Influence of Diversity on Psychology’s Major Concepts
Human beings are very diverse. They have very many differences, especially in terms of race, ethnicity, culture, and language. They also differ in terms of cognitive skills, psychomotor abilities, and behavior. Therefore, psychology must cover a diverse scope of knowledge to help in the understanding of human behavior and mental processes.
Educational psychology, for example, recognizes that human beings have different learning capabilities, and others have weaknesses that prevent them from taking in content at the same rate as other learners. This field proposes ways of dealing with such difficulties in learning (Feldman, 2010).
Personality psychology, on the other hand, recognizes individual differences among human beings. It attempts to explain the cause of moods, attitudes, and emotions. Developmental Psychology acknowledges the impacts of the social, genetic, and cultural environment on the development of individuals. Developmental psychologists propose various ways of ensuring the proper development of human beings (Feldman, 2010).
Examples of Sub-disciplines and Subtopics within Psychology
The subfields of psychology include motivation, cognition, and behaviorism. Motivation includes subtopics such as the theory of emotions and the approach and avoidance theory. Cognition handles topics such as cognitive dissonance and false memories, while behaviorism deals with topics that include aggression, cheating, and binge drinking.
Application of the Sub-disciplines of Psychology in Society
The emotions theory enhances the understanding of the nature and cause of emotions in society. Therefore, it can help diagnose and treat members of society who face emotional problems (Feldman, 2010). The approach and avoidance theory, on the other hand, can help members of society to analyze both the positive and negative elements of something before taking or using it.
Cognitive dissonance helps members of society deal with information that is inconsistent with their background knowledge. This phenomenon can help individuals respond appropriately to stressors. The phenomenon of false memories, on the other hand, is very crucial in the courts. Judges with this knowledge can easily detect false testimonies of ancient memories.
Knowledge of the causes and types of aggression is very crucial in handling violent members of society. People who understand why certain people become aggressive can help them realize that is useless to be aggressive. On the other hand, the psychological phenomenon of cheating can help correct mistakes in relationships and families, and even reconcile partners who had broken up.
Binge drinkers always have a goal for their actions. Psychologists can help in educating people who engage in binge drinking. They can teach them about the mental, physical, and emotional effects of binge drinking and help them stop engaging in it (Plante, 2005).
References
Feldman, R. S. (2010). Psychology and your life. New York: McGraw-Hill Company.
Plante, T. G. (2005). Contemporary clinical psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.