Are you fascinated by what makes human beings human: how we are able to think and feel and express ourselves in a way unlike any other animal? Do you wonder why we dream at night, and what the significance of these dreams may be? Have you ever thought about how we are able to conceptualize thoughts and express them verbally? Why do people act the way they do? What shapes our personality? How do we learn and change throughout our life? If you are interested in a deeper understanding of the human condition you should consider studying psychology.
To answer these and other questions about the mind, psychologists observe evolutionary factors, biological bases of behavior, cultural and social inputs, and the day to-day situations in which individuals find themselves. The study is concerned with basic psychological processes such as attention, perception, memory, categorization, reasoning, decision-making, language, cognitive and social development, intergroup relations, and morality.
The study of the mind had previously been relegated to Biology and Philosophy. Wundt was the first figure to describe himself as a ‘Psychologist’ and defined it as a discipline distinct from Biology and Philosophy. Now it was a science of its own. Psychology is one of the youngest sciences but one of the fastest growing. The 21st century requires that we change our traditional ways of practice to take advantage of the new possibilities in society. With advances in neuroscience, genetics and collaborative health care, psychology is more relevant than ever.
A common misconception about Psychology is that it is about ‘reading minds’, that psychologists can know what another person is thinking or feeling. Perhaps you associate the word with lie detectors? All-knowing gurus? Are you aware that psychologist and psychiatrist are two very different professions!
For a deeper study, psychology offers a broad array of courses across many different areas within the field. From Forensic to Industrial Psychology, from clinical to Cognitive, and to Evolutionary Psychology - each branch or field looks at questions and problems from a different perspective.There is no human endeavour which is going to remain unaffected by this new knowledge which is getting created. In fact, as a consequence, a large number of new job opportunities have surfaced. A psychology degree is one that is increasingly valued by employers who value the analytical and reasoning skills it gives you. Not every graduate will go on to become a practising psychologist, but they will gain all manner of transferable skills and knowledge, that will be attractive to any employer.
Ultimately it helps you to help yourself. Real change really starts from within. Psychology is a beautiful discovery and practice.
Most of the challenging problems or otherwise salient issues of our society are linked in part to human attitudes, values, and behavior. Societal concerns about crime and violence, poverty and prejudice, environmental and consumer issues are examples that directly implicate human thought and behavior. Promoting health and safety, learning skills, work productivity, child and adolescent development, and human effectiveness in a world of technology and information are a few examples of such issues. The science of psychology, in collaboration with other scientific fields, is contributing to our understanding of these problems and to their solutions. Students gain an understanding of the complexities of human thought and behavior, as well as the factors related to the differences between people.
Psychology is a science with connections to social and natural sciences. Courses in the social studies department may emphasize history, personality, and social psychology, whereas courses in the science department frequently emphasize biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, and learning.
Contemporary perspectives used by psychologists to understand behavior and mental processes in context
Major subfields and career opportunities that comprise psychology
Research strategies used by psychologists to explore behavior and mental processes
Purpose and basic concepts of statistics
Ethical issues in research with human and other animals that are important to psychologists
Development of psychology as an empirical science
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Structure and function of the neuron
Organization of the nervous system
Hierarchical organization of the structure and function of the brain
Technologies and clinical methods for studying the brain
Structure and function of the endocrine system
How heredity interacts with the environment to influence behavior
How psychological mechanisms are influenced by evolution
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Basic concepts explaining the capabilities and limitations of sensory processes
Interaction of the person and the environment in determining perception
Nature of attention
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Motivational concepts
The role of biology and learning in motivation and emotion
Major theories of motivation
Interaction of biological and cultural factors in emotions and motivations
Role of values and expectancies in determining choice and strength of motivation
Physiological, affective, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of emotions and the interactions among these aspects
Effects of motivation and emotion on perception, cognition, and behavior
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Sources of stress
Physiological reactions to stress
Psychological reactions to stress
Cognitive and behavioral strategies for dealing with stress and promoting health
Development as a lifelong process
Research techniques used to gather data on the developmental process
Theories of development
Issues surrounding the developmental process (nature/nurture, continuity/discontinuity, stability/instability, critical periods)
How to distinguish between personality and personality constructs
Personality approaches and theories
Assessment tools used in personality
Characteristics of learning
Principles of classical conditioning
Principles of operant conditioning
Components of cognitive learning
Roles of biology and culture in determining learning
. Encoding, or getting information into memory
Sensory, working or short-term, and long-term memory systems
Retrieval, or getting information out of memory
Biological bases of memory
Methods for improving memory
Memory constructions
Basic elements comprising thought
Strategies and obstacles involved in problem solving and decision-making
Structural features of language
Theories and developmental stages of language acquisition
Links between thinking and language
Nature of consciousness
Characteristics of sleep and theories that explain why we sleep
Theories used to explain and interpret dreams
Basic phenomena and uses of hypnosis
Categories of psychoactive drugs and their effects
Concepts related to measurement of individual differences
Influence and interaction of heredity and environment on individual differences
Nature of intelligence
Nature of intelligence testing
Characteristics and origins of abnormal behavior
Methods used in exploring abnormal behavior
Major categories of abnormal behavior
Impact of mental disorders
Prominent methods used to treat individuals with disorders
Types of practitioners who implement treatment
Legal and ethical challenges involved in delivery of treatment
Social judgment and attitudes
Social and cultural categories
Social influence and relationships