Psychology is the scientific study of how the mind works and how people chose to act.
(Feldman & Dinardo, 2009, p.5) Psychology encompasses many areas of analysis: how people feel, how people act, how they learn, how they are driven, and how they think. Understanding why people behave the way they do can benefit people in many areas of life. If you know why someone does something it is easier to find a way to get them to do it. The reverse is also true that if you know the cause of someone’s behavior you may be able to find the remedy to stop that behavior. This field of study is extremely useful in working with children and employees. There are many sectors of study within this field accompanied by many debatable issues. (Keenan, Psychology)
Challenges associated with the field of psychology include: 1) Volumes of new material and a constant influx of new technology make psychology a challenging field of study, 2) Many levels of exploration in the areas of conduct, thought, information handling and mental activity, and 3) The fact that there is more than one answer to most posed questions. (Keenan, Psychology). Although these challenges can be very difficult at times the field of psychology is constantly growing and becoming more and more acceptable to today’s society. There are several factors that people often view as part of psychology that are not part of the scientific study.
People think psychology is many things that it is not. One of these things is that it is impossible. It is impossible because of reflexivity which is something that occurs when the subject being studied is the one studying it. Reflexivity is viewed in both positive and negative lights. The positive side states that there is evidence that humans can participate in studies about who they really are. The negative side states reflexivity complicates all three scientific missions: justification, forecast and control. (Flanagan, 1981, p.375). It is important that the person facilitating a psychological study can remove himself or herself from subjectivity during the study. Psychology is not: 1) Common sense, and 2) It is more than just a particular person’s own judgements. Psychology is “an empirical science based on observation, measurement & application of the scientific method.” (Keenan, Psychology). Although psychology is now considered a true and acceptable science there are still many myths circulating around this field of study.
Psychomythology is a collection of misunderstandings and fallacies that infiltrate psychology. A common myth is Phrenology. Phrenology states that psychological faculties are located in only certain parts of the brain and that the brain gets bigger as you learn more. There are many wives’ tales and misconceptions in psychology. Six reasons why so many misnomers exist are: 1) We are all trying to figure each other out, 2) The television, social media and radio give out false information all the time, 3) Schools are not educating student well in the scientific department, 4) The subject of psychology is not covered sufficiently in schools, 5) Almost anyone can lecture in a psychology class, and 6) There are not many checks and balances with psychologists because they are not often involved in public deliberations. These reasons explain why so many delusions circulate within the field of psychology. (Keenan, Psychomythology) How the brain functions is also encircled by myths.
There are several myths about how the brain works. One prominent myth is that people only use 10% of their brains. This idea is easily disproven with the use of modern technology. PET and fMRI scans reveal that when people sleep their brain is still operating in its’ entirety. The individual neurons or cells do not show any sections of the brain that are not active even when sleeping. Metabolic studies of cellular metabolism also show constant activity in the brain. (Keyser, 2015).
Another brain myth is that each of our personalities is determined by whether we have a more dominant right or left side of the brain. The left side is said to be used for language linear thinking and analyzing. The right side of the brain is referred to as more creative and intuitive. According to this scenario if a person was very artistic they may believe that they were a right brained person. The reality is that the entire brain is always in use and the right and left side work together. (Keenan, Brain Myths) The brain is made up of billions of cells. One type of cell is labeled neurons. Everything people feel, think and do is due to the activity of these neurons. Neurons are unique cells that run through the nervous system carrying messages for the body. Another type of cell is the Glial cell. These cells help the brain work at peak performance by removing waste, keeping it the brain held together and performing other purposes. (Keenan, Brain) Each body is made up of cells from the beginning of their existence. New cells are created as the body develops.
Myths regarding human development are also prevelant. There are three major myths regarding human development: 1) Synaptogenesis ends after infancy and all intellectual development happens during the first three years of life, 2) Adolescence is a time of mass havoc emotionally, and 3) Everyone will question themselves and endure great emotional distress later in life which is believed to be a “mid-life crisis.” (Keenan, Development) Synaptogenesis comes from two separate words synapse and genesis. Synapses are the connections between nerve cells and genesis denotes the commencement of something. The combination of synapse and genesis is the starting point of links between nerve cells in the brain, or neurons. Synaptogenesis continues throughout a person’s lifetime. However, there are some periods in life when synaptogenesis occurs more frequently than other times. (Linde, 2003). Myths about development have been around for a long time.
The first myth is about what happens during the first three years of life. According the John Bruer, the zero-to-three movement states that there are three repeated neuroscience results that the theories are based on. The first theory is that prior to and right after birth scientists have seen an influx of “biological exuberance” in babies. Scientists state that there is a huge increase in the number of synapses in the brain during this time. The second theory is that there are periods in the beginning years of life where brain cells require pertinent stimuli for eye and hearing development. The third theory is that young children require tremendous amounts of stimulation in order to develop properly. The myth intertwines the ideas together to insist that there are critical periods for the brain to develop in the first three years of life. (Moughty, 1995).
Adolescence is the core of the second myth. Everyone assumes that all adolescents endure undue emotional distress. The fact is that only 20% of adolescents really experience extreme amounts of stress. (Keenan, Development) The last myth in human development is regarding the famous “mid-life crisis.” Some say this is when people reflect on and review their lives and suddenly are overwhelmed with the loss of time and lack of substance in their lives. The typical commentary is that all men will go have affairs with younger women or they will go purchase a red sports car. Women will leave their husbands and begin new careers or relationships after raising their children. They reality is that people at different ages reevaluate their lives and make changes. (Keenan, Development) People create memories throughout their lives. How people evaluate their lives may depend on how many good memories they have versus bad ones.
Making a memory takes three different procedures: 1) Encoding, where details are remembered from a scene or event and then placed in the mind where they can be accessed at a later time, 2) Storage, when material is stored in the neural networks, and 3) Retrieval, when the information is returned to the forefront of the mind. There are many myths about memory.
They first myth is that some people have a photographic or eidetic memory. Basically anything they see or experience is never forgotten. The second myth is infantile amnesia or birth memory. There are many theories of why people do not remember their birth or early experiences. One theory is that they repress the traumatic experience. Another is that they were so young, had no language skills, and are therefore unable to express what occurred at the time of their birth. The third myth is that memory is like a video recorder. The problem with this theory is that each person comes to every situation with personal biases and experiences preceding any event. What one person may experience in a particular situation is not exactly what another would experience because of their individual perspectives. “Memory is like a reconstruction and prone to error.” (Keenan, Memory). Memories transpire during consciousness.
Consciousness is whatever a person is aware of at any point in time. There are three major myths surrounding consciousness: 1) Myths about hypnosis, 2) Myths about dreams, and 3) Myths regarding learning while a person sleeps. Many people believe that while under hypnosis you are no longer in control of yourself. Whatever the hypnotist tells you to do you will be a willing slave and must obey. This is not true. What is asked of a person under hypnosis is just a suggestion. The only way a person would perform a particular act is if they would be willing to do it while not under hypnosis. There are also no special powers gifted to a person while under hypnosis. (Keenan, Consciousness)
The idea that dreams have special meaning is a myth. Sometimes dreams are the expression of unconscious wishes that people don’t want to admit. They are not premonitions of what is to come in the future. The idea that a person can magically learn in their sleep is another myth. Studies have shown that there is no proof that a person learns more or faster while asleep versus while awake. (Keenan, Consciousness)
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a personality is the emotional qualities and behaviors that set one person apart from another. (Merriam-Webster, 1828). Each person has a different personality making them unique in comparison to anyone and everyone else. There are three major myths about how personalities are formed: 1) Parents have total control in shaping children’s personalities, 2) A personality test will determine your personality, and 3) Sexual abuse during childhood will have an enormous impact on a child’s personality. Each one of these points has some truth. The myth is that just one factor or episode in life will completely mold a personality. (Keenan, Personality)
Each one of the myths listed above has some merit. Parents play a role in helping to shape children’s lives. They are nurtured and socialized. However, friends, family and peers also have a huge impact on one’s personality. Certain personality tests can help identify certain traits but they are never a foolproof comprehensive assessment of who a person really is. Childhood abuse of any kind is a horrible thing. The experience can certainly have a negative effect on a child’s life but positive input can also alter how a person deals with trauma. Not everyone suffers long term negative effects from abuse. (Keenan, Personality). Personalities are a product of everything about a person; experiences, genetics, culture and many other things.
People make choices throughout their lives. These choices often modify future choices and play a significant role in the development of who each person eventually becomes. There are many misconceptions mingling around the science of psychology. There are myths about what psychology is, how the brain works, how humans develop, what memories are and how they are stored, how consciousness is affected by various outside influences and even about how personalities are formed. A constant influx of new information and technology is infiltrating the science of psychology. This new information gives each person willing to study this field new ideas and theories to grasp onto on a regular basis. It is imperative that each individual educate themselves about the broad spectrum of theories and perspectives before drawing conclusions of their own to live by.
References
Bruer, J. (1999). The Myth of the First Three Years. The Free Press, New York, NY.
Dinardo, A. & Feldman, R. (2009). Essentials of Understanding Psychology, (3rd CDN ed). McGraw-Hill Ryerson Higher Education
Flanagan, O. (1981). Psychology, Progress, and the Problem of Reflexivity: A Study in the Epistemological Foundations of Psychology. Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 17, p.375-386.
Keenan, T. What is Psychology, Psychomythology, Brain Myths, Development Myths, Memory Myths, Consciousness Myths, Personality Myths. PSYC9102: Psychology Fact & Fiction. Personal Collection of Tom Keenan, Niagra College, Niagra on the Lake, Canada.
Keyser, H. (2015). Do You Use Only 10% of Your Brain. Metal Floss. Retrieved from http://mentalfloss.com/article/57658/do-you-use-only-10-your-brain.
Linde, S. (2003). Synaptogenesis: Definition and Overview. Human Anatomy and Physiology: Help and Review. Ch.12. Retrieved from http://study.com/academy/lesson/synaptogenesis-definition-lesson.html#lesson
Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (1828). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personality
Moughty, S. (1995-2014). The Zero-to-Three Debate: A Cautionary Look at Turning Science Into Policy. Inside the Teenage Brain. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/science/zero.html
