Discuss the Scope and breadth of Psychology

psychology.about.com/od/psychology101/f/four-goals-of-psychology.html

What is psychology?

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour
The word psychology is derived from the Greek word psyche, literally meaning 'life' or 'breath.' Derived meanings of the word include 'soul' or 'self.'

Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behaviour and cognitive processes
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Psychology is called a science as a result operates as a science in the way it carries out research to come to a conclusion as to why certain things happen.

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour.The word psychology is derived from the Greek word psyche, literally meaning 'life' or 'breath.' Derived meanings of the word include 'soul' or 'self.'

Psychology is a multifaceted discipline and includes many sub-fields of study such areas as human development, sports, health, clinical, social behaviour and cognitive processes.

However, it's origins can be traced back to ancient Greece, 400 – 500 years BC.
Psychology evolved out of both philosophy and biology. Discussions of these two subjects date as far back as the early Greek thinkers including Aristotle and Socrates. 

All these thinkers influenced one another.
The emergence of psychology as a separate and independent field of study truly came about when Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental psychology lab in Leipzig, Germany in 1879.
Wundt's work was focused on describing the structures that compose the mind. This perspective relied heavily on the analysis of sensations and feelings through the use of introspection, a highly subjective process. Wundt believed that properly trained individuals would be able to accurately identify the mental processes that accompanied feelings, sensations and thoughts.
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To Describe
One of the first goals of psychology is simply to describe behaviour. Through describing the behaviour of humans and other animals, we are better able to understand it and gain a better perspective on what is considered normal and abnormal.
Psychology researchers utilize a range of research methods to help describe behaviour including naturalistic observation, case studies, correlational studies, surveys, and self-report inventories
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To Explain
Psychologists are interested in explaining behaviour in addition to merely describing it. Why do people do the things they do? What factors contribute to development, personality, social behaviour, and mental health problems? many different theories have emerged to help explain various aspects of human behaviour.
A few examples of such theories including classical conditioning and attachment theories. known as grand theories).

To Predict
Another major goal of psychology is to make predictions about how we think and act. Once we understand more about what happens and why it happens, we can use that information to make predictions about when, why, and how it might happen again in the future.
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Prediction can also allow psychologists to make guesses about human behaviour without necessarily understanding the mechanisms underlying the phenomena. For example, if researchers notice that scores on a specific aptitude test can be used to predict high school dropout rates, that information can then be used to estimate how many students in a particular group might drop out of school each year.

To Change
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, psychology strives to change, influence, or control behaviour in order to make positive and lasting changes in people's lives.
In the previous example, researchers might take what they know about the link between scores on an aptitude test and dropout rates and use the information to develop programs designed to help students stay in school. From treating mental illness to enhancing human well-being, changing human behaviour is a huge focus of psychology