Evolutionary psychologists, following Darwinian anthropologists' interpretation of kin selection theory initially attempted to explain human altruistic behaviour through kin selection by stating that "behaviors that help a genetic relative are favored by natural selection."

Why would psychologists attempt to induce depression and "learned helplessness" in dogs by exposing them to ceaseless random patterns of electrical shock?

For example, most psychologists accept certain aspects of behaviorism, but do not attempt to use the theory to explain all aspects of human behavior.

Sociologists and psychologists attempted to explain the sudden ebb of hysteria that had seized the people.

The psychologists analyzed whether Large Group Awareness Training could be classified as psychotherapy, and attempted to determine whether these techniques are harmful, beneficial, or produce no effects to an individual's mental health.

Cognitive psychologists have attempted to shed some light on the alleged mental structures that stand in a causal relationship to our physical actions.

For example, evolutionary psychologists attempt to explain psychological traits-such as memory, perception, or language-as adaptations, that is, as the functional products of natural selection or sexual selection.

Chinese psychologists have attempted to develop an indigenous measure of personality, named the Chinese Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI).

To solve this problem, social psychologists attempt to increase the generalizability of their results by making their studies as realistic as possible.

Hence, social psychologists attempt to transcend the naivety of common sense, to clear up its confusions and 'unfounded speculation', and to transform lay into scientific theories.