Which of the following best describes what psychology is?

A: The study of the brain's physical structure

B: The scientific study of the mind and behaviour

C: The treatment of mental illness

D: The study of human evolution

Correct: The scientific study of the mind and behaviour

Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behaviour — from how we perceive the world around us to why we act the way we do in different situations. It's a broad field that covers everything from happiness and memory to stress and decision-making. While treating mental illness is one application of psychology, it's far from the whole story.

Psychology is a science, meaning it uses evidence and research to understand behaviour.

Answer: True

Modern psychology is firmly established as a science. Psychologists design experiments, collect data, test hypotheses, and use statistics to reach their conclusions — just like other scientists. This makes psychology different from common sense or opinion: its claims are tested and can be challenged by new evidence.

A psychologist would most likely study which of the following questions?

A: How does the liver filter toxins?

B: Why do people feel more nervous speaking in public than in private?

C: How do plants convert sunlight into energy?

D: What is the speed of electrical signals in the nervous system?

Correct: Why do people feel more nervous speaking in public than in private?

Psychologists focus on mental processes and behaviour. Public speaking anxiety is a classic psychological question — it involves how the mind perceives threat, what emotions arise, and how behaviour changes as a result. The other options belong to biology, botany, and neuroscience respectively.

The word "psychology" comes from the Greek words for:

A: "body" and "knowledge"

B: "mind" or "soul" and "study"

C: "behaviour" and "measurement"

D: "brain" and "medicine"

Correct: "mind" or "soul" and "study"

Psychology comes from "psyche" (mind or soul) and "logos" (study or reason). So psychology is literally the study of the mind. The ancient Greeks were fascinated by questions about the soul, consciousness, and human nature — questions that psychology still grapples with today, now using scientific methods.

Psychology only studies people with mental health problems.

Answer: False

This is a common misconception. Psychology covers all human (and animal) behaviour and mental processes — including everyday experiences like memory, sleep, happiness, friendship, decision-making, and learning. Mental health is an important part of the field, but the vast majority of psychological research studies ordinary people in ordinary situations.

Which of the following is the best summary of what psychology tries to do?

A: Prove that all behaviour is caused by childhood experiences

B: Replace common sense with scientific findings about the mind

C: Understand, explain, and sometimes predict human behaviour

D: Show that people are irrational and cannot trust their own minds

Correct: Understand, explain, and sometimes predict human behaviour

The core goals of psychology are to understand, explain, predict, and — in applied settings — influence behaviour and mental processes. Psychologists don't aim to replace common sense entirely (common sense is often right), but they do test it rigorously. And while psychology has revealed many fascinating quirks of human thinking, it doesn't conclude that people are simply irrational.