human soul&#8217;s triumph over life\u2014as Psyche was a mortal woman who completed a series of impossible tasks to reunite with her love (Aphrodite&#8217;s son, Eros) and become a goddess herself.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"fs-idm210880\">For example, scientists cannot easily test whether a bird sings because it is \u201chappy\u201d (we cannot measure bird happiness directly). Instead, they might study the bird\u2019s brain activity or ask humans why they sing\u2014questions that can be measured. This illustrates that psychological science is <strong data-start=\"933\" data-end=\"946\">empirical<\/strong>, grounded in observable, measurable data rather than speculation, hunches, or ideas.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm5396064\">It was not until the late 1800s that psychology became accepted as its own academic discipline. Before this time, the workings of the mind were considered under the field of philosophy, which examines humanity, logic, ethics, and fundamental questions about life.<\/p>\n<p>Given that any behavior is, at its roots, biological, some areas of psychology take on aspects of a natural science like biology. No biological organism exists in isolation, and our behavior is influenced by our interactions with others. Therefore, psychology is also considered a social science.<\/p>\n<h2>Why Study the History of Psychology?<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1765\" data-end=\"2033\">Understanding psychology\u2019s history helps explain how the field developed and why it looks the way it does today. The history of psychology is not just names and dates\u2014it reflects the intersection of time, culture, and ideas that shaped how we study the mind.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2035\" data-end=\"2350\">Just as we ask new acquaintances questions like \u201cWhere did you grow up?\u201d or \u201cWhere did you go to school?\u201d to understand them better, studying psychology\u2019s past gives context to its present. Knowing this history allows us to see how earlier thinkers and experiments influence the questions psychologists ask today.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"ohm3850\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/ohm.one.lumenlearning.com\/multiembedq.php?id=3850&theme=lumen&iframe_resize_id=ohm3850&source=tnh&show_question_numbers\" width=\"100%\" height=\"350\"><\/iframe><\/section>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"menu_order":4,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"What is Psychology?\",\"author\":\"OpenStax College\",\"organization\":\"\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/psychology-2e\/pages\/1-1-what-is-psychology\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"Download for free at https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/psychology-2e\/pages\/1-introduction\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"What is Psychology\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"OpenStax\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/psychology-2e\/pages\/1-1-what-is-psychology\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"Access for free at https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/psychology-2e\/pages\/1-introduction\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"History of Psychology\",\"author\":\"David B. 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