Etymology and History - The word 'psychology' derives from the Greek word 'psyche,' meaning spirit or soul. - The term 'psychology' comes from the Greek word '-λογία,' which means study or research. - The word 'psychology' was first used in the Renaissance. - In its Latin form 'psychiologia,' it was first employed by the Croatian humanist Marko Marulić. - The earliest known reference to the word 'psychology' in English was by Steven Blankaart in 1694. - Ancient civilizations like Egypt, Greece, China, India, and Persia studied psychology. - Greek philosophers, including Thales, Plato, and Aristotle, addressed the workings of the mind. - Hippocrates theorised that mental disorders had physical causes. - Plato suggested that the brain is where mental processes take place. - Aristotle suggested that the heart is the center of mental processes.

Subject Matter and Practitioners - Psychology studies the mind and behavior of humans and nonhumans. - It includes conscious and unconscious phenomena. - Mental processes such as thoughts, feelings, and motives are part of psychology. - Psychology is an academic discipline that crosses boundaries between natural and social sciences. - Biological psychologists study the emergent properties of brains and link psychology to neuroscience. - Psychologists are professional practitioners or researchers in the field. - Some psychologists are classified as behavioral or cognitive scientists. - Psychologists study the role of mental functions in behavior. - Others explore physiological and neurobiological processes underlying cognitive functions and behaviors. - Psychologists conduct research on perception, cognition, emotion, intelligence, and personality.

Applications and Development - Psychology is applied to the assessment and treatment of mental health problems. - It is also used to understand and solve problems in various spheres of human activity. - Many psychologists practice psychotherapy in clinical, counseling, or school settings. - Some psychologists conduct scientific research on mental processes and behavior. - Psychologists work in academic, industrial, organizational, and other settings. - Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychological laboratory in Leipzig, Germany. - Gustav Fechner conducted psychophysics research and developed the Weber-Fechner law. - Hermann von Helmholtz conducted research on sensory perception. - Paul Flechsig and Emil Kraepelin established a psychology-related laboratory in Leipzig. - Hermann Ebbinghaus pioneered the experimental study of memory.

International Spread and Consolidation - Psychologists in Germany, Denmark, Austria, England, and the United States established laboratories. - G. Stanley Hall founded an influential psychology laboratory at Johns Hopkins University. - Yujiro Motora brought experimental psychology to the Imperial University of Tokyo. - Narendra Nath Sen Gupta founded a psychology department and laboratory at the University of Calcutta. - Psychology programs and research spread to various countries, including Argentina and Russia. - La Société de Psychologie Physiologique was one of the earliest psychology societies. - The International Congress of Psychology began in 1889 and continued with international participation. - The American Psychological Association (APA) was founded in 1892. - Psychology gained status in the U.S. during World War I through mental testing. - The Rockefeller family and foundations provided funding for behavioral research and mental hygiene.

Influence and Regulation - Rockefeller foundations supported research on sexuality through Alfred Kinsey. - The eugenics movement influenced American psychology in the early 20th century. - Psychology faced antagonism in the UK from scientific and medical establishments. - The U.S. military and intelligence agencies funded psychology research during World War II and the Cold War. - Propaganda research became significant during the war, with social psychologists involved in shaping policies. - Psychologists played significant roles in managing the domestic economy. - The Berlin Psychoanalytic Institute was renamed the Göring Institute under Nazi rule. - Freudian psychoanalysts were expelled and persecuted due to anti-Jewish policies. - The Göring Institute aimed to create a New German Psychotherapy to align Germans with the goals of the Reich. - Alexander Mitscherlich founded the applied psychoanalysis journal 'Psyche' and established the first clinical psychosomatic medicine division. - Psychology was integrated into the required studies of medical students. - Chinese psychology initially modeled itself on U.S. psychology, with a focus on education and language learning. - Governments in some places legally regulate who can provide psychological services. - The APA defines a psychologist as someone with a doctoral degree in psychology.