Summary

The article addresses common misconceptions about psychology, clarifying its scientific basis, the role of psychologists, differences between psychology and psychiatry, and the true focus of psychological study.

Abstract

The "Misconceptions of Psychology" article seeks to dispel myths and clarify the true nature of psychology as an academic discipline. It emphasizes that psychology is indeed a science, despite some less scientific approaches by historical figures like Sigmund Freud. The article refutes the notion that psychologists can read minds, instead highlighting their ability to make educated guesses about thoughts based on behavior. It also distinguishes psychology from psychiatry, noting that while both fields involve understanding the mind, only psychiatrists can prescribe medication and provide medical treatment. Furthermore, the piece clarifies that psychology is not solely about self-discovery but rather the study of general human behavior. The author encourages readers to embrace the true essence of psychology, suggesting that a correct understanding of the field can lead to a more rewarding academic experience.

Opinions

The author believes that the public's understanding of psychology is often marred by inaccurate preconceived notions.
Psychology is a scientific field that uses testable theories and research to understand human behavior.
Psychologists are professionals who can infer thoughts from behavior but do not possess the ability to read minds.
There is a clear distinction between psychologists and psychiatrists, primarily in the psychiatrists' capacity to prescribe medication and diagnose illnesses.
Psychology is misunderstood as a path to self-discovery when it is actually the study of human behavior in general.
The author suggests that overcoming misconceptions about psychology can lead to a deeper appreciation and enjoyment of the subject.
The article implies that readers should be open to learning and unlearning preconceived ideas to fully grasp the discipline of psychology.

The Misconceptions of Psychology

There are some confusions and misconceptions about psychology that you should be aware of before you even think about studying the subject

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock / Orlando Florin Rusu

The Reality of Psychology’s Confused Nature

There are so many inaccurate pre-conceived notions over what psychology is and what psychology isn’t. The majority of things that people say and think about psychology are actually untrue. If students are not aware as to the falseness of such common-sense claims, then psychology is a subject that is bound to leave them feeling shocked or confused over what psychology really is about. In this article, I am going to clear up on all of the misconceptions and confusions about psychology, so that by the end of this story you will have a much better idea of how psychology really works and what to expect when you chose this domain as an academic pursuit. I will make a list of four statements that both myself and one of my former psychology tutors constantly hears people say about psychology and I will explain why these statements are completely false.

1. Psychology isn’t a science

Photo Credit: Pexels / Chokniti Khongchum

Now, even though this statement is obviously untrue, you would be surprised to know that some people actually believe this claim to be valid. The reason for that is because psychologists are unable to prove theories and some psychologists like Sigmund Freud often leaned more towards less scientific research methods (e.g. case studies, surveys) in which they could distort evidence to support their claims. While this may be true, most psychologists keep it simple and stick to the scientific script by building theories which can be properly and scientifically tested through research that either confirms or refutes their proposals. This is why psychology is officially classified as a scientific area of study.

2. Psychologists are mind readers

No, they most certainly are not and this arguably the most absurd one that I have ever heard. Psychologists, as professionals, though, can make very strong guesses as to what a person may be thinking based on observable behaviours. However, they cannot take out someone’s brain to find exactly what that person is thinking about. The things that a person thinks about remains private unless they choose to openly express them with others.

3. Psychology and Psychiatry are pretty much the same thing

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock / Syda Productions

This confusion makes more sense than any of the other ones I have mentioned above as the work of psychologists and psychiatrists is similar in many ways but slightly different. Both psychologists and psychiatrists share an understanding of how the human mind works and often develop theories to explain why people behave the way they do. However, the only difference between the two is that psychiatrists are licensed doctors who can prescribe medications, diagnose patients and give therapeutic treatments whereas psychologists can only give therapy. Though, psychologists do exercise the right to refer patients to psychiatrists if they firmly believe that a patient is yet to be diagnosed with a mental or behavioural condition or if any existing mental or behavioural conditions are in need of treatment or therapy.

4. Psychology is all about self-discovery

If you think that after having learned psychology that you will eventually discover yourself, you may want to think again. While psychology is the study of the individual, it is the study of individuals in general rather than a study of specific individuals. In other words, if you choose to study psychology, then you will learn why people in general do what they do rather than why you do what you do. If you want to enhance your understanding of general human behaviour then psychology is for you but if you want to go on a journey of self-discovery instead, then maybe travelling world or looking at motivational books and videos are your best alternatives.

Final Thoughts

If you are new to studying psychology and can come to terms with everything I have said in this article, then psychology really should not cause you any kind of confusion whatsoever. I got so caught up on my pre-conceived ideas about what I thought psychology was when I first learned it and I was not understanding a single word my tutor would say. Though, as soon as I came to realise how inaccurate my initial perceptions were, I began to understand psychology so much better and found myself enjoying the subject a lot more than what I did to begin with. Psychology is really no different from any other subject, it takes some time to become completely familiar with and fully understand its elements and once you do then your perception will change improvably.

I hope you enjoyed reading this story and if you did then please feel free to clap and follow me for more stories like this in the future.

Also, if you would like to support my work through a generous giving of your money, you can simply do so by clicking the link here to my paypal donation page where you can input an amount of your choice (preferably a minimum amount equivalent to the price of a cup of coffee :)).

Another way you can support my work is by becoming a monthly medium member for only $5 a month which will provide you with unlimited access to a range of interesting stories from an interesting range of topics posted on medium. If you subscribe through my referral link here, this will allow me to receive half of the proceeds from your subscription fee.

Thanks for Reading!