Psychology Basics

By Kendra Van Wagner, About.com Guide to Psychology

Before you begin studying psychology, you need to gain a clear understanding of exactly what psychology is. When did psychology originate? What do psychologists study? Explore this section to learn the answers to these questions and build a good foundation for further study of this vast and fascinating subject.

1. Psychology 101
2. Brain and Behavior
3. States of Consciousness
4. Learning

5. Memory
6. Development
7. Personality
8. Social Psychology

Psychology 101

Before you delve into studying psychology, it's important to learn some basic information such as the different branches of psychology, theoretical perspectives, history and research methods. Whether you are new to the subject or just want to brush up on your knowledge, these articles can help you get started on your studies.

• What is Psychology?
• A Brief History of Psychology
• Perspectives in Modern Psychology
• Specialty Areas in Psychology

• Branches of Psychology
• How Psychology is Studied
• Becoming a Consumer of Psychology

Brain and Behavior

Every year, millions of people are affected by disorders of the brain and nervous system including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, strokes, and traumatic brain injuries. These illnesses and injuries highlight the importance of the biological bases of behavior. In this section, explore some of the basics of biological psychology.

• What is Biopsychology?
• The Neuron
• The Nervous System and Endocrine System
• The Brain

States of Consciousness

Have you ever wondered why you feel more energetic in the morning, tried to analyze your dreams or questioned how hypnosis works? All of these topics are related to human consciousness, which can be altered in a number of different ways. Explore the sections below to learn more about topics such as consciousness, biological rhythms and sleep.

• What is Consciousness?
• Environmental and Biological Rhythms
• Sleep

Learning

From the day we our born, we begin a process of learning that lasts throughout life. Learning has been defined in a number of different ways, but many psychologists describe learning as a relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of experience. Learn more about some of the different theories of learning.

• Introduction to Classical Conditioning
• Principles of Classical Conditioning
• Introduction to Operant Conditioning
• Schedules of Reinforcement

• Observational Learning
• Learning Study Guide
• Learning Quiz

Memory

The ability to create, store and access memories is an essential part of day-to-day life. From remembering where you left your keys to learning a language to memorizing information for a class, your memory allows you to function and interact meaningfully with others. Learn more about how memory works and how new memories are formed.

• What is Memory?
• Memory Retrieval
• Forgetting: When Memory Fails
• Why We Forget: 4 Explanations for Forgetting
• Tips for Improving Memory

Development

The study of human development is a rich and varied subject. We all have personal experience with development, but it is sometimes difficult to understand how and why people grow, learn, and act as they do. Developmental psychology seeks to understand, explain, and predict behaviors that occur throughout the lifespan. In order to understand human development, a number of different developmental theories have arisen to explain various aspects of human growth.

• What is Development?
• Issues in Developmental Psychology
• How is Development Studied?

• Psychoanalytic Theories of Development
• Learning Theories of Development
• Cognitive Theories of Development

Personality

What makes people think and act the way they do? Are individual characteristics stable throughout life, or do they change? These are just a few of the questions that personality psychologists seek to answer. Personality is made up the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make each person unique. This topic has become one of the most studied areas in psychology, spawning well-known theories designed to describe and explain how and why people develop certain personality characteristics. Explore the links below to learn more about this fascinating area of psychology.

• What is Personality?
• Psychoanalytic Theories of Personality
• Psychosocial Theories of Personality
• Personality Disorders
• Personality Psychology Study Guide

Social Psychology

Social psychology is the study of human thought and behavior in social situations. Many topics are studied by social psychologists, including attitudes, aggression, prejudice, prosocial behavior and self-identity. Learn more about how people form impressions of others, interpret the behavior of others and behave in social situations.

• What is Social Psychology?
• Major Perspectives in Social Psychology
• Research Areas in Social Psychology
• Research Methods in Social Psychology

• Leadership
• Love and Attraction
• Nonverbal Communication