Psychology Opinons

[HJ:)]

Our school doesn't have Psychology and I really want to take it but too bad for me *sob

Anyways I just want to hears some opinions on Psychology and what you actually learn in the class.

[1-2-3]

I think all Psychology does it put a name to every social behaviour that is obvious.

As far as learning Psych is concerned, it's kind of like Biology as far as the memorization part goes.

Edited April 11, 2009 by 1-2-3

[moneyfaery]

I think all Psychology does it put a name to every social behaviour that is obvious.

As far as learning Psych is concerned, it's kind of like Biology as far as the memorization part goes.

I object. For example, the 'Oedipus Complex' is far from 'obvious' as you so frankly put it. No average human would contemplate killing his father and screwing his mother.

[Mr. Shiver]

Nah, I think 1-2-3's got it right. Most psychological experiments don't tell me anything I couldn't have already intuitively understood. I often think they're wasting their time, but I guess even obvious things need to be proved sometimes.

[meh]

At my school they offer psychology, but just as a regular non-IB course that follows local school division coursework. I have a couple friends in it who say it's pretty much useless and wish they hadn't taken it.....but then again, the teacher isn't so great either. I wonder how much better the class would be if it were IB? It's a shame my school has a very limited selection of IB courses to take, because I think I might take a psychology course in university.

[emmak]

I think it depends a lot on what your interests are. I've never been a "natural sciences" inclined person, so the humanities are the way to go for me... economics, psychology, languages. I've never taken psychology before the IB, and I have to say that I love it! My teacher sucks, to say the least, and I still love the subject. I like learning about people and differences between us that make us unique. I also like solving problems such as abnormalities in people. I've only taken one year of psych, but I'm planning on majoring in it after I graduate! It's definitely the right field for me, and all I can do in convincing others about it is to say that I've learned a lot, I like writing the essays for exams, and I like the subject too. Hope this helps someone!

[Aliase]

No, not all psychology experiments point out the obvious. If you really think that, you've missed the whole point. Most of it, is about proving that our "intuition" and "common beliefs" aren't true. For example, people commonly believe (well, in Canada anyway) that women talk more than men. Well psychology proved that it was not true.

Besides, while doing the ib i had to do an experiment and it turns out that my hypothesis was wrong! So i guess everything in psychology isn't that obvious.

If you are a bit interested in psychology and human behaviour, then it's really the course for you. It's interesting and you learn a lot !

Edited April 25, 2009 by Aliase

[manal.wasim]

I think that Psychology is the best subject that im taking. It's intersting as most people havn't studied it before and also helps open our minds. The course mainly consists of learning about the different psychological perspectives that lead to the development of psychology.

[Guest Philippe Arni]

I think that Psychology is the best subject that im taking. It's intersting as most people havn't studied it before and also helps open our minds. The course mainly consists of learning about the different psychological perspectives that lead to the development of psychology.

Be careful, they are changing the syllabus completely for those starting the IB in 2009.... Have a look, its nothing like before no more learning perspective and humanistic too! Its called biological and cognitive analysis and some other stuff, the options have changed completely too, it looks like the syllabus that was made up back in the 90's...

The new syllabus is now taking a very social view on psychology...... Personally I do not like it!

[Darko]

seems fascinating enough if you are into medicine but it can be placed in the category with film and media which are "free" subjects. Is it new?

[bohemian03]

Apparently it's one of the easiest IB classes? sorry if I'm wrong but my friends say it's really an interesting class. I mean I'm missing out on IB philosophy and many other IB classes. Don't worry. You will be able to study Psychology once you're in college.

[Guest Philippe Arni]

Guys, those who say psychology is EASY are WRONG!!!! I like psychology, I find it fascinating,

but you have to read a lot. why do you think the grade boundaries to get a 7 are at 64% and above?

Seriously, I hate it when people say psychology is EASY, its not just about MEMORIZING but applying

your knowledge and being specific regarding the question asked!

[MarianaHP]

I agree with Philippe I read more in psychology than in any other class, it is probably the subject that i work the most at and then people say looks really easy... pisses me off

[laryxle]

Be careful, they are changing the syllabus completely for those starting the IB in 2009.... Have a look, its nothing like before no more learning perspective and humanistic too! Its called biological and cognitive analysis and some other stuff, the options have changed completely too, it looks like the syllabus that was made up back in the 90's...

The new syllabus is now taking a very social view on psychology...... Personally I do not like it!

Do you mean a new syllabus starting for students doing the exams in May 2011? Because I am a November 2010 candidate, so I started IB in 2009, but in Psychology there hasn't been any mention of this new syllabus and we are starting the learning perspective next week...so it doesn't seem like what you have described there.

Where did you find out about the new syllabus?

[doesntmatterwhy]

HAHAHAHAH. Psychology easy?

Sorry, that was the joke of the day.

Yes, I have no sense of humor anymore.

It's not easy.

But it's fun.

And most importantly, you can apply to real life.

Psychology is life. It's relationships, human behavior.

But I agree with something someone said.

As far as learning it goes, it's a hell lot of memorizing and just knowing of information.

I personally find writing psychodynamic essays hard.

[Vvi]

I switched to History from Psychology after one lesson, I didn't find it interesting. But that may have been because I associated it with Sociology, which I took one semester of for IGCSE's, and I didn't like that. I don't like all the experiments and surveys that you have to do in both subjects. I took the Neurobiology option in Biology and found that interesting, but I'm not sure if it's the same.

But I would agree that Psychology isn't an easy subject, my classmates have to learn lots of case studies for their exams next week and it's a lot to cram.

[Jerome]

Im contemplating about choosing IB psychology as one of my HL options. I'm really fascinated by human behaviour, however I have heard from various sources that universities consider it as a 'soft option'. I am doing my GCSEs atm, infact I have a Biology exam I should be revising for-which is tommorow. Also I would appreciate it if anyone knows if I decided to do medicine at uni ( currently not planning of), would psych count as a valid science along with Biology of course?

Currently these are my planned option-

HL-Bio,Geog,Psych

SL-Maths,English,German

Thanks in advance, *my first post,hopefully one of many*

Edited May 19, 2009 by Mahuta
I have deleted your other post, no point posting 2 identical ones in two different threads. Maha :)

[Vvi]

If you want to study Psychology at a university in the UK, many universities actually prefer that students don't take IB Psychology as they think that the IB course doesn't teach students the fundamentals in the same way that Pyshcology in university does. It's weird, but true. However, if you like it then continue taking it.

And no, pyschology doesn't count as a science in the same way as Biology and Chemistry do. In order to take Medicine, you should have Maths at SL (which you do) and at least two sciences at HL(which you don't). So if you want to study medicine, you should change one of your subjects at HL to either Chemistry or Physics. I have a subject recommendations guide from a UK school which recommends that you also have a Group 3 subject at HL to show that you can write essays (you have Geography at HL, so that's fine). English A1 at HL isn't required.

In other words, you either have to change your subjects altogether if you want to pursue medicine (probably drop Psychology altogether and start a new science) or pursue psychology and leave your subjects as they are. Which is more interesting to you, medicine or psychology? Think about studying Psychology in university, as without two sciences at HL you can't really study medicine and you would be at a disadvantage since almost all the students that apply for medicine have 2 science HL's or more v(and A-Level applciants may have all 3).

Edited May 19, 2009 by Vvi

[Jerome]

Thanks a lot Nuit, I think I will do Psychology instead of Chemistry. As you say, for medicine, having Chemistry would be a necessity, it is not really a subject I enjoy . Unfortunately this would decrease my chances of doing medicine at university, I think Psychology would be something that I will actually ejoy learning and the department at my school is actually good, whereas the Chemistry department-for a lack of better words-sucks.

Anyway thanks a lot for your help.

P.S-Already starting to love the great community on this site.

[superleeni]

I did HL Psych in IB, and I'm now taking it at university. The way that it is taught at school is VERY different to university. Much more experimental and scientific, a lot related to dysfunctional psych etc. The only time psychodynamic, or humanistic psych has been mentioned is to either give background to developments, or to criticise them. Doing the IA has helped me with lab reports, but in general, all that IB Psych did for me was to give me an interest in the topic, which I am now pursuing in university. Plenty of my friends didn't do psych at school, and they're doing just fine!