We began this chapter with an informal description of what psychology is about.
Contemporary psychology is a thriving science and profession.
Its growth has been remarkable. One simple index of this growth is the dramatic rise in membership in the American Psychological Association. Figure 1.5 shows that APA membership has increased sevenfold since 1950. In the United States, psychology now accounts for about 10 percent of all doctoral degrees awarded in the sciences and humanities. Of course, psychology is an international enterprise.