《精神藥理學》是一份國際性的研究和學術期刊，其目標是涵蓋解釋藥物影響行為機制的一般領域，這兩個術語都是廣義上的。該雜志的范圍從臨床精神藥理學(包括臨床試驗)擴展到對藥物對人類認知和行為影響的實驗研究，以及對實驗動物的實驗室研究。所涉及的研究方法(技術)可能從神經化學分析和電生理記錄到功能神經成像的研究以及實驗心理學和行為學以及臨床神經學和精神病學的方法。《華爾街日報》對整合這些層次分析的文章特別感興趣。

Psychopharmacology is an international journal of research and scholarship the aims of which are to cover the general area of elucidating mechanisms by which drugs affect behavior both terms intended in the broadest sense. The scope of the Journal extends from clinical psychopharmacology (including trials) to experimental studies on the effects of drugs on cognition and behavior in humans and laboratory studies in experimental animals. The research methodologies (techniques covered) may range from neurochemical assays and electrophysiological recording to studies of functional neuro-imaging and the methods of experimental psychology and ethology as well as clinical neurology and psychiatry. The journal is particularly interested in articles that integrate these levels of analysis.