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Common misconceptions about Psychology

Posted: August 27 2020

Psychologists can read minds

When you tell people you study Psychology, no matter who they are or where they come from, their first response is ' So you can read peoples' mind!' or 'Can you tell me what am I thinking?' But that is not the case. Psychology is the study of the mind and how people interact in society, no psychologist will ever claim that they can mind read.

Psychology is the same as Psychiatry

A graduate in a Psychology degree is called a Psychologist. However, a Psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in Psychiatry. Psychologists are not called doctors unless they complete PhD and they focus on psychotherapy as compared to Psychiatrists who diagnose and help manage mental illnesses through a range of therapies like pharmacotherapy.

Psychologist work only in hospitals

It is a common misconception that a psychologist can only be found in a clinical setting. However, Psychology is a broad and diverse field that encompasses the study of human thought, behavior, development, personality, emotion, motivation, and more. Psychologists work in prisons, intelligence agencies, schools, sports, counseling services, rehabilitation centers, human resources (HR) departments, and industrial sectors in addition to hospitals. Research and teaching careers are also very common.

There isn't any statistics in Psychology

One reason you might be surprised to know that Psychology also involves Mathematics and Statistics is that psychology is so often associated with qualitative things like emotions and feelings. However, Math classes, and statistics, in particular, are an important part of any psychology program. You need to master one or more statistical software like Excel, SPSS, or Jamovi to analyze the quantitative data and eventually deduce results in research projects. Statistics allow psychologists to present data in ways that are easier to comprehend such as using graphs, pie charts, and scatter plots.

Psychology isn't a science

It is commonly heard that Psychology is not a real science. Psychology indeed has its fair share of pseudoscience, however, it does take a scientific approach and uses empirical methods to understand human behavior. Psychologists use both qualitative research methods such as interviews and focus groups as well as quantitative research methods such as questionnaires and surveys to understand various behavioral and cognitive processes.