What Is General Psychology About

Do You Need To Take The Gre Or Other Standardized Tests

Achieving a specific score on the GRE is a requirement for admission to many general psychology PhD programs, though some dont require this or any other standardized test. Youll need to check with your program of choice for specific requirements.

GRE scores for the most competitive psychology graduate programs average around 160 out of 170 on both the Verbal and Quantitative sections, and about a 5 out of 6 on Analytical Writing. Some PhD programs may also require the GRE Psychology subject test for admission. Schools that do require the GRE or another standardized test typically only accept scores received within the previous 5 years of your application date.

General Psychology: An Introduction

Reviewed by Kate Snyder, Associate Professor, Hanover College on 4/23/21

In general, a fairly comprehensive set of Noba modules that cover the range of key topics in intro psych. The notable exception is a sufficiently comprehensive coverage of gender. Within the developmental chapters, it would be nice to have some…read more

Reviewed by Kate Snyder, Associate Professor, Hanover College on 4/23/21

Comprehensiveness rating:4 see less

In general, a fairly comprehensive set of Noba modules that cover the range of key topics in intro psych. The notable exception is a sufficiently comprehensive coverage of gender. Within the developmental chapters, it would be nice to have some discussion of aging and there is only one sentence to Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory in cognitive development, an unfortunate omission of a critical topic. I wish the Conditioning & Learning chapter paid greater attention to types of operant conditioning .

Content Accuracy rating:4

Overall, the content is largely accurate. There is some oversimplification of topics – for example, the discussion of implicit beliefs about intelligence in the Intelligence chapter presents a much stronger statement of this research than has been found of late, and seems to hint at multiple intelligences.

Relevance/Longevity rating:4

Clarity rating:5

Some chapters were more digestible than others .

Consistency

There’s nothing overtly contradictory between chapters.

Modularity rating:5

What Is The Importance Of General Psychology

General psychology is an important discipline because it focuses on understanding, explaining and predicting human behavior, emotions and mental processes. According to Psychology Today, the principles of general psychology have an impact on relationships, in the workplace and in many other environments.

General psychology is a science that relies heavily on observation and empirical data such as statistics. As a science, empirical data is vital to ensuring the concepts and principles of the science are accurate. Although psychology is defined as the study of the mind, there are many applications of general psychology that can help solve practical problems and issues. For instance, those suffering from repeated relationship problems can rely on the principles of psychology to understand and correct the issues for better relationships in the future. The theories that form general psychology are used in both practical settings such as a therapists office and in research to better understand human behaviors, emotions and mental processes, according to the British Psychological Society.

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Are Psychologists Eligible For Student Loan Forgiveness

Through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, you can relieve a portion of your debt, though you must meet certain criteria. These include having direct loans, making at least 120 qualifying payments, and securing full-time employment in a government agency or tax-exempt nonprofit. Additionally, many states also have their own loan forgiveness programs with varying requirements.

General Psychology Degree Guide

General Psychology will allow you to explore the way humans and animals respond and interact to their circumstances and environment. This major involves the study of human and animal behavior through scientific research. Your coursework will help you understand the inner workings of a person including personality types, how we learn language, inherited traits, what role environment plays in development and more.

Classes that you can expect when majoring in General Psychology include: abnormal psychology, sensation and perception, research methods, cognition, personality, learning, social psychology, general psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience.

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The Perspectives Of Psychology

Structuralism and functionalism have since been replaced by several dominant and influential approaches to psychology, each one underpinned by a shared set of assumptions of what people are like, what is important to study and how to study it.

Psychoanalysis, founded by Sigmund Freud was the dominant paradigm in psychology during the early twentieth century.Freud believed that people could be cured by making conscious their unconscious thoughts and motivations, thus gaining insight.

Freudâs psychoanalysis was the original psychodynamic theory, but the psychodynamic approach as a whole includes all theories that were based on his ideas, e.g., , Adler and Erikson .

The classic contemporary perspectives in psychology to adopt scientific strategies were the behaviorists, who were renowned for their reliance on controlled laboratory experiments and rejection of any unseen or unconscious forces as causes of behavior.

Later, the humanistic approach became the ‘third force’ in psychology and proposed the importance of subjective experience and personal growth.

During the 1960s and 1970s, psychology began a cognitive revolution, adopting a rigorous, scientific, lab-based scientific approach with application to memory, perception, cognitive development, mental illness, and much more.

Doctoral Degree In Psychology

With a PhD, PsyD, or other relevant doctoral degree, youll gain the knowledge you need to pass the EPPP and become a legally licensed psychologist. This allows you to work without supervision and in private practice. You can work in more general clinical or counseling psychology, or specialize in subfields such as education, forensics, child development, substance abuse, psychoanalysis, and more.

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How To Pick A Degree Program

When selecting a general psychology PhD program, look for accreditation from the APA, the Canadian Psychological Association, or another accrediting body recognized by the ABPP. Accreditation ensures that your program meets the minimum standards of quality defined by the profession, qualifies you for state licensing applications, and meets the criteria for ABPP specialty certifications.

Its also important to ensure that your institution is accredited by an institutional accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Attending an accredited institution is a prerequisite for applying for federal financial aid and can ensure that your credits are accepted by other accredited institutions.

Choosing a general psychology PhD program requires comparing its structure, curriculum, and cost against your professional goals and financial resources. Consider the following:

• Does the program offer courses in the specialized areas I want?
• Can I take classes part-time and/or online?
• Will I have to complete a dissertation?
• Whats the average class size?
• How many students match with their first-choice internship?
• What are the programs rates for graduation and employment?
• How do graduates perform in exams for licensure and certification?
• Are assistantships, fellowships and/or scholarships available?

Where Can Psychology Take Me Share This Page:

Psychology majors develop a broad understanding of human behavior as well as the skills to understand and interpret research findings concerning human behavior. The psychology curriculum includes courses in cognitive, developmental, behavioral and neural studies, learning, personality, social and clinical psychology. The coursework emphasizes the fundamental concepts and scientific methods of this basic behavioral science discipline. Psychology students are encouraged to expand their learning experience outside the classroom by conducting and analyzing laboratory and field research as well as participating in internships.

Psychological Skills

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The International Conference Of Environmental Psychology

Like most established fields, environmental psychology has its own annual conference. The second International Conference on Environmental Psychology, or ICEP, was held in Norway in November 2018.

According to the conferences host institution, the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, the aims of the conference were:

• To promote research within environmental psychology and related disciplines as well as practical applications of these fields
• To provide experienced researchers in the people environment research field the possibility of an annual professional and social meeting, and to present their research
• To provide the opportunity for students to gain experience with presenting scientific work and receive feedback from experienced researchers in environmental psychology
• To advance the communication between environmental psychology and other areas of research within psychology and the social sciences, as well as between researchers and practitioners

Further, the topics presented included:

If youre interested in learning about what happened during the 2017 Conference on Environmental Psychology, .

For the latest information about upcoming conferences, visit the official website or take a look at our dedicated article detailing a range of upcoming positive psychology events.

Merits Of An Education In Psychology

Often, students take their first psychology course because they are interested in helping others and want to learn more about themselves and why they act the way they do. Sometimes, students take a psychology course because it either satisfies a general education requirement or is required for a program of study such as nursing or pre-med. Many of these students develop such an interest in the area that they go on to declare psychology as their major. As a result, psychology is one of the most popular majors on college campuses across the United States . A number of well-known individuals were psychology majors. Just a few famous names on this list are Facebooks creator Mark Zuckerberg, television personality and political satirist Jon Stewart, actress Natalie Portman, and filmmaker Wes Craven . About 6 percent of all bachelor degrees granted in the United States are in the discipline of psychology .

In addition to these broad-based skills, psychology students come to understand the complex factors that shape ones behavior. They appreciate the interaction of our biology, our environment, and our experiences in determining who we are and how we will behave. They learn about basic principles that guide how we think and behave, and they come to recognize the tremendous diversity that exists across individuals and across cultural boundaries .

Watch a brief video that describes some of the questions a student should consider before deciding to major in psychology.

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Theory Of Planned Behavior

This theory states that people choose the option with the highest benefits and the lowest costs and that the behavior we engage in is a direct result of our intentions. Our intentions are determined by our attitudes towards the behavior, social norms about the behavior, and beliefs about whether and how much we are able to control our behavior.

The TPB has successfully explained lots of interesting environmental behavior, like the choice of mode of travel , household recycling and composting, use of water, consumption of meat, and other, general pro-environmental behavior .

What Is The Definition Of Environmental Psychology

According to the Journal of Environmental Psychology, the field can be defined as:

he scientific study of the transactions and interrelationships between people and their physical surroundings .

In other words, environmental psychology is all about the interplay between people and their environment. As a field, it seeks to understand how and why our environment impacts us, how we can leverage that knowledge to our advantage, and what we can do to improve our relationship with the world around us.

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Using Environmental Psychology In Design And Architecture

As you might have guessed, environmental psychology has a lot to say about effective design and architecture.

Based on the studies we touched on briefly above, we know that places like botanical gardens with lush flora and colorful plants and flowers to view, help people restore their vitality and sense of peace.

We also know that actively engaging with an environment is good for us, so designing interactive and engaging environments can boost our attention span.

Findings like these barely scratch the surface of how we can apply environmental psychology to design and architecture, but they help form the basis of a broad range of knowledge on the subject. There are studies on every facet of human-environment interaction you can think of, including lighting, space planning, ergonomics, acoustics, branding, interior design, proportions, color scheme, and use of empty space.

The use of environmental psychologists in building planning isnt too commonplace yet, but as the field grows and matures, youll see more and more psychologists consulting on the designing of buildings and spaces for a wide variety of purposes.

What Is General Psychology

General psychology is the study of the basic theories, principles and methods of psychology, which is the study of the mind. This includes emotions, development, learning, thinking, perception, intelligence, memory, learning and other topics related to the mind.

General psychology is sometimes the colloquial name for a basic psychology course at a school or university. Its sometimes also the name for a major for a bachelors or masters degree in a university. Its possible to study and major or specialize in just one aspect of psychology, but general psychology is typically required as a prerequisite course in universities for all psychology related study.

Psychology is a diverse and multifaceted science with many branches, focuses and applications. Individuals in the field seek to understand the causes of human behavior using scientific method. Psychology is distinct from sciences such as biology and medicine, as it studies the mostly intangible processes of the mind and emotions, though it sometimes overlaps these disciplines.

Psychological research sometimes includes aspects of cognitive science to study and record activity in the brain and nervous system. It includes the study of psychological pathology. A psychologist often applies psychology methods and knowledge for normalizing and balancing thoughts and behaviors of individuals with temporary or chronic psychological disorders.

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The Phd In Psychology Curriculum

The PhD in general psychology curriculum emphasizes research, teaching, and leadership in the field. The coursework is intended to provide students with the unique perspective of a scientist-practitioner. Most PhD in psychology programs require a dissertation, which count toward a set number of credits.

Is Financial Aid Available

There are several different types of financial aid available for students seeking degrees in psychology. The first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid . This form helps the government determine how much assistance youre qualified to receive. This aid can come in the form of loans, grants, or work-study stipends. You can also apply for loans through banks and other private institutions.

You might also qualify to receive scholarships based on academic merit or other criteria. Scholarships can be given through your school or by outside organizations. If youre pursuing a masters or doctoral degree, fellowships are also a great way to fund your education. Given to full-time students, these financial awards may be short- or long-term and often come with additional stipends and benefits.

Students in psychology PhD programs are also likely to receive at least partially waived tuition for assisting with research or teaching. A study conducted by the APA in 2016 found that 94% of advanced doctorates in public schools and 77% in private schools offer tuition remission for these assistantships.

Unfortunately, tuition remission isnt as common for PsyD students, as these programs dont strongly emphasize teaching or research. You can, however, still find fellowships, scholarships, and work-study programs that can help you cover the cost of your education.

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Financial Aid For Psychology Phd Students

The cost for your general psychology PhD will depend on the type of institution you attend. In a 2016 APA study, the median annual tuition costs for doctoral programs were as follows:

• Public, in-state: $11,000
• Public, out-of-state: $24,000
• Private: $34,000

While the cost can be daunting at first, keep in mind that PhD students often qualify for partial to full tuition remission through research or teaching assistantships. In addition, you may qualify for reduced student housing and other benefits while working on campus in these positions.

School-sponsored fellowships and scholarships are additional sources of income. These awards may be short- or long-term and can include additional benefits and stipends.

You also may be eligible for other kinds of financial aid. Find out whether you qualify for need-based awards by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid . If youre eligible for aid, you also may be able to secure a part-time job in the Federal Work-Study program.

For additional financial help, look to scholarships awarded for academic achievement or other criteria. Some places to check include:

• Scholarships from your program or school
• Incentive programs funded by your state
• Private businesses and foundations

Motivations Expectations And Perception

Motivation can also affect perception. Have you ever been expecting a really important phone call and, while taking a shower, you think you hear the phone ringing, only to discover that it is not? If so, then you have experienced how motivation to detect a meaningful stimulus can shift our ability to discriminate between a true sensory stimulus and background noise. The ability to identify a stimulus when it is embedded in a distracting background is called signal detection theory. This might also explain why a mother is awakened by a quiet murmur from her baby but not by other sounds that occur while she is asleep. Signal detection theory has practical applications, such as increasing air traffic controller accuracy. Controllers need to be able to detect planes among many signals that appear on the radar screen and follow those planes as they move through the sky. In fact, the original work of the researcher who developed signal detection theory was focused on improving the sensitivity of air traffic controllers to plane blips .

Figure 5

Children described as thrill seekers are more likely to show taste preferences for intense sour flavors , which suggests that basic aspects of personality might affect perception. Furthermore, individuals who hold positive attitudes toward reduced-fat foods are more likely to rate foods labeled as reduced fat as tasting better than people who have less positive attitudes about these products .

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