Almost all urban myths appeal to a latent analogy or some puzzling theory of our own: “opposites attract,” “five stages of grief,” and “left-brained or right-brained.” So, it’s not surprising that the construct of psychology becomes ever more elusive. Historically, psychology is comprised of many different schools of thought concerning the ways in which the study of the human mind should be tackled. Predominantly, there were the ideas of structuralism, functionalism, and psychoanalysis. Today, psychology encompasses scientific specializations varying from Physiological Psychology to Cognitive Psychology, as well as seemingly near synonymous and equally perplexing nomenclature for various disciplines, such as 'memory' and 'learning.’ Yet throughout history and to the present day, psychology continues to propose some of the most prosaic questions: Why can’t we tickle ourselves? Do dreams have any significance? What is the cause and consequence of a mental disorder?
As a result, psychology may be aptly described as "the study of behaviour and mental processes." It acknowledges not only the importance of monitoring and documenting behaviour, but also our mental processes, what we think, feel, and believe. Furthermore, the essence of science is based on developing new ways of posing fascinating questions and trying to answer them through various research methods.
Ultimately, the findings of psychology are ubiquitous and are susceptible to misinterpretations. For instance, characters like Arthur Fleck (Joker) glorify the concept of destructive self-actualization and personality disorders, hence fabricating misconceptions about mental illnesses. To address common misconceptions, misinformation, and misjudgment on psychology, the next posts on this blog will explore specific subdisciplines and take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding our cognition, brain, and behavior.
Written By: Riyana Rampal
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