Psychologist Matter

By:Ananya Meenakshi

Edited by: Maya adam

The study of psychology, bustling in importance since the 1870s, has remarkably developed, mandating people to notice the importance of psychologists in our daily lives. Have you ever wondered the significance of your thoughts and emotions? Psychologists study the intricacies of human behaviors, feelings, and answer questions about the reasoning of our thoughts. Through their strong foundation in biological, behavioral, cognitive, and developmental psychology, they aim to build an understanding of their patient, providing the tools necessary for them to promote their patient’s emotional well-being. During a crisis, it can become difficult for vulnerable people to realize what must be changed to ameliorate their lifestyle. Psychologists serve as the missing piece to the endless puzzle of mental health for struggling patients. Psychology is a vast subject covering multiple fields, a couple being experimental psychology and applied psychology. Experimental psychology is a form of research that concentrates on gathering information to further comprehend human actions. Their studies include perception, memory, learning, and emotion. Despite the common belief that psychologists are therapists, their degrees open work opportunities in multiple areas. Universities, research centers, government agencies, and private businesses are only a few examples of where psychologists reside. Experimental psychology is a technical approach to psychology, using research to understand the reasons behind human behavior to predict future behavioral outcomes. The Little Albert Experiment in 1920 was conducted by a John Hopkins University professor, Dr. John B. Watson. Watson, a graduate student, evaluated a learning process named classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is the process of learning by association, occurring when a neutral stimulus (sound) relates to a stimulus (food) and displays a new response in the person or animal. Watson believed classical conditioning served as the underlying base of psychology. Watson was set to prove infants' natural fear of piercing sounds. However, this experiment sparked controversial opinions questioning its ethics due to Watson’s use of a child in the experiment. His experiment was meant to reveal how loud noises could produce acquired reflexes in a child when given a neutral stimulus. In the little Albert experiment, the nine-month-old toddler was offered a white furry object which he originally enjoyed. Watson would create loud noises behind Albert while he played, scaring the young boy. Soon, Albert had adopted a newfound sense of fear when seeing white furry objects. The Little Albert Experiment provided psychologists with an explanation of the reasoning behind individuals developing phobias. Applied psychology is the use of psychological strategies to enhance human lives and better a person's approach to life’s difficulties. It is typically seen in fields such as clinical psychology, educational, forensic, sports, and social psychology. Found in numerous fields, it dominates the psychological field unless its purpose is purely research. Psychologists apply methods and strategies amassed from experimental psychology to solve issues regarding humans' mental well-being. For example, psychologists at school apply psychological concepts to assist children suffering from education and developmental disorders. Mental health counselors work as marriage and family or school and career therapists. In these many fields, psychologists foster their foundation on human emotions to further reach and assist more people. Humans naturally seek a sense of belonging through stable relationships. Healthy relationships are vital since they equip us with the courage essential for overcoming obstacles. Yet, they come with their set of attachment issues called secure, anxious-preoccupied, dismissive-avoidant, and fearful-avoidant attachment. Secure attachments are those comfortable with their relationships and tend to have a history of trustworthy partners and caregivers. Anxious-preoccupied attachment can define people who view themselves from a negative standpoint, but view others in a positive way, opposite to people with dismissive-avoidant attachment. People who fall into this category normally carry a past of inconsistent caregivers. Fearful avoidant attachment style classifies an issue where people view themselves and others inferiorly. Each one of these subjects is common issues that affect our daily lives when interacting with people we love. When aiming to create meaningful relationships, it is important to address the issues that limit us from achieving our full potential with the people we care for. Our world has notably begun focusing on understanding coping mechanisms, informed approaches to mental issues, and decreasing the rates of mental health matters going unnoticed.

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