In the context of psychology, how does idealism as an ontological position influence the understanding of reality?

Idealism says that reality is fundamentally made of ideas or mental constructs, so in psychology it leads researchers to view mental states as the primary reality rather than external objects. This perspective shifts focus from observable behaviors to internal experiences, treating thoughts, feelings, and perceptions as the core units of analysis. Researchers therefore design studies that probe how people mentally organize and interpret the world, rather than assuming an independent external world. For example, a therapist might ask a patient how they interpret a stressful event, believing that the patient’s mental framing actually creates the emotional response, not just the event itself. This ontological stance makes psychologists treat consciousness as the foundation for understanding human behavior.