General Psychology Instructor: Dan Benkendorf. Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. It seeks to answer questions about the relationship between the brain and behavior, the origins of personality, why people conform to social norms, and the causes of mental illness. There are several specialty areas in psychology including biological, cognitive, experimental, developmental, social, personality, health, educational, and clinical. The scientific method uses assumptions, evidence, and conclusions to describe, explain, predict, and control behaviors. Knowledge of research methods enables accurate predictions.