Getting started.

You've probably heard the word "psychology" before — but what does it actually mean? Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. It asks questions like: why do people make the decisions they do? What happens when we feel afraid? How do memories form? Why do some people seem happier than others?

Everything you have ever thought, felt, remembered, or decided happened in your brain. It weighs about 1.4 kg — roughly the size of two fists — yet it contains more connections than there are stars in the Milky Way.

Learning is something we do every day — but how exactly does it happen? Psychologists have been studying learning for over a century, and their findings are often surprising. You don't need to sit in a classroom to learn; your brain is constantly updating itself based on what you experience.

Are you the way you are because of your genes, or because of how you were raised? This question — nature vs nurture — is one of the oldest debates in psychology, and it turns out the answer is more interesting than either side alone.