Edorium Journal of Psychology Vol. 3, 2017. Edorium J Psychol 2017;3:19–23. www.edoriumjournalofpsychology.com Shenge et al. 19 CASE REPORT OPEN ACCESS Meaning, relevance and prospects of psychology: A survey of undergraduate students of University of Ibadan N. A. Shenge, R. A. Adu ABSTRACT Psychology is defined as the scientific study of human and animal behavior including mental processes. Psychology as a discipline of study was first introduced to the Nigerian University fifty years ago. Although the discipline has grown and diversified in the relative terms, little is known among non-psychologists and even psychologists themselves about its relevance and prospects. This study set out to fill this knowledge gap. The study surveyed the views of 83 psychology and non-psychology undergraduate students of the Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan on the meaning, relevance and prospects of psychology. Participants were students of a second-year social psychology course. The class has 51 males and 32 females students. Participants’ written responses are being quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. It is hoped that findings of this paper will add up to existing literature on the prospects and relevance of psychology in the national development. As well, findings of the study will serve as a useful guide for non-psychologists and intending psychology students that may be willing to learn about prospects and relevance of psychology in the national development. N. A. Shenge 1 , R. A. Adu 1 Affiliation: 1 Department of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Corresponding Author: Richard Akinjide Adu, Depart- ment of Psychology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria; Email: adurichard3@gmail.com Received: 15 March 2017 Accepted: 07 June 2017 Published: 30 June 2017 Keywords: Prospects, Psychology and national development, Relevance, Qualitative survey How to cite this article Shenge NA, Adu RA. Meaning, relevance and prospects of psychology: A survey of undergraduate students of University of Ibadan. Edorium J Psychol 2017;3:19–23. Article ID: 100012P13NS2017 ********* doi:10.5348/P13-2017-12-OA-3 INTRODUCTION Psychology is a science as well as a profession. As a science, psychologists study how people perceive, think, feel, and act. In the professional arena, careers that are based on psychological principles seek to predict how people will act; help people modify their behavior; and help organizations, businesses, and communities to change [1]. Surprisingly, many psychologists consider themselves primarily to be scientists and researchers. As a result of this many of them are found working in the academic setting. For any discipline and psychology in particular to grow both scientific and professional aspects must go hand-in-hand. Today in Nigeria, little or nothing is known among psychologists and non-psychologists as per the prospects and relevance of psychology to national development. This research, therefore, seeks to empirically examine the meaning, relevance, prospects and general perception of psychology among undergraduate students in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. EDITORIAL OPEN ACCESS ORIGINAL ARTICLE PEER REVIEWED | OPEN ACCESS