Introducing the ever-fascinating field of psychology: the scientific study of the human mind and its functions whereby psychologists seek to understand the behavior of people in certain contexts and uncover patterns in order to draw conclusions about the causes underlying such behavior. Whether it be helping those with mental disorders or exploring interesting phenomena within the population such as how humans deal with expectations, there is something for everyone. Also, many of us even partake in psychological thinking on a daily basis, questioning how people perceive us and whether we are seen in a favorable light. In this post, we will address why psychology is important and how it can be impactful.
Psychology. What is it? Technically speaking, it is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context. If you don’t understand that definition, or even psychology at all, that’s okay. I don’t know much about psychology either. What I do know (from videos of TedEd and Kurzgesagt on YouTube) is that psychology is about understanding people and why they do things. Psychologists, or people who study psychology, look at people in certain situations to write down patterns of things that people tend to do or say. Once they understand patterns in people, they figure out what causes those patterns and why. Now that you understand a little about psychology, I can discuss why.
Why psychology? What does psychology even do? Sure it might be nice to understand why we do things, but what does that even do? Well, by learning about the brain and the way people act, psychologists can help people understand themselves. This can help people with special brain disorders or people with unusual behavior fit in with society’s norms. Psychologists can help patients understand their feelings and learn how to keep undesired behavior in check. This is the case in a book I am reading, The Awakened Family by Dr. Shefali Tsabary. The author is a psychologist that helps parents become closer with their kids. By reading this I have learned that psychologists can bring to light surprising problems and innovative solutions. This also helps psychologists because they get paid. Which honestly, is a great way to make money just by telling others what to do.
‘This is all well and good,’ I am sure some of you are thinking, ‘but what does this have to do with me?’ Well, psychology is not only for those who have special needs or especially like psychology. There are different types of psychology. One type, for example, is about how we feel. These types of studies are especially important because they are easy to convey back to the public and have important implications. Take for instance, a study about expectations. Studies conducted by TedEd have demonstrated that people are less happy when they have things and become used to them. For example, if you just won the lottery, you think you’d be pretty happy, right? I mean, you have so much money now, why wouldn’t you be? People who aren’t incredibly rich already would normally be ecstatic about that much money. TedEd has found, after interviewing past lottery winners, that most people are euphoric upon gaining the huge sum of cash. After a while though, the winners became used to their money and became less elated. They were still happier than the average person, but not by much. After becoming used to something, humans seem to want more. Psychologists bring these experiments to you so that the community knows and changes.
I realize that I have not yet addressed the title. You must be so disappointed in me. I have done all this typing up and lecturing and have not even got to the reason you’re reading this. Don’t worry I won’t let this turn into an empty clickbait. Throughout my extensive research of fictional novels and television, I have found that most characters, and people in this world, think a lot about others and how they perceive you. Yes, what we are most likely thinking about at any given moment is likely selfish and vain. You may be thinking ‘that guy looks weird’ or ‘why are people staring at me’ or ‘do people think I’m cool?’ Another person’s thoughts or actions seem more pressing than topics that threaten the very existence of mankind. Don’t feel bad. It’s a part of being human. You’re not alone. Probably. Psychology is helpful in all sorts of ways and helps all sorts of people, as long as they are willing to learn.
To sum up, psychology is scientific study of the human mind and its functions and it can be incredibly useful to individuals and the community. It can help those with special needs, those facing unusual behavior, and people who are just looking to understand more about themselves and those around them better. It is a science of knowledge that helps us in ways we may not even be aware of. Psychology encourages us to look further into our own behavior and the behavior of the people around us for a deeper understanding of the world that we live in. So with that, I invite you to comment; what have you learned about psychology and how can it help you?
