What is Psychology | Members of the Department | For Applicants | For Students | Department News

Psychology is the study of behavior - usually human behavior. Within this broad definition there are many sub-disciplines, for example:

Social Psychologists consider people's behaviors as a result of the social situations in which they find themselves.They may therefore study the effects of groups on behavior, attitudes, roles, etc.

Biological Psychologists study the structure and function of the brain in relation to behavior.

Individual Psychologists consider how individual differences in people affect behavior. They may therefore study the effect of intelligence or personality on behavior.

Clinical Psychologists are interested in studying abnormal behavior typically exhibited by sufferers of clinical disorders; for example, depression, schizophrenia and anxiety.

Comparative Psychologists are interested in the way animals behave and how their behavior relates to human behavior.

Cognitive Psychologists study the decision making processes that lead to behavior. They may therefore study human thinking, reasoning, memory, learning and perception.

Developmental Psychologists are interested in the development of different kinds of human behavior through the lifespan from infants to the elderly.

Organisational Psychologists consider behavior at work and in organisations. They may study motivation at work, job satisfaction, decision making, leadership, personnel selection, and so on.

Health Psychologists are interested in the behavior of people in relation to their health and well-being. They may study such issues as stress, illness behavior, and doctor-patient interactions.