Ok so..a friend says psychology is hard..but then arent all subjects in uni hard..?

Question

i am good with people..i like to socialize..i like helping people.and i like getting to knwo the different kinds of human i guess...the reasons for their behaviour and all..

is that enuf for me to be inspired constantly...in uni while studying psychology?

Answer 1

I do think that's a good reason for studying psych. It's part of why I'm majoring in it now. I want to understand people's behaviors and their motives behind the things they do. I don't find it hard and I think if you're really into it you'll do well. As for those classes, here in California, you really don't need much math for psych, just a statistics class and the others don't really account for much unless you plan to go into psychiatry in which case you'd head to med school.  

Answer 2

Your friend is absolutely wrong.

Psychology and the other pseudo-sciences are so easy it's pitiful to give grant college credits for the courses... let alone degrees.

Get a good statistics background. I mean REALLY good. Then throw terms out in your discussions like "blind testing," "random sample," "standard deviation," "margin of error," "mean," and "mode" and the pseudo-scientists will believe whatever you tell them. Most of them have no concept of numbers. When you throw math at them, they start panting, and then salivating, and then they're rolling on the floor with their paws up in the air believing whatever you're feeding them.

Logic is a lock too. They're steeped in book knowledge. If it isn't in a book somewhere, they don't know it. Most of their pet theories can be debunked quite easily with logic and common sense. I did extremely well in required psychology courses in college by doing just that. I'd pick something the textbook said and prove it wrong.

Another thing, since the pseudo-sciences are based on dogma rather than scientific research, you'll find that professors have "favorite" resources. If you want to make your professor happy (i.e., get yourself a good grade), use his favorite source... "As Dr. Dogslobber (favorite resource) states in his paper on ..." They also have those with whom they contend. Use them too. "In spite of what Dr. Slobberwitz (source with whom he disagrees) said in his lecture to ... "

As far as "understanding" anything, they don't. The pseudo-sciences take a small sample, maybe a few thousand. They observe the reactions to  some stimulus. Plot a scatter graph with the results. The dots are all over the graph, but they put a dot in the geographical center of the mass of 2000 dots and call it a "tendency."  Somebody tries to duplicate the test, plots 2000 dots from another sample -- or even the same sample -- and says he has discovered the "tendency." Neither of them know what the heck they're talking about. Anybody who's been alive for a few years and who has at least a modicum of intellect knows that people react differently to the same identical stimulus. These pseudo-scientists seem to be trying to prove the obvious and then explain their findings as if it's some totally new discovery.

I don't think people go into psychology, sociology, psychiatry, medicine, or education are brain dead. I'd like to believe they really think they want to do some good. Somewhere in their training, the dogma sets in and their brains freeze solid. It's easy when people with doctorate degrees tell you things though they've never had an independent thought in their lives.

Math is probably the best course of study. It teaches logic, independent thought, and objectivity. Chemistry and Physics are merely applications of mathematics.

Answer 3

Some people find psychology hard, I've never really understood why. Lots of people tell me that it's hard.. but I've done a psych minor and never found any psych courses tough. I guess it just depends on what you find interesting.

Answer 4

If someone is not into psychology they may find its matter more difficult. For me, I find psychology easy, thrilling, stimulating and interesting, but I do not particularly like mathematics. Someone who enjoys math may say they find psychology difficult.  

It also depends upon personality, character, individual and what his or her passions and interests are. It sounds like you have an interest in psychology. What I would do is take a psych intro course and see if you like it. If you do then certainly continue with it-- it just may be the field of study that you would be great at. If taking the intro course you just don't find it amusing and entertaining then rethink your plan of course.

Also, it does help to have a good mathematical foundation with psychology, especially statistics for research.

I want to add that psychology as the whole is not considered pseudoscience. Yes, you can depict certain aspect of psychology and reference it to pseudoscience, but not the whole of the subject. Pseudoscience is defined as a body of knowledge, methodology, belief, or practice that is claimed to be scientific or made to appear scientific, but does not adhere to the scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility or otherwise lacks scientific status. Psychology is considered a "soft" science, where math would be considered a "hard" science.

Answer 5

doing the psych course is easy, ive not had any trouble so far (im aussie though) the hard part is doing the job.