Wikipedia
Psychology
Psychology (lit. "study of the soul", sometimes rendered "study of the mind", "OED"/> from Greek: psukhē "breath, spirit, soul"; and , -logia "study of" "OED">Online Etymology Dictionary. (2001). .) is an academic and applied discipline which involves the scientific study of human or animal mental functions and behaviors. In addition or opposition to employing scientific methods, psychologists often rely upon symbolic interpretation and critical analysis, albeit less frequently than other social sciences such as sociology.
A professional theorist or practitioner of psychology is called a psychologist. Psychologists study such phenomena as perception, cognition, attention, emotion, motivation, personality, behavior and interpersonal relationships. Some, especially depth psychologists, also consider the unconscious mind. Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behavior, while also exploring the underlying physiological and neurological processes.
Psychological knowledge is applied to various spheres of human activity including the family, education, employment, and the treatment of mental health problems. Psychology includes many sub-fields that span areas as diverse as human development, sports, health, industry, media and law. Psychology incorporates research from the social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities.
History
The study of psychology in philosophical context dates back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, China, India, and Persia. Psychology began adopting a more clinical"Syed">Ibrahim B. Syed, "Islamic Medicine: 1000 years ahead of its times", Journal of the Islamic Medical Association, 2002 (2), p. 2-9. and experimentalKhaleefa /> approach under medieval Muslim psychologists and physicians, who built psychiatric hospitals for such purposes.Syed/>
In 1802, French physiologist Pierre Cabanis helped to pioneer biological psychology with his essay Rapports d read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology