--Original published at KatieMillerPSY105

Hi! My name is Katie Miller and I will be an incoming freshman; however, I will be attending Drexel University in the fall. I plan to be a nursing major which is one of the reasons that I will be going to school in Philadelphia. I wanted to start my college courses early, and I am currently finishing another online class while starting this course. I chose to take classes from Elizabethtown because my dad is a professor here. I took this class because I knew I needed to have a psychology class for my major. I have always found psychology to be very interesting, at least from the little knowledge I have of the subject.

I have a little bit of psychology background. I took a class in my senior year of high school, but I am excited to go more in-depth with different topics. In high school, we learned about a lot of different psychologists and their studies. We also discussed a lot about isolation in people and what it does to the mind. My teacher liked to show videos of what we were learning, so we watched some Skinner’s experiments. We also watched a film on “Genie” while we were talking about isolation. I think my teacher did a nice job with the timeline he was given, but I am excited to learn more at the college level. When I hear the word “psychology”, I think of the study of how people behave and why people are the way they are. I also think of how the brain itself works, different emotions and feelings, and some mental disorders. From what I have learned in my psychology class, a couple of psychologists come to mind as well, including Freud and Skinner, and their different theories.

Looking over the course schedule, I found some topics that I thought would be very interesting to go deeper into learning. Memory and how to improve memory is something that I would like to more about. I think this topic would be interesting because everyone has different memories and things that could jog their memory. It is intriguing when I talk to my family and my brother will recall one thing from a vacation that I have no recollection of or vice versa. I would love to learn about how and why some memories can come to the front of your mind while others are buried deeper. Another topic that I find interesting is coping and understanding stress. I think that at one time or another everyone feels stressed. It would be cool to go deeper into stress and see why it happens to certain people while others can stay cool under pressure or under a deadline. Only going into my freshman year, I know that college will be nothing like high school, so learning some coping methods for stress could help when I have those late nights of writing papers or studying. A final topic that I find to be interesting is mental illness and mood disorders. I think it is fascinating to study because there are so many people with illnesses or disorders that need help. As I am looking to enter the nursing field, I will be working with patients that have mental illness or disorders and would like to be able to better address their needs.

Some topics that may not be the most intriguing to me is neuro imaging, the brain and why research design matters. I am not a huge fan of taking a look at the brain and seeing what it is. I am more interested in why the brain thinks the way it does, or why certain people think and at the way they do. 

I think the only question I really have that I hope could be answered by the end of this class would be “what causes some people to become murderers and why do their brains think that way?” I have always been curious as to why people such as Ted Bundy did the things he did, or, a topic more recently, why a California couple who had 13 children left them isolated and neglected.  

--Original published at CatherinesCollegeBlog

Hi! My name is Catherine Hughes and I will be a junior this upcoming semester. I am an International Business major with a concentration in marketing and a minor in psychology. Since I am studying abroad next spring semester, I wanted to make sure I got started on the psychology minor by taking this class. The opportunity to take this class over the summer made even more sense because I can dedicate adequate time and attention to the course material that is all relatively new to me.

Aside from being coached by psychologists, I have no background in the field. It was interesting playing soccer for multiple coaches who had psychology backgrounds because they used their experience and knowledge to anticipate how the team would react to certain suggestions or criticisms during practices and games.

The word “psychology” immediately makes me think of analyzing a person and having a deeper understanding of perhaps why they react or behave the way they do. Instead of jumping to emotionally driven conclusions about another person, those with a psychology background possess a greater maturity and appreciation to analyze and understand why people act a certain way.

I am especially excited to learn more about memory, addiction, and consciousness. I have always found memory to be an interesting topic, as I easily remember some seemingly pointless things while I forget others that should perhaps hold more of a priority in my mind. I would like to better understand why certain details of life just stick for some reason when many others are lost. Addiction is another topic that interests me because of the many activities, products, or aspects of life it can apply to. I am nearly convinced I have a coffee addiction, as it is one of the first things I think about when I wake up and get ready to start my day. Somehow drinking coffee became a daily ritual, as it does for most adults in the world, but I now get headaches on the days I go without having a coffee. I am interested to learn about the withdrawal that goes along with addiction, as well as how to go about changing the dependency on a product or activity someone has developed. Consciousness interests me as it relates to sleeping and dreaming. I have always wondered the degree of control we have over our dreams as well as the truth behind certain dreams, so I am excited to learn more about the topic.

The topics I am not looking forward to as much as others are stress, personality types, and sampling strategies. I am sure that learning the science behind my stress will be helpful, but sometimes it is just easier to aimlessly blame things for adding stress to my life instead of actually identifying them with legitimate reasons. I am not looking forward to studying personality types as much because the strategies used to identify my own personality type have confused me so far. They have generally been questionnaires which frustrate me as an indecisive person because I seem to answer questions differently each time. Sampling strategies also do not seem as interesting as other topics because they present many opportunities for error perhaps when forming a sample population or performing the actual study.

The question I would like to have answered by the end of this class is “What does it mean to love someone?” During my first year at Elizabethtown, I wrote a research paper discussing whether love is irrational or actually something that can be rationally explained. I made some progress on the debate but the question is still very intriguing to me. I also would like to learn more about the different types or versions of love we feel for different people, whether it is love for a boyfriend, pet, brother, or friend. I am excited to begin learning more about this topic and many others included in our class schedule for the summer!

--Original published at Jenna'sPSY105blog

Hi, my name is Jenna Harne and I will be a sophomore this fall at Elizabethtown College. I am majoring in Occupational Therapy and, depending on how this course goes, am considering minoring in psychology. I am a member of the women’s volleyball team at Etown as well.

I am taking PSY 105 because all Occupational Therapy majors are required to take the course, I am just taking it in the summer to keep up with credits and to stay on track with the course load. Although I am taking this class because I have to, I’ve always had an interest in psychology and how the brain works- it’s quite fascinating! When I hear the word “psychology,” I think of the inner workings of the brain, including emotions, feelings, mental disorders, dreams, cognition, etc. My junior year in high school, I took a psychology class, but I didn’t have the best teacher and I always found myself wanting to know more than what he taught us. My interest in the mind also stems from my mother. She has a degree in social work with a background in psychology. She currently works as a school social worker, but prior to her current job she worked in a psychiatric hospital for many years. Between the two careers, growing up I always heard so many crazy stories, which I think sparked my interest in the subject.

One topic I saw on the course schedule I’m excited for is learning all about sleeping. Honestly, I sleep like it’s my job and I am always tired. I also am always having very crazy dreams so I think it will be interesting to maybe find out why these dreams occur so often and why my sleeping patterns are the way they are. Another topic I think will be interesting is learning about mental illness, mood disorders and anxiety. This is because so many people I know, myself included, struggle with mental health and I think understanding these issues and illnesses is very helpful in learning how to cope with them. And lastly, I think that it will be cool to learn about personality and what makes people the way that they are. If I had to choose three topics I’m the least interested in, it would be stereotypes and discrimination, obedience, and how to choose a therapist. I don’t necessarily have a question to be answered, but by the end of this course I would like to have gained a lot more knowledge on personality disorders because I just find them to be so fascinating. I am very excited to get started with this course and expand my knowledge of psychology!

--Original published at Site Title

Introduction:

Hello! My name is Loretta Fleming and I am a double major in Business Marketing and Social Work. I run track for Elizabethtown College and I just spent my spring semester studying abroad in Europe! I lived in Italy for four months and visited 12 countries. I am currently also finishing up on my other summer class while beginning this one as well.

Why this class?

I am taking this class because it is part of my major and when I originally took it, it didn’t fit as well with my schedule as it does currently. I am also a double major and I am trying to finish in four years despite having little support of having two majors. Being a double major makes planning an art and being able to get every required class in with the correct time is very difficult. This online class provides a lot more flexibility and will hopefully bring me one step closer to accomplishing my overall goal.

Background:

I have taken several social work classes as I head into my junior year and have a basic of psychology through previous academic settings. I work in downtown Harrisburg at an organization where the parents go to parenting classes while the staff and volunteers supervise the children. I visited Vietnam with the social work department my freshman year of college and went to orphanages throughout the country. Through these experiences human behavior and basic introduction of psychology was used in many cases.

Hearing the word Psychology:

When I hear the word “psychology” I think of the researched evidence of why people are the way they are. In other words, I can look at who someone is from a more scientific and researched approach rather than from a bias. This way, instead of taking one part of the person, I can take a bunch of pieces which make up the individual and see why someone does a certain thing based off of the researched information of human behavior. While doing this, I believe it changes the way I and or other people can react. For example, if I am frustrated in how a child is lashing out towards me and throwing a tantrum over something seemingly small, I can take a step back and look at the reasoning as to why this person is behaving the way they are. This prevents me from becoming frustrated from their behavior and gives the reasoning and possible solution to solve the said problem. I find psychology to be the cause and effect of why an individual is who they based off of conducted research of trial and error through different studies. Furthermore, I see it as the ability to explain what is happening and being able to study it through conducting measurable research.

The three most interesting topics include:

1. Understanding and dealing with stress
2. Group Dynamics, Stereotypes, and Discrimination
3. Mental Illness but more on “How to Choose a Therapist.”

These few topic will allow me to understand my own relation to stress and how to deal with it to benefit other people. I am a continuously busy person and how to manage stress when I overload too much is personally and professionally useful. When dealing with stereotypes and discrimination I understand the impact it has and now having a way of dealing with it and understanding the psychology behind it. With understanding this it will help me know the difficulties by clients may face and the physical and mental impact of it. Lastly, under the mental illness chapter of “How to choose a therapist” is intriguing and whether or not I can do something as a social work in a counseling setting to benefit the client more effectively and efficiently.

The three least interesting topics include:

1. Psychology then and now
2. Neuro Imaging: The Brain
3. Why research design matters.

Most of these chapters and lessons feel like memorization of what psychology is and relate to the past based off of who did what. I understand the necessity in understanding the beginning to use in the present and future but it feels more like a task than wanting to know psychology because it is interesting and more needing to know facts to pass a quiz or test.

Question:

It is less of a psychology question which I hope to answer by the end of the class but a personal one. I hope to be able to use the tools I know to become a better Social worker from understanding the psychology aspect of it. So, have the tools from general psychology prepared me to accomplish my tasks of a social worker more effectively and efficiently? Will I have a greater understanding in how people work based off of the psychological perspective?

Psychology question:

How can we communicate more effectively to children who have suffered a trauma? Is there a way to understand the reason for their behavior and actions? How can we make it easier for children with unstable home-life?

--Original published at Kirsten's Kreations

Last semester, I became stuck between two options, take 18 credits fall and spring semester or take 16 credits both semesters and take a summer course before the start of my senior year. I decided it was best for my mentality to take the summer course and lessen the work load during the fall and spring. I chose psychology as my summer course because I had taken it my senior year of high school and enjoyed it. I feel this time around the class will be a better experience for me than it was in high school.

When I hear the word psychology, I think of a study of the human mind and how it can affect the behavior. It is hard for me to pick which three topics that interest me and three that don’t because they all seem interesting to me. However, the three I am most interested in studying are: psychological disorders, social psychology, and memory. The three I am a little disinterested in learning about are: therapy, learning, sex, gender, and sexuality.

The one question I have about psychology is, how can I take what I learn in this class and adapt it into my own life by using it to help myself and those around me?

--Original published at Tiffany'sCollegeBlog

Hello! My name is Tiffany Hofmann! I transferred to Etown at the beginning of last semester so after the fall, I will have officially been at Etown for a complete year! I’m from Westminster, Maryland and I live with my parents, two brothers and two puppies (Murphy, mini golden doodle and Miya, mini labradoodle). I will be a sophomore Music Therapy major with a double minor in psychology and history. I work at Vera Bradley and in the fall, I will be bringing Murphy back to school with me. Something you might find interesting about me is that due to being a Music Therapy major, I have 13 classes when I go back in the fall and I play 8 instruments including but not limited to: oboe, flute, piccolo, bassoon, piano, guitar, ukulele, and voice. I have had a strong interest in Music Therapy (which is why I transferred to a school that had the program) working with clientele that have developmental disabilities especially Autism. The main reason I wanted to do Music Therapy is because of my little brother. He has high-functioning Autism and I want to help kids and clients like him. I also want to see how people behave and interact with others like kids who have ADHD etc.

Despite being a minor in Psychology and it being a requirement, I have always wanted to take a Psychology class. In high school, I started out in AP Psych and I was told I would’ve been fine with the work and not having any other knowledge but that was not true. I dropped the class and the only other Psychology class that was available was regular Psychology so that’s what I took. I do have so experience in Psychology and I do remember some of what I’ve learned but taking this class also is a requirement for Music Therapy. When I hear the word “Psychology,” I often think about therapy, behavior, and how individuals interact with others.

One of the topics I am most interested in would be how to improve memory and study skills. Often when I am taking a test, I forget everything that I have studied and it kinda screws me over in the end. Sometimes, I also have trouble remembering what I just did so knowing what I could do to help that would be great, especially coming to tests and exams. Another topic that I am interested in is the understanding stress and coping with it. I stress a lot for many different reasons and I wanted to know if there are other things I can do to un-stress. I do many things like get my nails done and color but when I have deadlines and such for school. Finally, the last topic I am interested in is the mental illness, mood disorders and anxiety due to the increased talk about this topic in the public etc. If I had to choose a few topics that I am no interested in learning about, they would be why research design matters, obedience and how to choose a therapist.

By the end of this class, I would really like to answer the question: “Can people with mental illnesses and anxiety treat/help other people?” Other than that, I am very excited to do this class especially because this is one of two of my summer classes and to learn the topics!