--Original published at *Psych 105*

Hi! I’m Anna Watts and I’m from the suburbs right outside of Philly. I’m a freshman Occupational Therapy major here at Etown and have survived my first semester of college. I can’t wait to start Psych. I’m enrolled in this class now to fulfill the requirements for my major and because I find psychology interesting. I took AP Psych in high school and I absolutely adored it. I hope that psych here is as amazing as I think it will be. When I think of psychology I think of people and how it seems impossible to understand what people are thinking. Then as I learn more about the details of the various areas of psychology, the seemingly undecipherable actions of people seem a little bit more understandable. The sections that seem the most interesting are the brain on the micro level, emotions, and personality theory. I can see the most interesting of the three being the brain on a micro level. I always found the parts of the brain and how they work extremely interesting. The sections that seem the least interesting are the operant conditioning, theories of intelligence, and the mechanics of sleep. I found sleep a little monotonous. At the end of this class, I hope to have a greater understanding of the fundamentals of psychology.

--Original published at Caleb C's College Blog

• Why you chose to take this class?

I chose this class as a requirement for my minor which is cognitive science which I believe goes well with my major in Biotechnology. I took AP Psych in high school and enjoyed the class very much, so I look forward to learning more about psychology this semester and am happy to take it for my minor.

• What background, if any, do you have in psychology?

I took AP Psych in high school and found the class very interesting and I personally believe it has had a major impact on the world of science and how researchers look at the human body and how the brain plays such a large role in our biology both physically and mentally.

• What do you think of when you hear the word “psychology”?

I think of science and how the brain works in relation to emotions, natural drives, and instincts.

• Look at the course schedule on the syllabus. Which three topics look the most interesting to you? Why? Which three topics look the least interesting to you? Why?

Moral Development, Conditioning, and Chemicals and Consciousness all catch my eye and seem quite interesting. I think that these seem fascinating because I have always pondered how morals impact the development of people and whether or not morals impact a child’s tendency to be a good or bad person. I remember learning about conditioning in high school and want to know more about it because it remember it being a key finding and pivot point in the study of psychology. And lastly, I can’t wait to learn about the chemicals and how they impact your mind considering I am a bio related major and hormones are highlighted frequently in my studies. The sleep section, stereotypes and discrimination, and attachment theory all to me seem not that interesting but I still look forward to learning more about those aspects of psychology.

• What question about psychology do you want to answer by the end of this class?

Whether addiction is a real thing or just something which people who struggle with certain tendencies latch on to as an excuse for their low self control.

--Original published at Rachel's Blog

Hi, my name is Rachel DiDomenicis and I am a chemistry major.  I chose to take this class because this field of study is very interesting to me, and I would like to learn more about how the mind works and why we act as we do.  The background of psychology consists of a class that I took in high school as an elective.  When I hear the word psychology, I think about different parts of the human mind, and how that relates to how we function.  I also think of different emotions people can experience, how people can obtain memories, and lastly I think of psychological disorders that can occur.  One final thing that I think of is Sigmund Freud.  Three topics that look the most interesting to me are how to make and improve memories, stress and how to cope with it, and the brain.  These topics seem the most interesting to me because I feel like all three of these topics can relate to one another.  Also, the topic is about stress is essential to all of us since we are college students experiencing that every day.  I would like to learn more about how people are able to have memories and how the brain does this, which is why I think these three topics are interesting.  The three topics that are the least interesting to me are attachment theory, personality theory, and psychotherapy.  These are less interesting to me because I am not really too familiar with these topics and have never heard of these theories before.  A question about psychology that I have is how do some people remember their dreams at night, while others do not?

--Original published at Pisacane Perspectives

Hi, I’m Angie. I decided to take this class because I’m very interested in psychology and it plays a big role in my major, which is Music Therapy. I’m also thinking of getting a minor in Psychology so this class will help me make that decision. Some background that I have in psychology is the class I took in high school and what I’ve learned so far in my Music Therapy classes. Because of that, there’s a lot that comes to mind when I think of psychology. Mainly, I think of brain functions such as emotion and memory, and brain development. Three topics on the syllabus that look interesting to me are Psychology Then and Now, because I like to see how approaches have developed over time, and Moral Development and Why Do We Forget because I don’t know a lot about those topics but I’m curious about what happens in the brain when it comes to them. Some that don’t catch my interest are the Scientific Method, Why Research Matters, and Chemicals and Consciousness, because they sound very technical, which are usually topics I have trouble with. One question about psychology I’d like to answer by the end of this class is why is it we mirror the feelings of the music we listen to (instrumental, not lyrical)?

--Original published at Michael's Blog

Hello, my name is Michael Sheaffer and I am a sophomore business administration major with a concentration in finance. The reason I took this class is to satisfy my core requirements. I have no background in psychology. When I hear the word “psychology,” I typically think of the brain and how it works.

The three topics that I find the most interesting are “Why do we forget,” “Mechanics of sleep,” and “How to improve memory.” I find it interesting to know more about memory and how to possibly improve it. I am also very interested in how sleep works and possible ways to improve it.

The three topics I find the least interesting are “Emotion,” “Motivation,” and “Stress.” I am not really interested in learning about emotion because I feel it will be kind of boring. I am not interested in learning about motivation because I already know what motivates me. I am not really interested in learning about stress because I know how to deal with situations when I am feeling stressed.

One question I would like to have answered is how do psychologists figure out how the brain works? What is the process they use?

--Original published at Hope's PSY105 Blog

Hi!  My name is Hope Sury and I am a sophomore middle level math education major.  I chose to take this course because I needed it for core, but I also feel that it will help me to understand the students I will have in my classroom.  I took a psychology class in high school, and my roommate is a psychology major, so we have discussions from time to time about her field of study.  When I hear the word “psychology”, I think of people’s behaviors and why they make certain decisions.  I am interested in learning about attachment theory, coping with stress, and motivation.  I am interested in these topics because it will help me better understand myself and what I can do to improve my life.  I am less interested in the scientific method, how to improve memory, and how to choose a therapist.  I have some experience with these topics, so I am less interested in going over these topics.  The question I would like to have answered by the end of the class is how to accurately use psychology in my future classroom.

--Original published at MelanieBlevins

Hello!! My name is Melanie, I am a first year student and a psychology major. On campus I am an avid napper and a member of Mad Cow Improv, so i can be kinda funny sometimes. I chose to take General Psychology because it is the foreground for my major and puts me in the right direction for my future both during and after college. In high school I look a psychology course and fell in love with the class as well as what I was researching out of class. Through psychology I have learned so much about myself and those around me, which has led me to becoming a better and more understanding person. When I hear the word psychology, a lot of things come to mind.

For me, I think about the decisions people make and how those decisions have been effected by a persons environment, self image, peers, and their own mental health. I think the three most interesting topics for me have to be stress, emotion, and how to get good sleep. It fascinates me when I find out new things about myself through the things we learn in class, and i can make connections to understand why I am feeling a certain way. As for sleep, I have already mentioned my hobby of napping and if I can somehow improve one of my favorite activities I’m down to do so. My three least favorite topics are definitely any of the very science based ones such as learning about the brain and the scientific method. Science isn’t really my strong suit but these ideas seem pretty basic so it shouldn’t be too bad.

By the end of this class I would like for you to answer is, if there was an individual who lived in the perfect world and had no apparent reason to develop a mental disorder, can they?

--Original published at Emily Garvin's Psych Blog

--Original published at Matt's College Blog

My name is Matthew Kowalski. I am 19 years old and I grew up in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I’m a computer science major whose ultimate dream/goal is to be a part of the first generation to be able to live on in simulation long after our bodies have withered away.

I’ve got a slight tendency to wax poetic when writing about things I find interesting and become terse if I find something actively boring.

My approach to this course is with mild optimism that I may learn more than I did in my high school psych 101 course, though mostly with the knowledge that I am fulfilling a core requirement along the way.

When it comes to writing in response to prompts, I’ve been told that I write like a programmer, short, concise, but still as readable as possible. I believe that is the reason the following is formatted in the way it is.

Questions:

1. Why you chose to take this class? (It is okay to be honest)
2. What background, if any, do you have in psychology?
3. What do you think of when you hear the word “psychology”?
4. Look at the course schedule on the syllabus.
   • Which three topics look the most interesting to you?
     • Why?
   • Which three topics look the least interesting to you?
     • Why?
5. What question about psychology do you want to answer by the end of this class?

Answers:

1. I needed to fulfill a core requirement and this class seemed like it would be more interesting than the other courses available to meet that requirement this semester.
2. I took a psych class in high school though it focused heavily on the developmental stages and things of the like. (IE Piaget)
3. “Why do people do the things that they do?”
4. The following seem the most interesting:
   1. The Brain: Micro-level
      1. I am a CS major and most of my planned research in the future revolves around neural networks in computing and whether or not it’s possible to simulate a human mind to a high enough fidelity that we can “store” a person’s “consciousness” (or something close enough to call the same) for indefinite periods of time.
   2. The Brain: Macro-level
      1. See reasoning above
   3. Mechanics of Sleep
      1. The most compelling reason I’ve heard as to why we sleep is “Because we get tired” and for some reason that answer just rubs me the wrong way.
5. The following seem the least interesting:
   1. What is “Addiction”?
      1. My mom worked in a hospital for 13 years, all of her sisters are heavy smokers. Regardless of the mechanics of addiction, I’ve seen the outcomes. I find it difficult to make myself care about the deep mechanical reasons for people ruining their lives by picking up smoking in high school after seeing the horrible things it does to their bodies.
   2. Personality theory
      1. I’ve taken the “reputable” personality tests being as honest as possible and the answers they put out just don’t feel like they fit quite right. They’re close but there’s always something fatally wrong with some part of the “personality type” they put out.
   3. Personality Assessment
      1. See reasoning above
6. I would like to know why people are so vehemently opposed to factual information if it goes against what they believe to be true, even if they’ve been proven categorically to be wrong.

--Original published at Kate's College Blog

Hello! I am Kate Ziegler. I am a first year student and my intended major is occupational therapy. I chose to take this psychology course because it is a requirement for my major, but also because I took general psychology in high school and overall psychology is very interesting to me. When I hear the word “psychology” I think of the mind and the way humans think and perceive things. One topic that is interesting to me is “how to make memories” because I love to cherish and make new memories with my friends and family. Another topic that is interesting to me is “personality theory” because I am interested by how different people have different personalities and how they interact with each other. The last topic I am most interested in learning about is “coping with stress” because I get stressed out easily and I think it will be interesting to see how to deal with it by using psychology to understand stress. Three topics that are less interesting to me are the scientific method, why research design matters, and the power of experiments because I have already gone over these topics in previous classes like biology. By the end of this class, I would want to know how dreams work and how our mind and body responds to nature vs. nurture.