Psychology

The American Psychological Association explains, "Psychologists examine the relationships between brain function and behavior, and the environment and behavior, applying what they learn to illuminate our understanding and improve the world around us... Curiosity is part of human nature. One of the first questions children learn to ask is “why?” As adults, we continue to wonder. Using empirical methods, psychologists apply that universal curiosity to collect and interpret research data to better understand and solve some of society’s most challenging problems."

There are several different subfields within the broader discipline of psychology. Centennial College offers courses in principles of psychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, consumer psychology and more. Check out the descriptions below to learn more about various subfields in psychology.

Social psychology: Social psychologists use psychological science to understand how we perceive ourselves in relation to the rest of the world and how this perception affects our choices, behaviors, and beliefs (American Psychological Association). Psychopedia further explains, "The disciplines of social psychology and sociology are frequently confused ... The major difference between them is that: Social psychology studies individual behavior in relation to the group or the society, whereas Sociology is the study of group behavior and functioning in relation to society."

Consumer psychology examines consumers’ perceptions, beliefs, feelings and thoughts and considers all of them when examining purchasing behavior. It also accounts for social persuasion and motivation from third parties to purchasing decisions, such as commercials or advertising (University of Southern California).

Abnormal psychology is a branch of psychology that deals with psychopathology and abnormal behavior, or the patterns of emotion, thought, and behavior that can be signs of a mental health condition. The term covers a broad range of disorders, from depression to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to personality disorders (Verywell Mind).

Developmental psychology: Developmental psychologists study how people grow and adapt over the course of their lives. They apply their research to help people overcome developmental challenges and reach their full potential (American Psychological Association).

Cultural psychology is an interdisciplinary study of how cultures reflect and shape the thoughts, attitudes and behaviors of its members (Culture and Psychology, Worthy, Lavigne, Romero, 2025).

Cross-cultural psychology uses culture to test whether some psychological processes are universal rather than determining how cultural practices shape psychological processes (Culture and Psychology, Worthy, Lavigne, Romero, 2025).

Clinical psychology: Clinical psychologists integrate the science of psychology with the treatment of complex human problems (American Psychological Association).