Psychology is the science that studies why human beings and animals behave as they do.
It involves looking at behavioral patterns and processes from a biological and physiological point of view. From these perspectives, psychology is the study of perceptions, motivations, learning, memory, attitudes, and emotions. Psychologists study these areas through scientific observation, case histories, and surveys. They then apply the results of their research to understanding ways in which people can improve personal and interpersonal behavior, and help them discover new skills and directions in their lives. Early Greek philosophers were the first to organize thoughts about human behavior, and psychology was considered a philosophical subject until the late nineteenth century, when the German philosopher Wilhelm Wundt began the first scientific inquiries into psychological behavior.