Contents
In this article I want to talk about how to start studying psychology. I will look at the basic points of self-study, and also tell you how to make the knowledge gained help in life.
Your personal learning goal
Most likely, from time to time you noticed your own interest in the topics of psychology, when something in life went wrong — this is common to many. In addition to the fact that one’s own life becomes more interesting and understandable, basic knowledge of psychology helps those who wish to master this specialty to decide.
Those who are going to study psychology from scratch need to decide on their own motives for obtaining this knowledge. This is important not so much for motivation (after all, a person who is going to independently master any science is clearly motivated), but for understanding in which direction to move and where to start.
Main topics that may be of interest:
- Child psychology, features of development and education.
- Family relations, search for a partner.
- Conflictology and ways to improve relationships with others.
- Business psychology, methods of achieving success.
- Personal growth.
- Overcoming psychotraumatic experience.
- Gestalt therapy. There was an article about this direction here on the blog.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the reason for the study — this is the further acquisition of this profession. This includes not only personal interest, but also certain restrictions and obligations:
- It is impossible to condemn and evaluate both the person himself and his life situation.
- The confidentiality of other people’s information cannot be disclosed. Exceptions are cases when a psychologist learns about a crime being prepared or committed.
- Possessing psychological knowledge, one cannot impose one’s help on others. If a person close to you does not want to deal with some problem, this is his choice. You have no right to interfere or manipulate his decision.
- It is impossible to provide psychological assistance or correction without completing the training. The human psyche is very fragile, so not every experienced psychologist can immediately cope with difficult problems, and without the appropriate skills, you can also do harm.
Forms of self-study
There are several options that allow you to study psychology on your own:
- Trainings and seminars dedicated to specific topics.
- Webinars and online courses compiled by university professors.
- Psychological literature (both classical textbooks and periodicals).
- Long-term training programs with a narrow specialization will be useful for those who already have a general idea of the structure of the human psyche.
Regardless of the chosen form of training, you will have to constantly work on maintaining practical skills and developing your own personal qualities, which are important for a psychologist.
For those who want to make psychology their life’s profession, it is best to study at the relevant universities, directly from practicing teachers.
Development of the necessary personal qualities
To begin the study of human psychology, you must first of all with yourself. The psychologist works through himself, his feelings and emotions. Therefore, the better you can understand your reactions, the more understandable the psychology of others will become.
Various methods of self-therapy are excellent for this, especially in the direction of art therapy. In addition, if you intend to apply the acquired knowledge in direct work with people, then it will not be superfluous to start by working through your own problems, such as:
- inadequate self-esteem;
- complexes and anxiety;
- fears, phobias;
- prejudice;
- protracted conflict situations, etc.
Without resolving one’s internal problems, an objective view of the problems and motives of another person is impossible.
Have you noticed that some people manage to understand any person, as well as predict his behavior, even without a degree in psychology? The secret lies in the natural possession of personal qualities that are important for a psychologist. Fortunately, they are not static and anyone can develop them if desired.
It is necessary to begin with the development of attention, observation and insight in relation to the behavior and emotional reactions of others. For this you can:
- Observe the behavior of friends, family members and colleagues. You can try to predict the behavior of random fellow travelers in transport.
- Build cause and effect relationships in people’s actions. It is especially interesting to observe this in a team where people themselves provoke each other. You can also introduce experimental variety, such as rearranging objects or doing something unusual for you. It is important to note how the response of the observed changes.
- Try to understand the motivation of actions and choices of other people. No textbook will contain a XNUMX% prediction of human reaction. Psychological skills help you navigate the situation on the spot, so learn to ask questions. It is important to work on wording and tact. Because the more you win over a person, the more in the end he will tell you about his inner world.
- I also recommend that you develop your empathy. Read more here.
Be sure to record your own discoveries that were obtained during the observation. If you set a goal, then in a week you can learn a lot of new information about people with whom you have lived next to for several years.
Literature
Literature should be chosen based on the subject of interest. If you are going to study the characteristics of children’s behavior in order to better contact your own child, then you are unlikely to need a textbook on pathopsychology. What will definitely come in handy is a book on the basics of general psychology and a dictionary of psychological terms. These books will make all other information accessible and understandable.
You can choose the author of your choice. At the moment, there are many of them and there is a great chance to choose the one whose presentation style is closest to you. The only thing worth paying attention to is the biography of the author, the presence of practical experience, scientific papers, a well-deserved degree, and so on.
Freud, who is considered a classic and inextricably associated with psychological science, is not for everyone. The writing style and terminology can be difficult for beginners to understand and requires knowledge of the concept of psychoanalysis. In addition, many of his theories have already been criticized and are not relevant at the moment.
Conclusion
Human psychology is a limitless and fascinating science, in which you can develop limitlessly. Subscribing to my blog is also a form of self-study in psychology. New interesting articles coming soon, so stay tuned!
See you, friends.