Why We All Can Learn From Studying Psychology

Why We All Can Learn From Studying Psychology Student Resources Print Why We All Can Learn From Studying Psychology By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on September 16, 2019 Jamie Grill/Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers Why should you study psychology? There are plenty of great reasons to learn about psychology, even if you dont plan to become a psychology major or work in a psychology-related profession. Psychology is all around you and touches on every aspect of your life! Who you are now, how you will be in the future, how you interact with family, friends, and strangers; these are all things that psychology can help you better understand.?? 10 Reasons We Should Learn Psychology Here are just a few more great reasons why we think everyone should learn at least a little bit about psychology. Psychology Can Help You Better Understand Yourself As you learn more about how development occurs, how personality forms, and how factors like society and culture impact behavior, you might find yourself gaining a deeper understanding of the many influences that have impacted your own life.?? Youll Gain a Stronger Grasp of Research Methods Having a basic understanding of psychological research methods can help you better understand some of the many claims that you’ll encounter in books, magazines, television shows, and movies. Becoming a better-informed consumer of psychology means that you will be equipped to sort out the truth from the fiction surrounding many pop psychology myths. It  Can Give You a Better Understanding of the People Around You The next time someone behaves in a certain way, you might be better able to understand the influences and motivations behind their actions.?? Psychology Can Help You Become a Better Communicator Studying subjects such as emotion, language, and body language can help you fine-tune your interpersonal communication skills. By learning more about these things, you can gain a greater understanding of other people and what they are trying to say. Youll Develop Your Critical Thinking Skills As you study psychology you will learn more about topics such as the scientific method, decision-making, and problem-solving, all of which might help you hone your ability to think deeply and critically about different issues.?? Psychology Can Help You in Your Future Career Sure, there are plenty of exciting careers in psychology that you might want to explore, but studying the subject can help you in many other professions as well. For example, if you want to become a business manager, understanding human behavior can improve your ability to manage and interact with your employees. Gain a Greater Appreciation for Human Development at All Stages of Life Understanding how people change and grow throughout the lifespan can make it easier to understand the children in your life, as well as your aging parents. It can also shine a light on your own experiences as you encounter different challenges and opportunities as you age. Psychology Can Complement Your Study of Related Subjects Because different areas of psychology encompass a range of topics including philosophy, biology, and physiology, studying the subject can help you gain a richer understanding of these related areas.?? It Can Also Give You Greater Insight Into Mental Illness While you might not be interested in becoming a psychotherapist, studying psychology can help you better understand how psychological conditions are diagnosed and treated. You can also discover how mental wellness can be enhanced, how to reduce stress, how to boost memory, and how to live a happier, healthier life. Psychology Can Be Both Fun and Fascinating From intriguing optical illusions that reveal the inner workings of the brain to shocking experiments that expose how far people will go to obey an authority figure, there is always something amazing and even downright astonishing to learn about the human mind and behavior.