Why is psychology by far the most common social science/humanities major?

[Anonymous]

Because it's the least concrete and most useless subject.

[Anonymous]

Psych is an easy major because you do not have to be good at math or able to write well. It is also useless because you do not "understand human behavior" after having majored in psych. Many--probably most--professional psychologists have mental illness, and they enter the field to try to cope with it. My mother, a clinical psychologist, once said that everyone in her graduate program was crazy except for her and one other person. She also lives in a fantasy world of thinking she is sane given that everyone who knows her well thinks she is mad as a hatter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Psych is an easy major because you do not have to be good at math or able to write well. It is also useless because you do not "understand human behavior" after having majored in psych. Many--probably most--professional psychologists have mental illness, and they enter the field to try to cope with it. My mother, a clinical psychologist, once said that everyone in her graduate program was crazy except for her and one other person. She also lives in a fantasy world of thinking she is sane given that everyone who knows her well thinks she is mad as a hatter.

Do you actually think there is any value to becoming a psychologist? It sounds like this thread is full of people who don't actually believe mental health providers are valuable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Psych is an easy major because you do not have to be good at math or able to write well. It is also useless because you do not "understand human behavior" after having majored in psych. Many--probably most--professional psychologists have mental illness, and they enter the field to try to cope with it. My mother, a clinical psychologist, once said that everyone in her graduate program was crazy except for her and one other person. She also lives in a fantasy world of thinking she is sane given that everyone who knows her well thinks she is mad as a hatter.

Do you actually think there is any value to becoming a psychologist? It sounds like this thread is full of people who don't actually believe mental health providers are valuable.

My personal opinion is that the field and its practitioners are largely fraudulent. This said, there are a number of people who believe they have been helped by psychologists, and there are some decent ones out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Psych is an easy major because you do not have to be good at math or able to write well. It is also useless because you do not "understand human behavior" after having majored in psych. Many--probably most--professional psychologists have mental illness, and they enter the field to try to cope with it. My mother, a clinical psychologist, once said that everyone in her graduate program was crazy except for her and one other person. She also lives in a fantasy world of thinking she is sane given that everyone who knows her well thinks she is mad as a hatter.

Do you actually think there is any value to becoming a psychologist? It sounds like this thread is full of people who don't actually believe mental health providers are valuable.

It’s not that therapy can’t be helpful. It’s that the people who pursue it are not the smartest tools in the shed. It’s fine to have an average person as a third grade teacher (the concepts are literally elementary), but not as a therapist. If you’re actually smart and well-trained, your calendar will be booked continuously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most psych stuff at the undergraduate level is mechanical, obvious, boring and easy.

The humanities, like English, philosophy, and the arts, provide a much better way to understand humans and develop critical skills, like logic, critical reading, and well-supported arguments, conveyed both in presentations and in writing. Biology could be a nice STEM supplement.

This. My son wants to be a therapist, but he’s not pursuing a psychology major. Philosophy and religion (human values), English (human narrative), and biology (mind/body connection) provide a much better preparation for a professional degree. Sure, throw in a psych class on personality and therapeutic modalities, but the mechanistic stuff is boring and not helpful. Even if you’re not headed for clinical work, the above is a better way to study human psychology.

As to why so many major in psych? It’s easy, making it the quintessential female/wifey and jock degree.

Attention DCUM - this person has it ALL FIGURED OUT. They’re clearly the only one whose son is doing it THE RIGHT WAY. Take a lesson!

PP didn’t claim that their way was THE or the RIGHT way, but it certainly sounds more interesting and rigorous than a psychology degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people who study psych are looking to fix something in themselves.

This. Absolutely. 100% but also it is a route into some solid professions. And its a lot better paid than being a social worker.

[Anonymous]

Given how some therapists around here seem to have a long waitlist, I think this area needs more, especially therapists for adolescents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clinical Psychology and Neuroscience are where the challenges and careers lay.

BA Psych is for HR people or those with low aspirations.

If you want to be taken seriously you definitely need post-grad after it.

I'm seeing a lot of neuroscience and integrative neuroscience on my kid's HS insta the past few years. Psychology not as much.
Seems like a flexible major - maybe also pre-med.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people who study psych are looking to fix something in themselves.

Please. Says the person with self help books and breve brown on the bookshelf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Psych is an easy major because you do not have to be good at math or able to write well. It is also useless because you do not "understand human behavior" after having majored in psych. Many--probably most--professional psychologists have mental illness, and they enter the field to try to cope with it. My mother, a clinical psychologist, once said that everyone in her graduate program was crazy except for her and one other person. She also lives in a fantasy world of thinking she is sane given that everyone who knows her well thinks she is mad as a hatter.

Do you actually think there is any value to becoming a psychologist? It sounds like this thread is full of people who don't actually believe mental health providers are valuable.

It’s not that therapy can’t be helpful. It’s that the people who pursue it are not the smartest tools in the shed. It’s fine to have an average person as a third grade teacher (the concepts are literally elementary), but not as a therapist. If you’re actually smart and well-trained, your calendar will be booked continuously.

Trust me: no average person can be a good third grade teacher.

[Anonymous]

God love DCUM. The land of the liberal arts wielding degrees with unrealized potential 50 something’s, all throwing shade at each other. Half of you are in therapy. The other half have kids in therapy. Most are divorced and heading into therapy. And who are you all seeing for therapy? The psych major with a clinical psych masters or phd. But you’re bashing it. LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Psychology is not a humanities discipline. It is a social science. There is an immense difference: great things about both ways of approaching knowledge, but it is a disservice to both to lump them together indiscriminately. (And before you ask, I'm in higher education, in a college of arts and sciences.)

I always thought it was a social science too. But for some reason my kid’s college categorizes it as science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:God love DCUM. The land of the liberal arts wielding degrees with unrealized potential 50 something’s, all throwing shade at each other. Half of you are in therapy. The other half have kids in therapy. Most are divorced and heading into therapy. And who are you all seeing for therapy? The psych major with a clinical psych masters or phd. But you’re bashing it. LOL.

Facts!

[Anonymous]

Because psych is an easy A. Got
Me into a T3 law school.