Psychology
What Is Psychology?
Psychology is the scientific study of how people think, feel, and behave. It spans from the biological workings of the brain to the social dynamics of groups.
Major Branches
- Cognitive Psychology — how we think, perceive, remember, and solve problems
- Developmental Psychology — how people change across the lifespan
- Social Psychology — how others influence our thoughts and behavior
- Clinical Psychology — diagnosing and treating mental health conditions
- Neuropsychology — the relationship between brain and behavior
- Industrial-Organizational — psychology applied to the workplace
Key Concepts
- Classical Conditioning — learning through association (Pavlov)
- Operant Conditioning — learning through consequences (reinforcement/punishment)
- Cognitive Dissonance — discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs
- Maslow's Hierarchy — physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualization
- Nature vs. Nurture — the debate over genetics vs. environment
Common Biases
- Confirmation Bias — favoring information that confirms existing beliefs
- Anchoring — relying too heavily on the first piece of information
- Dunning-Kruger Effect — overestimating competence in areas of low knowledge
- Availability Heuristic — judging probability by how easily examples come to mind