psychology

noun

psy·​chol·​o·​gy sī-ˈkä-lə-jē 

plural psychologies

1

: the science of mind and behavior

2

a

: the mental or behavioral characteristics of an individual or group

b

: the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity

3

: a theory or system of psychology

Freudian psychology

the psychology of Jung

Did you know?

The Roots of Psychology

The word psychology was formed by combining the Greek psychē (meaning “breath, principle of life, life, soul,”) with –logia (which comes from the Greek logos, meaning “speech, word, reason”). An early use appears in Nicholas Culpeper’s mid-17th century translation of Simeon Partliz’s A New Method of Physick, in which it is stated that “Psychologie is the knowledg of the Soul.” Today, psychology is concerned with the science or study of the mind and behavior. Many branches of psychology are differentiated by the specific field to which they belong, such as animal psychology, child psychology, and sports psychology.

Examples of psychology in a Sentence

She studied psychology in college.

the psychology of an athlete

the psychology of crowd behavior

We need to understand the psychologies of the two people involved in the incident.

Recent Examples on the Web

Young is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Boston College and director of the Morality Lab, which investigates human moral psychology. —Trystan Loustau and Liane Young, TIME, 9 Jan. 2025

Yarrow was born in Manhattan on May 31, 1938 and after starting his singing career as a student while pursuing a degree in psychology at Cornell University in the late 1950s. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 7 Jan. 2025

The series renders the potentially odd and inward aspects of fantasy salable—paranormals are just like contemporary humans, with familiar psychologies, politics, and value systems. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025

This 13-week (3-month) goal planner, backed by science and success psychology, is designed to optimize your day, tackle your goals, and live a more fulfilled life. —Amazon, refinery29.com, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin psychologia, from psych- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing psychology

• abnormal psychology
• analytical psychology
• analytic psychology
• clinical psychology
• depth psychology
• educational psychology
• evolutionary psychology
• Gestalt psychology
• industrial psychology
• physiological psychology
• reverse psychology
• social psychology

Kids Definition

psychology

noun

psy·​chol·​o·​gy sī-ˈkäl-ə-jē 

plural psychologies

1

: the science or study of mind and behavior

2

: the particular ways in which an individual or group thinks or behaves

Etymology

from scientific Latin psychologia "the study of the mind and behavior," derived from Greek psychē "soul, mind" and Greek -logia "science, study"

Medical Definition

psychology

noun

psy·​chol·​o·​gy -jē 

plural psychologies

1

: the science of mind and behavior

2

a

: the mental or behavioral characteristics typical of an individual or group or a particular form of behavior

mob psychology

the psychology of arson

b

: the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity

color psychology

the psychology of learning

3

: a treatise on or a school, system, or branch of psychology