Essay On Psych Myths

In the given study a student’s desire about fellow student’s thoughts on Psychology 101 came to his attention. Although it may seem like the freshman is satisfied with the end result; it does not prove much. Many problems, such as, no psychological theory, offer no guideline. Critical thinking on this study can show there is much need for improvement.

Psychological studies are mainly based on the direct observation of human behavior, rather than reasoning or speculation. Psychology is like any other subject- the majority of people have a very shallow and basic understanding of what the study involves, and yet they lack a crucial knowledge of the major struggles and disagreements among those who study it. It does not surprise me that psychology is one of the more popular majors available. By nature, it sparks human curiosity, especially as to what contributes to the system of our thoughts and the pattern in our behaviors. For the first eighteen

Ludy, B. (1986). Why don't they understand us? A history of psychology's public image. American Psychologists, 41, 941-946.

Cohen’s article is a reminder to be careful when reviewing research. This article shows how not all research is true and people put their faith into what they want the research to mean. It is damaging to the progression of psychology as a science if researchers do not claim something as significant for being true. We do this by claiming something is significant because that is what NHST says, and

In 10 Myths About Psychology, Ben Ambridge discusses many of the myths that are used in psychology. The first common myth is about gender. Many believe that women are better with grammar and men are more intelligent when it comes to reading maps. While this is true the difference between the two genders in each of these subjects is very minimal. However, many believe that there is a dramatic difference. Another interesting myth involves being a right or left brained learner. In school many are led to believe that one side of the brain involves creativity and the other works with equations. Depending on which side of the brain is more active dictates which type of learner a person is. This leads to the assumption that left-handed people

I’d always been a firm believer in myth 6 (Playing Mozart’s Music to Infants Boosts Their Intelligence), so learning that it held no truth came as a shock to me, although it does make more sense now that I’ve read it. Myth 9 (Old Age is Typically Associated with Increased Dissatisfaction and Senility) came as another shock; however, it did give me a sense of relief, as my grandparents are reaching their elderly years, and I’d like to have them be completely here for as long as possible. Another one that surprised me was myth 13 (Individuals Commonly Repress the Memories of Traumatic Experiences), as I’d always believed this to be 100% true. Most, if not all, of the incorrect beliefs I had regarding psychology came from media portrayal, so learning they’re wrong makes me question what else I may be believing that has no sound

In 1961 Thomas Szasz penned a book by the title The Myth of Mental Illness that would go on to cause quite the stir in the world of psychiatry. In the book, Szasz stated his belief that what most psychiatrists would label as mental illnesses are in fact not illnesses at all, but instead what he would go on to call “problems in living.” This article will take a critical approach at Szasz reasons for his belief in these “problems in living” including an objective outline of his argument, a discussion on the validity of the argument and its’ premises, and finally the strongest objections to the argument. Szasz is an important figure in modern psychiatry and his opinions are very divisive but certainly worth discussing.

McKinney, PhD, S. (n.d.). Joseph Stalin's Life, Death and Legacy. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from http://history1900s.about.com/od/people/ss/Stalin.htm

Prior to attending Regent University, a lot of psychology students are stuck in a position in which they feel that: they either have to choose between their faith and psychological principle; or that they must compartmentalize their life, keeping their faith completely separated from their scholastic pursuits and career. One’s belief in the dichotomy of psychological theory and Christian faith is rooted in childhood and adolescence, where religion stonewalls against anything scientific; and science rejects religious beliefs as being unproven and is used as a scapegoat to explain away phenomena in the natural world. These dichotomous beliefs are repudiated in the American education system, in which scientific and psychological theory is taught

The British Psychological Society states that ‘Psychology is the scientific study of people, the mind and behaviour’ (BPS). In this essay I will be discussing what is actually meant by this and whether psychology fits into both the traditional views of a science, as well as more contemporary perspectives. It is widely suggested that Psychology is a “coalition of specialities” meaning it is multi-disciplinary (Hewstone, Fincham and Foster 2005, page 4). I will therefore examine whether it could be considered wrong to think that all parts of the discipline should neatly fit into one view of a scientific approach.

When I started this class this pass September I had a little knowledge of psychology. In my junior year of high school I took Psychology as an elective class. I really enjoy it alot, it amaze me how much there was to know about our brains. This September I came with the feeling that this psychology class was going to be way different from my psychology class from high school. And that my knowledge from my class before wasn’t going to be useful at all. But I was wrong, this class has actually been better than my other class. Because it has help dust off some of the concepted that I had learn before. But it has also made gain more knowledge about psychology that I didn’t knew before. For example the next concepts are the ones that had impacted me the most: critical thinking and the eight essential, implicit learning, short term and long term memories. I chose these concept because they have not only taught me more about psychology, but they have made a big impact on me.

Wade E. Pickren’s article, Internationalizing the History of Psychology Course in the USA is an advocacy piece for diversity in the field of psychology; specifically in the teaching of the history and systems of psychology course in US colleges and universities. Pickren first outlines the development of historical psychological texts (dubbed textbook histories REFERENCE), the subsequent influence of said texts on the development of the course of history and systems, criticisms of then current textbook histories and the events that led to “The New History of Psychology” (REFERENCE). The present standing of the history of psychology course in the USA is examined followed by a review of how the USA dominated the field of psychology after World

Authored by Keith E. Stanovich, How to Think Straight About Psychology is a known work of the psychology world which was published in 1986. Beginning courses in psychology use his text frequently. Stanovich primary purpose for writing the text is to bring attention to his observation that the public’s understanding of psychology is different from psychology as a modern science. Psychology as a modern science explains the underlying functions that shape human attitudes and behavior. To the people who misunderstand this, the field of psychology is not a real science, but a pseudo-science instead. How to Think Straight About Psychology describes people’s several false impressions of psychology and it gives its readers a factual understanding of the field as a modern and scientific psychology while explaining how this science works.

Did you know that “people are more likely to return a lost wallet if there is a baby picture found inside of it?” ? (“Burnside”) Or that “the color blue causes the brain to release hormones that stimulate relaxation?” (“Burnside”) The study of the human mind and why we do what we do is as complex as it is fascinating. The mind is vast and seemingly limitless, and it is a psychologist's job to unlock its secrets. “Psychologists teach, counsel, conduct research, and administer programs to understand people while helping people understand themselves.” (“Psychologists") Psychology is a rich and fascinating subject that has practical applications in many different areas of life. In fact, studying psychology is a great way to gain greater insight into the human experience.

Taking my first general psychology has been very interesting. I am ending the semester with a lot of newly acquired knowledge about how and why our brain works the way it does. I have chosen three out of many of the things I have learned and reflected on them deeply in this paper. First, I will be talking about Social Categorization, which has changed my views on how I generally perceive people. Secondly, I will discuss Stereotype vulnerability, which has brought me to the realisation that stereotypes are more than just labels and can seriously change the way people behave towards not only one another but with themselves. Lastly, I will discuss The Fundamental Attribution Error, which will always cause me to think twice or even three times about how I perceive people's actions. These topics have all been significantly mind altering for me in ways I will explain further in this paper.