What is Psychology?

Psychology is about people and animals. How they think, act, react and interact. It is concerned with all aspects of behaviour and the thoughts, feelings and motivations underlying such behaviour. People often ask about the difference between psychology and psychiatry. Psychiatry draws on knowledge of psychology, but it is a branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of psychological problems and mental illness using drugs and psychotherapeutic techniques.

Psychology plays a key role in society. As a science it forms the cornerstone to the understanding of human behaviour and as a practice is critical to the application of solutions for individual, organisational and societal betterment. Perhaps no other discipline is as diverse and has as many applications as psychology. Psychologists are therefore highly valued professionals. The range of career options and employment opportunities is testimony to the diversity and depth of the discipline.

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This page last updated 17/01/2001, by Web Services New Zealand.