Need I say anything more?!
I don't blame the guys!! hehehe ;-)
I don't blame the guys!! hehehe ;-)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Psychobabble!
I've heard some really amusing misconceptions about what psychology is or what psychologists can do.. And as someone who has studied psychology for a few years, I wanted to give a truer picture... So here goes...
Myth: Psychology means you are studying "mad" people...
Fact: Not true always! Psychology is a study of human behavior and psychologists study 'normal' people as well!! Studying 'abnormal' people can be a part of it but surely not the whole...
Myth: Psychologists can read your mind.
Fact: Wow! Now if only that was true!! hahaha.... That is something humanly impossible to do, rightly so too. And thank God for that, otherwise there would be no uniqueness and you wouldn't remain YOU....
Here's what psychologists and counselors CAN do- They can study people's behavior patterns, attitudes, responses etc. and can describe, explain, predict and modify behavior.
Myth: It's a shame to go to a counselor... You are insulting yourself...
Fact: This is a sensitive one actually and obviously stemming from the previous two myths...
Just consider this- Your mind is the "thinking" part of your brain and it controls all your functions, thoughts, emotions etc. Now if something is troubling our stomach, our heart or even our foot, we do go see a Doctor, don't we? So then, if our mind is having serious trouble, we are unable to cope or there's something that is hurting or harming us, what's so bad about asking someone to cure that? There should be no shame if someone can help us gain back our healthy mind, isn't it? It's not an insult. And just as we don't think "What would others say?" when we see a Doc, we should try think the same way for this too. And one is not 'abnormal' if he visits a counselor. There are different kind of counselors for treating the 'normal' people and the 'abnormal' ones.
The mind is a part of the body, don't separate it and treat it differently.
Also here's just a simplified overview of the major fields in psychology.
1) Human Development- It is the scientific study of the processes of change and stability that occur in a human throughout the lifespan.
2) Social Psychology- It is the scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual behavior and thought in social situations.
3) Cognitive Psychology- A branch of psychology that deals with our mental processes. It explains how we acquire, store, transform, use and communicate information.
4) Industrial and Organizational Psychology- The application of psychological principles, theory and research to the work setting. It recognizes interdependence of individuals, organizations and society, and facilitates responses to issues and problems of the work force.
5) Clinical Psychology- The study of abnormal behavior and psychological disorders.
So you see, everything is not about the mad world... I hope I've been able to clear a few things, in whatever capacity I could.
Psychology when treated right, is very interesting as it broadens our own mind. Helps us learn a bit more about ourselves!
Myth: Psychology means you are studying "mad" people...
Fact: Not true always! Psychology is a study of human behavior and psychologists study 'normal' people as well!! Studying 'abnormal' people can be a part of it but surely not the whole...
Myth: Psychologists can read your mind.
Fact: Wow! Now if only that was true!! hahaha.... That is something humanly impossible to do, rightly so too. And thank God for that, otherwise there would be no uniqueness and you wouldn't remain YOU....
Here's what psychologists and counselors CAN do- They can study people's behavior patterns, attitudes, responses etc. and can describe, explain, predict and modify behavior.
Myth: It's a shame to go to a counselor... You are insulting yourself...
Fact: This is a sensitive one actually and obviously stemming from the previous two myths...
Just consider this- Your mind is the "thinking" part of your brain and it controls all your functions, thoughts, emotions etc. Now if something is troubling our stomach, our heart or even our foot, we do go see a Doctor, don't we? So then, if our mind is having serious trouble, we are unable to cope or there's something that is hurting or harming us, what's so bad about asking someone to cure that? There should be no shame if someone can help us gain back our healthy mind, isn't it? It's not an insult. And just as we don't think "What would others say?" when we see a Doc, we should try think the same way for this too. And one is not 'abnormal' if he visits a counselor. There are different kind of counselors for treating the 'normal' people and the 'abnormal' ones.
The mind is a part of the body, don't separate it and treat it differently.
Also here's just a simplified overview of the major fields in psychology.
1) Human Development- It is the scientific study of the processes of change and stability that occur in a human throughout the lifespan.
2) Social Psychology- It is the scientific field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual behavior and thought in social situations.
3) Cognitive Psychology- A branch of psychology that deals with our mental processes. It explains how we acquire, store, transform, use and communicate information.
4) Industrial and Organizational Psychology- The application of psychological principles, theory and research to the work setting. It recognizes interdependence of individuals, organizations and society, and facilitates responses to issues and problems of the work force.
5) Clinical Psychology- The study of abnormal behavior and psychological disorders.
So you see, everything is not about the mad world... I hope I've been able to clear a few things, in whatever capacity I could.
Psychology when treated right, is very interesting as it broadens our own mind. Helps us learn a bit more about ourselves!
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