Question for Psychologists (ones who either have a masters and above)
Posted on: May 23, 2007 - 4:29pm
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Question for Psychologists (ones who either have a masters and above)
I recently became a psychology major(just switched from computer engineering last week) and I had a few questions. Some questions are based on my class i am taking and some are on the broader scope of psychology it's self. The class I am in is normal psychology.
- Which theory of personality do you identify most with and/or do you think is most accurate. If possible would you explain why?
- On psychology as a whole, do you think it is a science? or is it more like a philosphy? more like a social science? a hard science? I'm curious. I am reading right now about William James and the view he has of psychology i don't know if i agree with.
- What type psychologist do you plan on becoming? (ie behavioral, developmental ... etc)
- Why do you think so many people look down at psychologists in general and/or pyschology as a study?
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At heart, I follow the conflict model - Neo Freudian theory. However, I also use Beckian cognitive theory.
James is great. Psychology is a new science. Where we have certainties, we find trivialities.
I am a behaviorally driven Neo Freudian, and no, there's no conflict.
As for why psychology isn't taken seriously: people criticize what they don't understand, or what scares them....
"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'
I'm not a psychologist, but I do advise college students so I just wanted to add a few points on some questions that might be helpful.
2. Cognitive psychology--the hardcore kind that works with brain scans and eye trackers and nerves--is very much like other hard science disciplines. Cognitive psychologists also get more respect because they wear lab coats and work with scary machines that have electrodes on them. Your computer engineering background would give you an advantage if you went into cognitive psych research. You'll need to have some math skills (for statistical analyses).
4. I think there's a widespread misconception at colleges that people go into psychology because (1) it's a second choice they default to after they failed at their first choice and (2) people study psychology so they can figure out their own problems. Out in the professional world there's a perception that therapy is a psuedo-science that doesn't actually necessarily help anybody (also untrue, but there it is). I don't know where those perceptions came from, but it's something you'll have to put up with, especially if you go into a theraputic psych area. Unless you become a professor--profs get automatic respect for some reason.
"After Jesus was born, the Old Testament basically became a way for Bible publishers to keep their word count up." -Stephen Colbert
Oh i agree witht he professor part. I actually have an idea that professors (at least at my school) have a god complex. They think they can do anything they want and the school reinforces this idea, all in the name of "Academic Freedom."
I think the first misconception you mention might apply to a select few psychology majors. I don't nkow how many graduates (one that have graduated not ones who are in graduate college) in psychology though are that. I decided on psychology because it interests me so much and i seem to be really good at it. I've "diagnosed" others and my diagnosis has turned out to be correct, i even did it to myself. I love the field and have always thought of being a psychologist. So as an example i am definately not one of the "default psychologists". In my personal expereince with people the default is usually business to fall back on and not psychology.
Having to do with another misconception "psychology is easy." I don't think this is necessarily true. I think psych professors know how to teach and how people learn therefore they are able to help students learn better and since students are use to horrible professor who couldn't teach basic math to a 3-5 year old, they see it as easy. I do not think the subject matter is necessarily easy.