Questions in Psychology

Questions in Psychology

From its earliest beginnings, psychology has been faced with a number of different questions. The initial question of how to define psychology helped establish it as a science separate from physiology and philosophy. Additional questions that psychologists have faced throughout history include:

• What topics and issues should psychology be concerned with?

• What research methods should be used to study psychology?

• Should psychologists use research to influence public policy, education, and other aspects of human behavior?

• Is psychology really a science?

• Should psychology focus on observable behaviors, or on internal mental processes?