The relationship between rhetoric and psychology

There exists a natural relationship between rhetoric and psychology. The origins of this relationship can be traced back to the history of humanity, as both disciplines center on human beings and their psychological processes. This common ground constitutes the most fundamental and powerful link that brings them closer together. More specifically, human-related psychological phenomena such as talent, creativity, pleasure, aesthetics, efficacy, instinct, imagination, inspiration, emotion, thought, and persuasion are key elements that converge these two fields. This necessitates the examination of their relationship from various perspectives. Moreover, identifying psychological reflections in the primary sources of Islam, namely the Qur'an and Hadith, as well as in other literary texts, and developing psychological evaluations and interpretations of these texts, represents significant reasons that make the rhetoric-psychology relationship meaningful. Based on this premise, the present study addresses the relationship between rhetoric and psychological processes, primarily focusing on emotion, thought, and behavior. Interdisciplinary connections have been attempted, particularly by considering certain concepts and findings from the classical literature. Indeed, a close examination of early rhetorical sources reveals not only the existence of this relationship but also its depth, antiquity, and strength, illustrating how rhetorical arts are nourished by psychology and how they, in turn, contribute to the field of psychology.