Psychology is all about studying the mind and behaviour. It covers everything from how humans and animals behave, both consciously and unconsciously, to thoughts, feelings, and motivations. It’s a broad academic field that combines natural and social sciences. Some psychologists focus on understanding how the brain works, while others are interested in individual and group behaviour.

Psychologists can be practitioners or researchers. They delve into mental functions and social behaviour, as well as the physiological and neurobiological processes behind cognition and behaviours. They research perception, attention, emotions, intelligence, motivation, and more. Psychologists also study things like relationships, resilience, and the unconscious mind. They use empirical methods to find connections between psychological and social factors. Some clinical and counselling psychologists use symbolic interpretation in their work.

Psychological knowledge is applied to mental health assessment and treatment, as well as other areas of human activity. The goal is to benefit society as a whole. Many psychologists work as therapists in clinical, counselling, or school settings. Others focus on scientific research in academic environments. Some psychologists are employed in industrial and organisational settings, while others study human development, sports, health, forensic science, education, and the media.