What is folk psychology also known as?

Folk psychology is commonly referred to as commonsense psychology because it encompasses the informal understanding and assumptions people have about mental states and behaviors. It includes the ways in which individuals explain and predict the actions of others based on common beliefs and societal norms, reflecting a shared set of intuitions about how the mind works. This form of psychology is not based on rigorous scientific methods but rather on everyday experiences and social interactions.

The term "commonsense psychology" highlights that it is a widely accepted approach among the general public for interpreting human behavior, rather than a formalized or systematic study of psychological phenomena. This perspective often includes concepts such as beliefs, desires, intentions, and emotions that people commonly use to make sense of themselves and others.

The other terms don’t align with this definition; scientific psychology typically refers to psychological approaches grounded in empirical research and scientific methods, while critical psychology focuses on social issues and the critiques of traditional psychological practices, and descriptive psychology analyzes psychological concepts without making claims about the underlying mechanisms. All of these differ significantly from the informal, intuitive approach encapsulated in folk or commonsense psychology.