I. Vocabulary notes: thoughts, motivations, knowledge, measuring

Psychology studies people: how they think, how they act, react and interact.

Psychology is concerned with all aspects of behavior and the thoughts, feelings and motivations behind such behavior.

In a sense, you are already a psychologist: we all are. We are all in­terested in what makes people nervous, and how this understanding can help us to solve major problems in society.

Studies in psychology give you knowledge how to go from being an " amateur psychologist" to a professional one.

How can you learn the science about behavior? How can you use it to improve people's quality of life? How can you put your knowledge to good use in a career?

If you tell your friends you are interested in psychology, common re­actions might be "well, can you tell what I'm thinking then?" or "Psy­chology? That's all just logics, isn't it?" Because we know our behavior we all have theories about it.

To study psychology you have to learn scientific methods: observ­ing, measuring, testing, using statistics to show that what you find is reliable evidence. But psychologists do not simply collect evidence to explain people's behavior; they use their understanding to help people with difficulties.

For example, psychologists are concerned with practical problems such as:

• How can we ease the effects of parental divorce on children?

• How can we minimize accidents on roads, rails, in the air?

• How can the courts ensure that eyewitness testimony is reli­able?

• How should people act on a date — what do others find attrac­tive?

• How can we help people overcome depression, stress or phobias?

Adopted from: www.bsa.uk