Psychology is a unique, rewarding, and respected field that many individuals reach toward, but only some are actually prepared for. This is because myths have formed over the years about psychology and psychology degrees. If you are interested in going into the field of psychology, you need to be aware which parts of earning your psychology degree are purely myths and which are fact.
Psychology Degree Myths
- Online Psychology Degrees Don’t Provide You With The Right Information For Your Career- Okay, let me explain that one. Most people know that earning your psychology degree will provide you with the piece of paper that allows you to practice, but so many individuals are highly apprehensive about their ability to productively enter this field. If you feel you will not be fully prepared to practice as a licensed psychologist upon completing your degree, this is a myth. Your college courses will not only prepare you to deal with the diagnosis and treatment process, but your internship will provide you with the clinical work necessary to feel confident in your chosen profession as a psychologist.
- A Psychology Degree Means You Will be Rich- While it would be nice to think that every person who spent four to ten years earning a psychology degree is financially set, this is also a myth. The national average yearly income for a psychologist, according to Salary.com is $82,000. While this is nothing to sneeze at, it doesn’t exactly qualify as rich, but rather upper middle class. Your psychologist salary will most likely be determined by your level of degree, your area of expertise, and where you work. A psychologist who enters the field with that state of mind is destined to fail, since a great degree of compassion for others is a necessary characteristic of a valuable psychologist.
Other Myths About Psychology
Thinking about earning a psychology degree in a specialized field? Here are some other common myths about psychology, and the facts that go with them.
- Online psychology doesn’t help people- According to a study conducted under the sponsorship of the International Society for Mental Health Online, this type of psychology can be very effective and can help save lives. In response to questions about whether an online psychologist could truly help a suicidal individual over the internet, the study determined that many individuals these days are posting suicide notes on the internet in places like social networking sites and blogs. When approached, the individuals may be more likely to open up and talk to psychologists because they are not pressured by face to face contact and have less inhibitions because they remain anonymous.
- Forensic psychology works just like the televisions says it does- Although many students of psychology might wish they had exciting, heart pounding adventures like the psychologists that are portrayed on popular shows, real forensic psychology does not always work that way. These psychologist aren’t all lurking at a crime scene; more than likely they are working with a school, hospital, research center, or with the legal system.
- Sports psychology is another word for a motivational coach or personal trainer- Sports psychologists are specifically trained to deal directly with the level of mental, emotional, and physical stress that comes along with the title of professional athletes. In the line of professional sports there is a huge amount of pressure to perform and some, especially young individuals fresh out of college, do not have the skills to understand or deal with these expectations and pressure. A sports psychologist is more than a motivational coach, helping athletes to overcome fears, pressures, and to remain focused in the face of adversity. The right psychologist can help an athlete transfer these skills into a rewarding and successful life long after the games are over.
There are many myths surrounding the earning of a psychology degree. It’s up to you to break down these barriers that keep you from the facts. If you are thinking about earning your psychology degree, don’t let common myths surrounding the profession take you away from your dreams.
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