--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!

--Original published at Kealey's PSY105 Blog

Hello all! My name is Kealey Shyk and I will be a sophomore at Elizabethtown College this fall majoring in International Business with a concentration in marketing and minor in Cognitive Science on the psychology track. I have a strong interest in social enterprise and global connection as well as human interaction and behavior, which is what I think of when I hear the word “psychology”. I plan to study abroad next year in either Ireland, Germany, or England, hopefully interning at an international firm. I have had great experiences at this school so far and I am excited to meet new people and make more memories in my remaining time at Etown.

Despite this course being a requirement for my minor, I chose to take this class because I have always had a strong interest in psychology. For a long time in high school I considered being a psychologist as a career choice. However, my background in psychology only extends to a few books I have read in my own time. I was hoping to take a psychology class while I was in high school, but I couldn’t fit it into my schedule. I am taking this course during the summer because I am trying to be proactive in getting my prerequisites out of the way and fulfilling my course requirements, so I will be able to graduate on time. First and foremost, I am drawn to the business world. I chose to pick up a minor in Cognitive Science on the psychology track because I feel that it will provide me with a different perspective on marketing. I hope to one day have a career that I can utilize both my specialty in business and my background in psychology to create meaningful and successful marketing campaigns advocating for nonprofit companies in social enterprise.

One of the topics I am most interested in learning about is memory. I have problems myself memorizing things or recalling events that happened more than just a short time ago. I want to know if memory capability is an natural ability or a skill that is only dependent on practice. I am also interested in personality because I have found that assessing and understanding my own personality has helped me in narrowing my interests, choosing a career path, and refining my emotional intelligence. Lastly, I am looking forward to learning about mental illness and personality disorders due to the public’s increasing awareness on mental health. If I had to choose three topics I am not looking forward to as much they would be why research design matters, coping with stress, and how to choose a therapist. By the end of this class I would like to be able to answer the question, “What has more of an impact on a person’s psyche: their inherent traits or their environment and why?”. Overall, I am intrigued by the topics that will be discussed in this class and I am excited to establish a knowledgeable background in general psychology.