psychology
n. uncountablen. the study of the human mind and how it works. It looks at why people think, feel, and act the way they do.
n. the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behaviour in a given context. Often used to describe the mental characteristics or attitude of a person or group.
She is studying psychology at university.
Understanding the psychology of consumers helps businesses design more effective advertising campaigns.
While clinical psychology focuses on diagnosing and treating mental disorders, social psychology examines how the presence of others influences individual thought patterns and social interactions.
From French psychologie, from Renaissance Latin psychologia, from Ancient Greek ψυχή (psukhḗ, “soul”) + -λογία (-logía, “study of”), equivalent to psycho- + -logy. The Latin term is believed by some to have been coined in a lost treatise by Croatian humanist Marko Marulić (1450–1524), but this is disputed by other scholars. It is first attested in the 1570s, at which time it was apparently already current, and may be a Hellenization of the established expression dē animā (“on the soul”) in titles.
Uncountable when referring to the academic field; can be used with a possessive to describe a specific person's mental state.