Psychology refers to the ________.

• A. study of historical events and their impact
• B. scientific study of behavior and mental processes
• C. art of interpreting dreams and symbols
• D. practice of diagnosing physical illnesses

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of psychology by breaking down the term into its roots: 'psyche' meaning mind or soul, and 'logy' meaning study of.
2. Step 2: Recognize that psychology is a scientific discipline focused on understanding both observable behaviors and internal mental processes.
3. Step 3: Differentiate psychology from other fields such as history (study of historical events), medicine (diagnosing physical illnesses), and psychoanalysis (interpreting dreams and symbols).
4. Step 4: Identify that the correct description of psychology is the 'scientific study of behavior and mental processes' because it involves systematic research and empirical methods.
5. Step 5: Conclude that psychology is not just about subjective interpretation or physical health, but about applying scientific methods to understand how people think, feel, and act.