Psychology needs out-of-box thinking
Many decades ago, when I joined psychology and everyone asked me “Why?” I couldn’t tell them that I was nosey, so I just said “people interest me!”
On a more serious note, psychology is one discipline that can provide a better understanding of others’ behaviour as well as to self-understanding.
The word psychology is derived from the Greek word psyche, meaning ‘soul’ or ‘mind’. Psychology has lost its soul (pun intended!) and is recognised as scientific study of mind, brain and behaviour.
The course embraces all major subfields such as cognitive psychology, statistics, biopsychology, social psychology, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, counselling psychology, organizational behaviour, and research methodology. It has optional papers like psychology of health/peace/ disability/youth/media/education/community, human resource management, emotional intelligence, cultural psychology and so on. A new addition in the CBCS syllabus is a strong practical component. Students are imparted skills such as conducting experiments, administering tests, making observations, interviewing, case analysis, developing intervention programs, time management, stress management, to name a few. Examples from real life, research, films and fiction are frequently drawn upon to make concepts come alive.
Psychology is open to students from all backgrounds, although having studied the subject in school gives you an edge. Skills of introspection, critical thinking, empathy, self-insight, and awareness help you understand psychology better. Psychology needs sensitive, thinking individuals, those who think outside the box.
Public interest in the subject is at an all-time high and work is aplenty in a variety of settings like hospitals, counselling centres, government organizations, to name a few. Many psychologists are selfemployed. In a globalised world, where individual well-being is a driver for promoting development, psychology is a pertinent subject that meets not just market demands but also societal needs.