What Is the Importance of General Psychology?

General psychology is an important discipline because it focuses on understanding, explaining and predicting human behavior, emotions and mental processes. According to Psychology Today, the principles of general psychology have an impact on relationships, in the workplace and in many other environments.

General psychology is a science that relies heavily on observation and empirical data such as statistics. As a science, empirical data is vital to ensuring the concepts and principles of the science are accurate. Although psychology is defined as the study of the mind, there are many applications of general psychology that can help solve practical problems and issues. For instance, those suffering from repeated relationship problems can rely on the principles of psychology to understand and correct the issues for better relationships in the future. The theories that form general psychology are used in both practical settings such as a therapist's office and in research to better understand human behaviors, emotions and mental processes, according to the British Psychological Society.

The principles of general psychology can help solve issues such as bullying, recovering from emotional, mental and physical trauma or stress. General psychology theories also promote personal development as the result of identifying and treating mental or emotional disorders that result from a variety of situations. Educationally, students studying psychology need to understand general psychology because it is the foundation of the discipline. Therapists, counselors and psychiatrists each need to have a comprehensive, working knowledge of general psychology in order to work with clients in a professional setting.