John Wilkes Booth was the son of prominent, wealthy actors. He, too, became an actor and was so popular, he was one of the first to have his clothes ripped off by fans. Hulton Archive/Getty hide caption
Psychology is the systematic investigation of the human mind, including behavior and cognition. It thus encompasses both normal and abnormal behavior. On the other hand, psychiatry is a branch of medicine dealing with mental illness.
In murder cases we often hear a defendant plead âinsanity,â and mental evaluation is ordered to assess a defendantâs ability to withstand trial. In divorce and child custody cases, one or both parents might be ordered to undergo mental health evaluation to assess their suitability for child custody, or even visitation. Even in animal hoarding cases, psych evaluations are sometimes ordered by the Court. But mental illness does not occur only in criminal defendants, or when children and/or animals are involved.