Table of Contents
What is the main topic of psychology?
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior, according to the American Psychological Association. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes. Psychology includes four major areas: clinical psychology (counseling for mental and behavioral health), cognitive psychology (the study of the mental processes), behavioral psychology (understanding behavior through different types of conditioning), and biopsychology (research on the brain, behavior, and evolution). A variety of resources about psychology are available on the Internet or at any library, including books, journals, newspapers, pamphlets and electronic resources. Many library resources may be available without leaving your home or office. Psychologists use descriptive, correlational, and experimental research designs to understand behavior.
How do I find a research topic in psychology?
Skim through a psychology encyclopedia or try some terms from class in Wikipedia. Do some background reading, follow links to other articles, check out specific people or experiments. Background information is a great place to start and mention lots of topics in passing that make for great research ideas. Your instructor, course readings, class notes, Wikipedia, and Google can all be helpful in terms of getting ideas for broad topics. A Research Guide for a particular subject created by a subject librarian is great for helping you choose where to begin your research. Psychology is the study of behavior and the mind. There are different types of psychology, such as cognitive, forensic, social, and developmental psychology. A person with a condition that affects their mental health may benefit from assessment and treatment with a psychologist. Basic Research Examples Basic research in psychology might explore: Whether stress levels influence how often students engage in academic cheating. How caffeine consumption affects the brain. Whether men or women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression. Basic Research Examples Basic research in psychology might explore: Whether stress levels influence how often students engage in academic cheating. How caffeine consumption affects the brain. Whether men or women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression. Psychology majors develop a broad understanding of human behavior as well as the skills to understand and interpret research findings concerning human behavior. The psychology curriculum includes courses in cognitive, developmental, behavioral and neural studies, learning, personality, social and clinical psychology.