Fluent Essays

Instructions: Discussion Post Requirements: Responses must be well thought out and well written. Responses must include 2+ references to the readings, videos, and/or activities assigned for the week. Responses must focus on both course material and personal reflection. Responses must be 350 words Dunn & Halonen The Psychology Major’s Companion Chapter 1: Charting Your Course in Psychology and College If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up somewhere else. ~Yogi Berra Chapter Objectives Communicate the typical goals and aspirations of college students. Describe the concept of psychological literacy. Introduce the structure of the Companion. Student Learning Outcomes At the end of the chapter, students should be able to Describe the personal value of attending college. Articulate the characteristics of psychological literacy. Speculate about the impact of obtaining a college education. Intended Companions Intro psych students Brand new majors Transfer students Graduates heading into the workforce Graduates planning on professional or graduate school Nontraditional students The Nature of the College Experience (1 of 2) College is a rite of passage. College is an opportunity to broaden personal horizons. Education happens inside and outside the classroom. The Nature of the College Experience (2 of 2) Community or 2-year colleges offer 2-year or associate degrees. Colleges and universities offer 4-year or baccalaureate degrees. Today’s Students: Why Attend College?* Get better jobs General education Become cultured Higher salaries Pursue interests Career training Prep for graduate or professional school Please the family *From Eagan et al., 2017 survey of incoming 2016 first year students Self-Perceptions of Personal Strengths Seeing the world from others’ perspective Tolerating those who believe differently Being open to being challenged Discussing/negotiating controversial issues Working cooperatively with diverse people Using critical thinking Practicing time management Do these self-perceptions apply to you? Goals for Completing: Which are essential or very important? MOST IMPORTANT Being financially “well off” (82%) Becoming an authority (60%) Gaining recognition from peers (58%) Helping others in need (77%) LESS IMPORTANT Developing a meaningful life philosophy (only 47%) Satisfaction Ratings of College Experience After 1 year 75% At graduation 81% Psychology Majors? Fall 2016: 4.5% of first-year students intended to be psychology majors. In 2014–15 118,000 received baccalaureate degrees. Only a small percentage of these students later pursued a graduate degree in psychology. 1.7 to 2 million registered for intro psych. College and Cost 56% of incoming students in 2016 reported concerns about being able to pay for their degrees. 13% claimed it was a major worry. 2017 graduates carried an average debt load of over $37,000. Best to think of college cost as an investment in your future… College Graduates Graduates earn 98% more per hour (on average) than nondegree workers. Skipping college costs average workers about half a million dollars across their career. Making the Most of College Participate in cocurricular activities Establish balance between studies and downtime Eat healthfully Get regular exercise Join a club or campus organization Volunteer Psychological Literacy An undergraduate degree in psychology promotes outcomes that are valuable in the future. Psychologically literate students develop skills, values, and outlooks that enable them to use their knowledge of psychology in both personal and professional ways. Characteristics of Psychologically Literate Students (1 of 2) Are creative, amiable, and skeptical problem solvers Appreciate and respect diversity Possess vocabulary of psychology terms and concepts Are reflective thinkers Characteristics of Psychologically Literate Students (2 of 2) Are savvy about information and technology Apply psychology to personal, work, and community issues Act ethically, not out of self-interest Communicate effectively using different methods for different audiences Discussion Junction Question 1: How well do your personal characteristics fit with those of the psychologically literate individual? Question 2: How do you know you aren’t being victimized by the Dunning-Kruger effect (the tendency for individuals to overestimate their level of competence)? Elements of the Companion Topical discussions that will help you make good decisions during and after your major Self-assessment opportunities in features called Measuring Up and Reality Check Major success profiles of former psychology majors doing fascinating things with their degrees Authentic assessments that will sharpen your skills and improve your retention of key concepts Conclusions Majoring in psychology provides an array of skills and habits of mind that serve students well in their careers and personal lives. A college degree is still a privilege: Only 32% of American adults have one. Discussion Questions What do you hope to gain from a college education? Why? At this point in time, what interests you about psychology? Why? Do you know psychology majors? What do they like about their studies? What extracurricular activities interest you? What would you be doing if you were not in college? Dunn & Halonen The Psychology Major’s Companion Chapter 2: The Nature of Psychology and the Psychology Major Psychology, unlike chemistry, unlike algebra, unlike literature, is an owner’s manual for your own mind. It’s a guide to life. ~Daniel Goldstein, Cognitive Psychologist Chapter Objectives What does the discipline of psychology entail? What can you expect from the psychology major? Student Learning Outcomes By the end of this chapter, students should be able to: Define the psychological discipline. Discuss ways to refute psychology myths. Identify several subdisciplines in psychology that interest them. Describe the typical structure of the psychology major and the minors that complement the psychology major. Identify myths about the psychology major. Psychology and Public Perception Stereotypes about psychology mislead. Most people think of “Dr. Phil” as a good representation. Most would also not be able to identify psychology’s Nobel Prize winners. Dramatic film treatments further obscure psychology’s true nature. Defining Psychology (1 of 5) The scientific study of mind and behavior in human and nonhuman animals (how organisms behave, learn, think, and feel) Psychology’s Short History A relatively young science born in 1879 Wilhelm Wundt established the first experimental lab in Leipzig, Germany. Psychologists broke away from philosophy. A history of many competing orientations (schools of thought) but no shared, unifying paradigm Defining Psychology (2 of 5) The scientific study of mind and behavior in human and nonhuman animals Science = Reliance on systematic empiricism (direct observation) Commitment to making findings public Application of key ideas in solving problems Defining Psychology (3 of 5) The scientific study of mind and behavior in human and nonhuman animals Psychological science emphasizes: careful observation precise description operational definitions measurement statistical analysis Defining Psychology (4 of 5) The scientific study of mind and behavior in human and nonhuman animals Orientations emphasize different elements: STRUCTURALISTS: sensory phenomena BEHAVIORISTS: observable behavior COGNITIVISTS: covert behavior (e.g., dreaming, thinking) Psychology’s Identity Woes (1 of 2) William James (arguably the founder of American psychology) promoted functionalism, which shifted attention away from structure to purpose or function. later described psychology as “a nasty little science.” Psychology’s Identity Woes (2 of 2) TWO KINDS OF SCIENCE NATURAL SCIENCE explains biological phenomena SOCIAL SCIENCE explains how people relate to one another TWO KINDS OF CULTURES RESEARCHERS create new knowledge through scientific activity HELPERS apply existing knowledge to solve problems (e.g., clinicians, consultants) Defining Psychology (5 of 5) The scientific study of mind and behavior in human and nonhuman animals Although animal experimentation is not as prominent in the major as it used to be, animal researchers must abide by strict regulations to protect and care for animals, human and nonhuman. Psychology’s American Professional Organizations American Psychological Association APA established in 1892 (distributed across 54 specialty divisions) Association of Psychological Sciences APS established in 1988 (emphasizing science and research) Myths About Psychology (1 of 6) Psychology is nothing more than common sense. Hindsight bias makes some conclusions obvious  ”we knew it all along.” Psychology produces counterintuitive results  outcomes that are not easy to predict. Humans are prone to make cause-effect connections that aren’t real. Myths About Psychology (2 of 6) Whatever it is, psychology is not a science. Science is not what is being studied, but how. The scientific method involves hypothesis testing, careful observation and experimentation, manipulation and measurement of variables, rigorous analysis, and replication (the capacity to reproduce the experiment and results). Myths About Psychology (3 of 6) Psychology is a pseudoscience. Pseudoscience (false science) gives the appearance of being scientific but has no empirical support. Examples include astrology, numerology, and handwriting analysis. Myths About Psychology (4 of 6) Psychologists know how to “read minds.” If a psychologist has insight into the human condition, it is the result of years of study, careful observation and inference, and honest hard work, not being a mentalist. Myths About Psychology (5 of 6) Psychologist = Therapist Only some—by no means all—psychologists do counseling or therapy. Others work in hospitals, at universities, in businesses, in government, and in other settings that require expertise about human behavior. The majority of courses will not be clinically oriented. Myths About Psychology (6 of 6) Psychology is personally defined. Personal experience is not proof. Cognitive psychology demonstrates that personal reasoning and judgment are flawed. Some orientations (e.g., humanism, phenomenology) are more friendly to personal experience than others. Measuring Up What are some strategies you might use when people respond to the news of your choice of major with a misconception? “You won’t be able to get a job…” “Are you trying to analyze me?” “Isn’t psychology just common sense?” Psychology’s Popularity The Nature of the Psychology Major Pathways into the major: Commitment from the outset The “found” major Which was your path? Typical Major Structure 30−40 Hours of Specialized Courses Introductory Psychology Research and methods core Content courses, some with labs Applied courses Electives Capstone (a final, integrating course) Structural Variations BS (emphasizing STEM) or BA (emphasizing humanities)? Specializations or concentrations? Minors? Double majors? What the Major Is NOT (1 of 6) Easy! Because it isn’t just common sense, examinations can be surprisingly hard. If the major is taught correctly, it will be rigorous and give a sense of achievement at the end. What the Major Is NOT (2 of 6) A Therapist Producer Becoming a therapist with professional credentials requires years of graduate school and supervised practice. Therapy is more than being “a good listener” or giving sound advice. What the Major Is NOT (3 of 6) Where Students Solve Their Own Problems Very little in the psychology curriculum is geared toward deep personal insight and change. What the Major Is NOT (4 of 6) A Pathway to Riches Although some majors will go on to do very well in entrepreneurial ventures, entry-level salaries will mostly be small. TABLE 2.2 Starting Salaries for Class of 2017 College Graduates Computer science $72,677 Engineering $65,539 Mathematics and statistics $60,631 Health science $53,872 Business $52,456 Social science $46,707 History $38,997 Communications $38,897 Visual and performing arts $37,887 English $37,825 What the Major Is NOT (5 of 6) A Pathway to Riches Clinical fees (~$200 per hour) are misleading due to operational expenses (e.g., advertising, insurance, office costs). What the Major Is NOT (6 of 6) What the Psychology Major IS A means to study living organisms scientifically A passport to the workforce to apply psych principles to solve problems A training ground for graduate school for those interested in professional psychology Discussion Questions (1 of 2) Why is the discipline of psychology so frequently misunderstood? In what way does psychology qualify as a science? What myths complicate lay understanding of psychology? Discussion Questions (2 of 2) What are the key features of the undergraduate psychology curriculum? What are some profitable minors that can enhance the value of a psychology major? What are some inaccurate ideas about the nature of the psychology major?