“The scientific study of human thought and behavior” (Feist, 2013, p. 6) is how psychology has been defined in today's world. Over the centuries it has been used to evaluate and even aid in the healing process of people with mental problems. It has also been used as a means to understand how a person thinks and to demonstrate the reasoning behind a decision made. Today, psychologists use it as a “practice or to diagnose and treat thinking and behavior problems” (Feist, 2013, p. 6). Psychology leaves room for growth in the fields of science and social behavior. It also brings new perspectives to the people of this world and what they have to offer. Psychology is a way to understand how humanity can improve and understand how it has grown in recent years. This specific type of study offers room for improvement and the ability to function more efficiently in the years to come. However, it is more than just gaining knowledge of history, psychology is an insight into how and what makes a person who they are. These studies can range from infancy to the elderly and from small to large groups. There may be many or small factors that will bring about behavioral and thought outcomes. With that said, let's take a deeper look at psychology and what it has to say. To explain psychology further you need to take a step back in time to get the full picture. Here's a quick history lesson on psychology and how it has transformed over the years. Let's start with the basics of its foundation, which reaches back to prehistory. “Thousands of years ago, humans drilled holes into their skulls to treat brain injuries and perhaps even mental anguish” (Feist, 2013, p. 34). The humans were trying to understand people... middle of paper... because his attention was on the reward in general and this particular child loved candy. It's pretty obvious that this is just a simple and vague example, but hopefully you get the understanding of a theory. To conclude, psychology is a science with the ability to advance the understanding of human behavior. It has a history that dates back to prehistory and has been carried forward over the years. There is still a lot to understand in psychology and in this world there is nothing but time. Psychology uses both independent and dependent variables within experiments. It also uses the scientific method in the process of proving a hypothesis through the use of theories. This continuous cycle of study and application of discovered information never ends. Perhaps one day psychology will become the primary process by which a human grows mentally.