What is misconceptions in psychology?

Answer 1

Gee, I have no idea what question you have asked. But here is one between physicists and psychologists. What's the name of the color that is bluer than blue? A physicist will think of the ultraviolet catastrophe and respond,"violet." A psychologist has been trained to call "violet" the perceptual color that come from mixing blue and red, while calling the physicist's color "purple." Neat! They live in the same world; how would you know it?

Answer 2

There are many common misconceptions about Psychology. Here are a few:

• Psychologists try to find "hidden meanings" in dreams and desires. Actually, the majority of Psychologists do not focus on this at all, or even believe such hidden meanings are present.
• Psychologists get you to lie down and talk about things. This misconception comes from Freud, who did have patients do that. Actually, only clinical Psychologists work with patients, and both will be sitting down and having a conversation rather than just the patient talking.
• Psychologists just make things up. Actually, many branches of Psychology have rigorous experimental methods and do highly controlled laboratory studies. Many findings are also linked in with neurobiology to increase scientific validity.
• People only use 10% of their brains. Actually, as far as we can tell, all of the brain is useful for something or other.
• Psychologists can read your mind through body language etc. While you can tell confidence or happiness or other general emotions, there is no established way of "reading minds" from these vague cues.
• Psychologists can manipulate you subconsciously. Again, there are certain things someone can do to be more persuasive or convincing (wear a uniform and you double the chance of someone obeying an unreasonable request) but there is no method of mind control.
• Memory works like a filing cabinet, with facts, audio and video recordings, and other data filed away for later access. Actually, memory is particularly complex, while there is some truth to the idea of different "stores" the durability of a memory is also dependent on how you process the information, how it's rehearsed, and how similar it is to other information. When recalling information, your brain pieces together data, and may even fill in the blanks with your own assumptions or prejudices.
• Having you say what splashes of ink look like tells us about your personality. Actually, this tells us nothing at all. If you have such a pervasive obsession with something, then it could, but this would be found out quickly anyway.
• People "hear voices." This is a common term that Psychologists will use, but the idea it suggests is wrong. Nobody hears the voice of someone who isn't there. It is their own voice (internal articulation) but these thoughts are then disowned.
• Psychologists prescribe medication for mental illnesses. Nope. That's Psychiatrists.
• Some people are "left brained" and others are "right brained." There are some attributes which are lateralised (focused on one side of the brain) but almost everyone will use both sides equally. Furthermore, there is no dichotomy between "logical" and "creative" people. Some will be strong at both, some strong at one but not the other, and some strong at neither.
• People with amnesia forget everything. The most common type of amnesia is anterograde, in which the person can remember things from before developing amnesia, but has difficulty retaining new information. Retrograde amnesia is the opposite, with the ability to retain new information but forgetting information prior to onset. With both of these, procedural memory is still maintained. A person will still be able to play the piano or ride a bike, and will be able to learn new skills.
• Our brain takes in data and processes it logically. Actually, the brain is much more active. It plays a role in how you perceive things and what information is focused on or ignored. Your expectations and prejudices determine what you take note of.
• Psychology is under threat from Neurology. Actually, they study the same basic thing (the mind) but from two very different approaches. As neurology develops, it can say things with greater certainty than Psychology ever could, but it also restricts itself to reductionist explanations for things. In the next century, neurology may well confirm the basics of Psychology, but it will never overtake it.
• Lie Detectors can tell when someone is lying. There's no evidence for this. A galvanic skin response can show when someone is anxious, but of course this doesn't necessarily mean they're lying. A Psychologist would be very unlikely to use "polygraph machines" or any related device claiming to detect lies.

Answer 3

its about how you feel and how you can feel better.