Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Psychology
is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such
areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behavior
and cognitive processes.
Psychology is really a very new science, with most advances happening
over the past 150 years or so. However, its origins can be traced back
to ancient Greece, 400 – 500 years BC. The emphasis was a
philosophical one, with great thinkers such as Socrates influencing
Plato, who in turn influenced Aristotle.
Philosophers used to discuss many topics now studied by modern psychology, such as memory, free will, attraction etc.
In the early days of psychology there were two dominant theoretical
perspectives. An American psychologist named William James (1842-1910)
developed an approach which came to be known as functionalism. He
argued that the mind is constantly changing and it is pointless to look
for the building blocks of experience.