Over the past couple of decades, the field of Psychology has grown and evolved significantly. As it examines human thoughts, feelings, motives, and behavior, it is considered one of the most diverse fields out there. Psychologists play a huge role in influencing people and society at large. Due to their consistent input, people can live above their weaknesses and limitations. The world would not be the same without the presence of these great movers and shakers.
If you harbor a passion for psychology, we present seven reasons you should pursue a degree in this field.
Help Spread Knowledge
Psychologists have a thorough knowledge of how the human brain functions—and this knowledge is used in various fields and domains. For instance, educational psychologists analyze our learning process and assist in developing more effective learning methodologies. They assist students from various backgrounds, classes, ethnicities, and capabilities in overcoming learning challenges. Apart from their work with teachers and students, they help develop and design curriculums.
If you have a passion for psychology and are interested in a career in education, you can pursue a masters in educational psychology online.
Understand yourself
Self-knowledge is a genuine understanding of your true self. While studying psychology, you will come across various theories, research, and experiments that will help you develop better self-awareness. There are certain big fundamental questions about the self that puzzle people. Some of these questions are:
- Who am I?
- What is my purpose?
- How should I act and behave?
- How can I make a difference in the world?
- What are my strengths and weaknesses?
- How can I overcome adversity?
- How can I live up to my potential?
Psychology helps people discover answers to such questions.
Understand people
Apart from understanding yourself, you will also learn to read and understand people. People belong to various ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, and religions. Since their circumstances, experiences and beliefs are so diverse, their behavior and attitudes also vary greatly. Psychology creates a cohesive, unified human experience. It presents a very basic and general understanding of the human mind.
As a psychologist, you will be able to not only understand but also help people.
Improve communication skills
As we mentioned, psychology helps us understand people and appreciate how each person is unique. It teaches you how different types of people respond and react to different situations. And as your knowledge of psychology increases, you’ll naturally become more empathetic. You’ll become a better judge of how verbal and non-verbal communication cues and the best ways of communicating with different people.
These skills can also be utilized in public speaking as your presentation skills will grow as well. You’ll know how to engage a crowd.
Enhance critical thinking
As psychology helps you understand the human mind, it also enhances critical thinking skills. You learn how to observe the world around you. You gather relevant information about things, understand them deeply, and make analyses. You are also able to interpret events based on personal vision and experience.
As you get better at processing information and analysis, you become capable of suggesting possible solutions for complex problems. Some of these problems include:
- Social stratification
- Social disorganization
- Social inequality
- Corruption
- Nepotism
- Harassment
- Gender discrimination
- Illiteracy
- Suicide cases
- Problems in law and order
In this way, you serve society across the board. You get a chance to work closely with social workers, sociologists, and anthropologists.
Conduct research and learn about discoveries
As a psychologist, you will get a chance to conduct great research. This will enhance your knowledge and build your credibility. You will also get more exposure as you come across people from all walks of life. Some of the fundamental stages of research include the following:
- Forming hypotheses
- Collection of data
- Analysis of results
- Drawing conclusions
- Implementation
You can succeed in this area by researching your favorite topic. Findings from your experiments can make a huge difference in society.
Great Career Prospects
Psychology is a fairly interesting discipline. Not only can you earn well but you also get a chance to enjoy your job.
It is a versatile field. You can pick professions like counseling, teaching, human resource management, or training. Since the field involves constant interaction with people and a passionate approach to problem-solving, you will hardly ever feel bored.
Even when it seems as though nothing is working out for you, you can simply switch gears and become a life coach. An understanding of human behavior makes you a great inspirational and motivational speaker. You can showcase your voice through social media like a Youtube channel, Facebook, or Tumblr. Invite people to share their stories and questions, and give them advice on various topics like:
- Work-life/balance
- Mental fitness
- Career
- Organization
- Self-discipline
Conclusion
Psychologists have a powerful effect on the lives of people. They shape the way we think, feel and act. You can pursue this career pathway to educate people and resolve their conflicts. You will also gain a better insight into yourself and come across life-altering opportunities to eradicate some of life’s biggest challenges.
All in all, life is too short to be filled with back-breaking, soul-sucking, and arduous jobs. Select a profession that makes you feel energetic, enthusiastic, and worthy.
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