Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior and cognitive processes.

Thus: a broad definition, psychology is the study of behavior and the mind. The overall scholarly discipline of psychology can be divided into many different specializations, with the most prominent being the following:

• Clinical — Applying the science and theory of psychology to treat mental illness and disabilities
• Cognitive — Studying internal mental processes to understand how individuals think, learn, and communicate
• Developmental — Researching how the human mind develops over the course of an individual’s life
• Forensic — Applying psychology to investigate criminal behaviors
• Health — Evaluating how physical health is impacted by certain psychological factors
• Occupational — Developing insights about how professionals work to improve an organization’s business practices
• Social — Investigating how people can impact the psychology of those around them