Psych in the Playground

[sparkyinbozo]

Heya, just wondering: are there any others on here in the psychology field, whether student or professional?

[Slamexo]

<---A level Student

How ya doin'. :smallsmile:

[smellie_hippie]

Therapist.

[sparkyinbozo]

Awesome...grad student here.

[ghost_warlock]

Sort of...residence counselor in an in-patient facility for adolescents.

I got here through sociology, though.

[arguskos]

Therapist.
Really? I was going to school to become a therapist, until I had to put education on hold for a great many reasons. I'd be interested to know how actually being in the field is, since I haven't gotten to speak to that many practicing therapists.

[Toastkart]

graduate student focusing primarily on existential psychology.

[smellie_hippie]

Really? I was going to school to become a therapist, until I had to put education on hold for a great many reasons. I'd be interested to know how actually being in the field is, since I haven't gotten to speak to that many practicing therapists.

I love my job. It's not glamorous or exceptionally well-paying... but I love it. I'm a child & family therapist, with the predominant client base being children (5-18 years of age). I get to play games, color pictures, and just talk with kids and teenagers (yes, there is a difference) about different issues that bother them at home or in school.

There's some baggage, like when you talk to a young child of abuse (of any kind), or an older teenager contemplating suicide. There is also more than a handful of good kids that just struggle with crazy a$$ parents.

I also work for a large corp rather than a small private practice, which has is plusses and minuses.

[arguskos]

I love my job. It's not glamorous or exceptionally well-paying... but I love it. I'm a child & family therapist, with the predominant client base being children (5-18 years of age). I get to play games, color pictures, and just talk with kids and teenagers (yes, there is a difference) about different issues that bother them at home or in school.

There's some baggage, like when you talk to a young child of abuse (of any kind), or an older teenager contemplating suicide. There is also more than a handful of good kids that just struggle with crazy a$$ parents.

I also work for a large corp rather than a small private practice, which has is plusses and minuses.
That's really interesting, thanks for sharing. I'm hoping to go back to school soon and get into the field (that or teaching, not sure which yet), since it seems like a very rewarding line of work. Again, thanks for sharing. :smallredface:

[sparkyinbozo]

graduate student focusing primarily on existential psychology.

Existential, huh? I had a friend who was into that, she was looking at a doctoral school in CA, but I can't remember which one.

[Lioness]

Student. Not even at uni. I'm in my second year of studying it at high school.

[Lyesmith]

Student. Not even at uni. I'm in my second year of studying it at high school.

So am I. And ye gods, it is boring.

[Raiki]

Well, I'm an aspiring psychology student, does that count?

Both my girlfriend and I are trying to save up enough money to go back to school and get our degrees. We both plan on being in the psych field, though in different specializations.

I want to be a practicing Psychologist (or possibly psychiatrist if I can make myself actually sit through chemistry classes :smallyuk:) while she plans on being a child advocate or possibly a marriage counselor.

~R~

[Temotei]

I'm thinking of being a psychologist, although I'm also thinking of turning toward writing.

I'm also thinking of being both a writer and a psychologist. :smallamused:

[Moff Chumley]

I'm thinking of being a psychologist, although I'm also thinking of turning toward writing.

I'm also thinking of being both a writer and a psychologist. :smallamused:

Self help books. Hell yes. :smallamused:

[Krade]

Psychology is just applied Biology (http://www.xkcd.com/435/).

[Dvandemon]

I tried to take Psych in my first year of high school but it was Child Psychology:smallfrown:, still fun though. Oh, and Krade, Biology is just applied Chemistry

[Temotei]

Self help books. Hell yes. :smallamused:

Hehe. :smallcool:

Ideas:
Childrens' book about living with a brother who has autism.
Book on autism.
Not being a psychologist.
Not being a writer.

:smallbiggrin:

[Raiki]

@ Dvandemon: Which is just applied Physics. It's good to be on top.

*Punches out the Mathematician*

Ahem. Yes, as I said, Good to be on top.

[Krade]

Exactly the kind of responses I was hoping for:smallwink:

[Stormthorn]

Heya, just wondering: are there any others on here in the psychology field, whether student or professional?

*raises hand*


Psychology is just applied Biology (http://www.xkcd.com/435/).

Indeed it is. Which i choose to interpret as being more advanced and difficult to master. Suck it, mathmatician.

[Krade]

Fun Fact: I am no mathematician. I just posted that 'cuz it's funny.:smalltongue:

[ForzaFiori]

@ Dvandemon: Which is just applied Physics. It's good to be on top.

*Punches out the Mathematician*

Ahem. Yes, as I said, Good to be on top.

Really though, they all get there roots from economics, as no one will sit around doing that stuff all day unless there is money in it. otherwise, it would just be a hobby, and we'd have gotten no where.

[Don Julio Anejo]

Psychology is just applied Biology (http://www.xkcd.com/435/).
I'm doing both :tongue:

3rd year psychology/biochemistry student. Want to go into something like neurology or psychopharmacology.

[GolemsVoice]

I'm nicknamed Psy Agent of the Gestapo, because I look like a Nazi villian and once "stopped" cars with my hands so that my friends could cross the road.

[Killer Angel]

A friend of mine is a professional child psycologist. Don't know if this counts... :smallwink:

[SilentNight]

Psychology is just applied Biology (http://www.xkcd.com/435/).
Go team physics!

Anyway, I just took an introductory psychology course and have to admit I was a little dissappointed, mostly because it really didn't go in depth on anything.

Also, I saw this thread title and thought it was talking about the TV show. :smalltongue:

[Eldan]

One Professor once explained to me that Mathematics is just applied Philosophy. :smallbiggrin:

Of course, I'm a biologist.

[Setra]

I study psychology as a hobby...

Given that I am insane, I doubt I could ever aim to major in it though.

[Roukon]

I'm a student, eventually going for PhD so I can teach it at the college level.

Later Days,
Roukon

[Drolyt]

I once considered majoring in Psych, but I don't think I will. I've only taken an intro course and I've done some research online, and it was all super interesting. I just don't think I'd like the job itself though, I'm not a people person. I might minor though.

By the way, the main reason I find psychology fascinating is that I'm Autistic (the actual diagnosed when I was a kid kind, not the self diagnosed on the internet kind, those people piss me off). Psychology makes understanding people much easier.

[Syka]

I did a concentration is psychology. Basically, my university did not offer a minor, so I took all my electives in psychology.

Oh, did I ever fall in love with Social Psychology. NO it is not Sociology. It is distinct in that it studies the individual within the group rather than the group itself. I took a Psychology of relationships class and loved in.

Right now, I'm working on my MBA but I am hoping I can manuever myself back into the psychology field some how. Way back when (ie, about a year and a half ago) I was leaning towards becoming either a sex/relationship therapist or a researcher on sex/relationships. It made me sad that a professor I'd've loved to study with was no longer focusing on those areas. :smallfrown:

Either way, what I'd like to do now is get a job somewhere and see if I can't talk them into letting me get my PhD in I/O Psychology...which is basically applied Social Psychology. I did an Organizational Behavior class (ie, basic I/O) and I think I'd really enjoy it.


Hm....I got my BA in Classics with a concentration in Psych...My MBA...and then a PhD in I/O. That would be an interesting transcript.

ETA: Drolyt, that is why you go into academia rather than practice. :smallsmile: I loved being a research assitant...minimal contact with participants (basically give them directions) but plenty of data to work with.

[wadledo]

Student of industrial psych here.
I'll be eventually going for my PhD (a decade down the line perhaps), but for now all I want is a tasty cubicle and some fancy hats.

[GrassyGnoll]

Psychology is just applied Biology (http://www.xkcd.com/435/).

Psychophysicist here. Drop some sine waves on that mutha.

[Drolyt]

Psychophysicist here. Drop some sine waves on that mutha.

What does a Psychophysicist do?

[Don Julio Anejo]

What does a Psychophysicist do?
Drops some sine waves on that mutha, I take it.

[sparkyinbozo]

Student of industrial psych here.
I'll be eventually going for my PhD (a decade down the line perhaps), but for now all I want is a tasty cubicle and some fancy hats.

Lol, that was my original master's program, but swapped the cubicle for a clinical couch.

[TSGames]

Heya, just wondering: are there any others on here in the psychology field, whether student or professional?
I'd have been a psych major if I didn't have an irrational hatred of psychologists. Despite that, I was rather taken by the theory of Cognitive Dissonance and have read everything I could possibly find on it. If ever psychology has made true and practical insight into the human mind, it must be that theory. Then again, what I find interesting about psychology is the subject matter; it's the experiments and implementation of the field(not to mention the semantics) that drive me away, as they often seem to miss the mark.

[Neko Toast]

Psychology is just applied Biology (http://www.xkcd.com/435/).

Really? We couldn't go through one page without a link to xkcd? For shame, thread. For shame.

I'm workin' on a Psych major myself right now. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with it yet, though. I'm taking a one credit class right now that talks about the different careers in the Psychology field. Hopin' to get a better idea of what I want to do.

[Drolyt]

I'd have been a psych major if I didn't have an irrational hatred of psychologists. Despite that, I was rather taken by the theory of Cognitive Dissonance and have read everything I could possibly find on it. If ever psychology has made true and practical insight into the human mind, it must be that theory. Then again, what I find interesting about psychology is the subject matter; it's the experiments and implementation of the field(not to mention the semantics) that drive me away, as they often seem to miss the mark.

Most psychologists are out there to help people. Despite that, I agree there are people out there who use pseudoscientific psychological theories to bad ends. In particular I don't like how in the American legal system if you are labeled with a psychiatric disorder you can be denied all sorts of freedoms. There's also the fact that whatever someone tells you, psychology is not science (neither are any of the social sciences really).

[Copacetic]

I would take the Psych class offered at my high school, but I doubt I have the time to keep up an instrument, a language, and get all the required credits needed to graduate. Maybe as a senior.

I have had previous experiences with the field, (I.E., library books) but I've found it a tad boring. Not the "I'm too smart for this" boring, but the "This is actually a bit beyond me" boring. Sociology looks attractive however.

[Drolyt]

I would take the Psych class offered at my high school, but I doubt I have the time to keep up an instrument, a language, and get all the required credits needed to graduate. Maybe as a senior.

I have had previous experiences with the field, (I.E., library books) but I've found it a tad boring. Not the "I'm too smart for this" boring, but the "This is actually a bit beyond me" boring. Sociology looks attractive however.

I wouldn't take a high school psych class unless you had nothing better to take. Most colleges have good intro psych classes that can count towards any required electives, and I would really recommend one. At least mine was awesome. Also Yale OCW has psychology lectures you can watch online for free, they are kind of interesting.

Edit: Where is the Corn Belt? My post kinda assumes you are in the US, I have no idea what a high school psych class elsewhere would be like.

[Exeson]

Applied to study Psychology at uni. Mainly interested in Forensic psychology.

[Syka]

Some fun psychology classes I've taken: Psychology of Suicide, Psychology of Relationships, and Developmental Psychopathology. The last one is basically Developmental Psych but focused on psychopathology- personality disorders, mood disorders, mental retardation, autism, eating disorders, all sorts of fun stuff.

The psychology electives in college are way better than the general psych classes offered in high school and the required general psych class to get in the fun classes. I'd wait to take psychology classes until college so you aren't repeating information in general psych.

[Toastkart]

Some fun psychology classes I've taken: Psychology of Suicide, Psychology of Relationships, and Developmental Psychopathology. The last one is basically Developmental Psych but focused on psychopathology- personality disorders, mood disorders, mental retardation, autism, eating disorders, all sorts of fun stuff.

I wish I could have taken a psychology of suicide class, that would have been fascinating. I have taken a death and dying class, but we spent very little time on suicide.

Some fun classes that I have taken: death and dying, Human Growth and Potential, Physiological Psychology, Psychoanalysis and Existentialism, Advanced Horizon Seminar: Nothing, Problem-Based Learning, myth and symbol, and neurobehavioral psychology.

[Syka]

It was actually really fascinating. We spoke with survivors, those who work crisis lines, and the projects were cool. One research paper on a relevant aspect (I did mine of suicide rates among GLBT) and a group 'convention poster' project, where you basically present something like you would at a convention (we did assisted suicide...and I think having a document titled "Group Suicide" and an entire folder titled "Suicide" would normally be disturbing...>>'). Out of all of them, it was my favorite class. It was one of those "what is said in here, stays in here" sort of deals though, seeing as the subject matter is so sensitive. There was a lot of self-disclosure, which was actually fairly rare I found for a psych class.


I never did get around to death and dying, although it looked interesting. I avoided the heavy science classes like the plague because I'm horrible at science.

[sparkyinbozo]

Most psychologists are out there to help people. Despite that, I agree there are people out there who use pseudoscientific psychological theories to bad ends. In particular I don't like how in the American legal system if you are labeled with a psychiatric disorder you can be denied all sorts of freedoms. There's also the fact that whatever someone tells you, psychology is not science (neither are any of the social sciences really).

This is something I never really understood - why people think psych isn't a science. I'll be the first to say that it started out without scientific backing, and some rogue ends don't or inappropriately use it, but the heart of the field is entirely based in scientific research.

Maybe we just have a bad name to us because the history is relatively recent, compared to long-standing sciences and medicine?

[Toastkart]

This is something I never really understood - why people think psych isn't a science. I'll be the first to say that it started out without scientific backing, and some rogue ends don't or inappropriately use it, but the heart of the field is entirely based in scientific research.

It's largely because psychology doesn't meet the four cornerstones of science: widespread agreement on fundamental facts that form the basis of the science, cumulative progress, experimentation where appropriate, and the impact of the individual is reduced or nonexistent.

There is no widespread agreement of fundamental facts. Hell, mainstream psychology can't even decide definitively if there's any difference between the mind and the brain. There are no Laws of Psychology. Cumulative progress is tenuous at best when new theories look at the same phenomenon from a slightly different perspective. experimentation is not always appropriate where human beings are concerned, and human beings are so complex that results are often not generalizable to the population as a whole. In most sciences, it doesn't matter who makes the observations or mixes the chemicals (or whatever), in psychology it does matter.

It kind of boils down to this, though. Psychology is as scientific and emperical as it can be while still studying a living being too complex to reduce. That doesn't make it any less valid a pursuit of knowledge than any other science. Psychology should be the bridge between objective facts and subjective experience, and for the most part it fails. It's still a hell of a lot of fun.

[sparkyinbozo]

It's largely because psychology doesn't meet the four cornerstones of science: widespread agreement on fundamental facts that form the basis of the science, cumulative progress, experimentation where appropriate, and the impact of the individual is reduced or nonexistent.

There is no widespread agreement of fundamental facts. Hell, mainstream psychology can't even decide definitively if there's any difference between the mind and the brain. There are no Laws of Psychology. Cumulative progress is tenuous at best when new theories look at the same phenomenon from a slightly different perspective. experimentation is not always appropriate where human beings are concerned, and human beings are so complex that results are often not generalizable to the population as a whole. In most sciences, it doesn't matter who makes the observations or mixes the chemicals (or whatever), in psychology it does matter.

It kind of boils down to this, though. Psychology is as scientific and emperical as it can be while still studying a living being too complex to reduce. That doesn't make it any less valid a pursuit of knowledge than any other science. Psychology should be the bridge between objective facts and subjective experience, and for the most part it fails. It's still a hell of a lot of fun.

Ah, I see where the disagreement is. You're speaking mainly as to individual theories of therapy and psychology, whereas I mean the field in general.

There are many fundamental facets that are agreed upon on, such as "behavior is nonrandom." Lately, that new fundamental research comes from the biopsych area using fMRI's, PET scans, etc. Experimentation where appropriate gets really messy as you get into ethics vs. scientific progress. Not touching that.

The problem is that our knowledge is so limited, and is such complex subject matter, that people try to make theories on what we don't have data to understand - you hit the nail on the head there. Because we don't have enough data, individual theorists gain the prominence you referred to. So psychology is scientific by definition, but in use is often far from. Unfortunately.

EDIT: Love the Kreia quote. She was my favorite.

[Alteran]

I'm an aspiring psychologist and biologist, among other things. I see myself probably going somewhere in neuroscience, or possibly immunology, or who the hell knows what.



Indeed it is. Which i choose to interpret as being more advanced and difficult to master. Suck it, mathmatician.

We're talking science. What you interpret as being true has no bearing on the actual truth. :smalltongue:


So psychology is scientific by definition, but in use is often far from. Unfortunately.


Thank you for saying the things that I was going to say. I am very much in agreement.

[Drolyt]

Hmm... perhaps I should have avoided that tangent. At any rate before the thread derails I need to be clear: just because psychology is not a science does not mean psychology is bad. I think the insistence on trying to pretend it is a science is hurting the field, since the methods that work in physics and biology really don't work in such complex systems. That is science works by isolating the thing you are studying and attempting to falsify it. Nothing a psychologist studies can be isolated. Moreover much of what we know about human psychology isn't of the easily described in a formula kind. Now, the inability to falsify things scientifically does mean psychology cannot be considered a science, at least not right now, but that does not make psychology bad, it is a very useful field in our ever day lives and is very interesting. Philosophy and the social "sciences" aren't really science either, and neither is literature or media studies. It just means you use different methods to discover the truth, not that there isn't truth.

[Lioness]

So am I. And ye gods, it is boring.

Yeah...just finished the four levels of explanation. Now onto statistics.

Oh joy.

Stats.

*dies*

It'll pick up eventually.

[sparkyinbozo]

That is science works by isolating the thing you are studying and attempting to falsify it. Nothing a psychologist studies can be isolated.

Factors can be isolated...it's just a matter of creativity & thoroughness in experimental design, technological abilities, and ethical boundaries. I'm not saying it's easy or even realistic in many scenarios to rule out all potential confounds, but it can be done. Sometimes we use stroke or accident victims, like in studying prosopagnosia.

If scientific principles are not used, what other logical methodology is out there? It sounds like the idea of "it's too complex, so why bother trying to study it scientifically?" I've never been one to shy away from a challenge. :smallbiggrin:

I do think we have hit an impasse, though...I highly doubt either of us is going to change the mind of the other. Shake hands & re-rail the thread?

[Drolyt]

Factors can be isolated...it's just a matter of creativity & thoroughness in experimental design, technological abilities, and ethical boundaries. I'm not saying it's easy or even realistic in many scenarios to rule out all potential confounds, but it can be done. Sometimes we use stroke or accident victims, like in studying prosopagnosia.

If scientific principles are not used, what other logical methodology is out there? It sounds like the idea of "it's too complex, so why bother trying to study it scientifically?" I've never been one to shy away from a challenge. :smallbiggrin:

I do think we have hit an impasse, though...I highly doubt either of us is going to change the mind of the other. Shake hands & re-rail the thread?

I agree, we won't convince each other, so shake hands and re-rail this thread. I would be interested in hearing more about what psychologists do, I mean I know in theory, but I'd like to here it from people actually in the field.

[GrassyGnoll]

What does a Psychophysicist do?

Psychophysics is the study of measurable stimuli and their correlative percepts. How bleeps, bloops, and other sine waves are sorted into nerve activity. I'm reading into the McCollough effect for prospective lab position.

Speaking of suicide, my high school psychology teacher gave a morbid presentation of general brain anatomy involving proper barrel orientation.

[Drolyt]

Psychophysics is the study of measurable stimuli and their correlative percepts. How bleeps, bloops, and other sine waves are sorted into nerve activity. I'm reading into the McCollough effect for prospective lab position.

Speaking of suicide, my high school psychology teacher gave a morbid presentation of general brain anatomy involving proper barrel orientation.

I looked up the McCollough effect on Wikipedia, it looks pretty interesting. So you study sensory perception? Or do you basically study how electrochemical signals in the brain are translated into our thoughts?

[Belkarsbadside1]

Soon To be psych college student and learning hypnotism. Anyone else know hypnotism ITP?

[Drolyt]

Soon To be psych college student and learning hypnotism. Anyone else know hypnotism ITP?

I don't know hypnotism, but I'd like to hear more.

[THAC0]

I took my two mandatory psych classes in college. The first I skipped to have a longer lunch break, and the second I slept through because I was taking 24 credits (40 class hours) that semester.

I think I could have been more interested in it if they hadn't been large lecture classes.

[Quincunx]

Future psychologists! Your future diagnostic manual (http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx)* needs YOU! This is no joke link, this is a semi-open discussion on proposed changes to the DSM. I don't know the frequency of updates, but it doesn't seem like an opportunity to be squandered. Take a look. I was led to this through a news article that Asperger's was proposed to be removed as a diagnosis and rolled into the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum.

*Psychology is possibly the only science with an answer book, if the periodic table isn't counted as one for chemists. How odd is that?

[wadledo]

I don't know the frequency of updates, but it doesn't seem like an opportunity to be squandered.

Roughly every 4-6 years.
But every edition they tweak it enough to make some religious or social group angry, so I tend to keep out of it for the most part.


*Psychology is possibly the only science with an answer book, if the periodic table isn't counted as one for chemists. How odd is that?It's also the only field in which there is no verbal and cultural difference between those who work as actual psychologists and those who do nothing but clinical research.

Then again, something like Gray's Anatomy could be considered the Biology/Medical Doctors version of the DSM.

[Zephykinns]

Dunno if this counts, but I did take some levels in the Wilder class. :smallbiggrin:

[Drolyt]

Dunno if this counts, but I did take some levels in the Wilder class. :smallbiggrin:

I'm confused. Is that supposed to be a joke?

[sparkyinbozo]

Been reading through the DSM5 changes (it's been WAY overdue for one, happens about once/10 years), and like the autistic spectrum and impulse-addictions adding for gambling, but I would like to see Internet addiction added on.

[TSGames]

Soon To be psych college student and learning hypnotism. Anyone else know hypnotism ITP?

Yes. Hypnosis is a powerful to technique that can achieve noticeable and amazing results with relatively little practice or skill. For the aspiring hypnotist, I recommend the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale (http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:15Yz1yMGoWEJ:socrates.berkeley.edu/~kihlstrm/PDFfiles/Hypnotizability/SHSSC%2520Script.pdf+stanford+hypnotic+susceptibil ity+scale&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgzAmHUlc9ywB8vQPc_C2mlY5iC6JAWvV2HPHC4 HMKT0looiSfDTTZVf3DyFM8EX4BPJVuBoNnm3oYM9kdrYWon6v uZ62uxwg43xZ6eCV1brhUhW1JEd6FHAjSPLU045PP_DxLm&sig=AHIEtbT_I0Lw-5CMXWwkWKcSlyAThSK0Xg). A lot of good, basic techniques can found in that script. Interesting fact about hypnosis: did you know that the 'skill' of the hypnotist has no noticeable effect on the hypnotism? The depth/quality of the hypnosis have shown to be entirely dependent on the resistance of the subject and the wording of the script.

[Stormthorn]

Psychology is cool. Unless, like is happening to me right now, your body and mind decide to do weird things. Then the more studied you are the better you can determine what is horribly wrong with you.