Psychology. Trouble or Not?

Steve

Member
Doppelgänger said: (go to post)

Well, not knowing your daughter or what she plans to study, I can't really give advice. After getting my degree, I wished I had gone into social work instead. In the US an MSW (masters in social work) can do therapy but they are more practical in their advice. But, yeah, there are problems there as well, of course!

Steve said: (go to post)

I didn't really want advice for my daughter, but more a discussion of what you think should be done. I have already warned Maeve that she might find out how her teachers react to certain viewpoints and be surprised by their narrow viewpoint. It does of course depend on the individual teachers, but I have given her a 'heads up'. I don't want to impose my view on her, but definitely don't want a mini dogmatic skeptic. If it turns out that way, it will be interesting. She is quite into astrology, so we're off on the right path.

I have to sign off now, but perhaps you could make a thread about this issue[/B]. I know there are others here with similar worries. And, if I find the time, I can participate. (Wrangling small children is exhausting!) If you do make a thread, please PM me because I miss a lot of threads since I mostly read Skeptiko at work and don't sign in.

As Doppelganger suggested here, I have started a thread.

Thoughts?

 
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Does your daughter want to go to graduate school?

Does she want to get employed immediately after school? What are her salary/lifestyle expectations?

On the question of psychology and psychiatric medicine, it probably works for some people and not for others. That there are issues with science due to arrogance of scientists who act like priests for materialist evangelism...well you know my thoughts on that I'm sure. ;)
 
Does your daughter want to go to graduate school?

Does she want to get employed immediately after school? What are her salary/lifestyle expectations?

Like most bright kids these days, she will probably go to University without a clear knowledge of what she might do. She is nearly sixteen, and leaving school now would only bring that decision forward, and with fewer options.



She's planning to do 4 A levels (2 in Maths so it's more like 1 1/2). She has no idea what she'll do. She seems to always be lucky when it comes to money, but has no real expectations. She had a fixation with New York, but I've been attempting to crush that idea. (Another thread? :eek:) We'll probably struggle to fund her, then with any luck she'll fall for a nice man and get on with her life. I have hopes for her being educated enough so as to see her way clearly, not to fall into the lifetime traps that we fell into. But I have learned that there's little point in steering them, because as Pino Palladino said to a Bass guitar teacher that was amazed when he found out that he was teaching Pino's own daughter "She doesn't listen to anything I say!" :)
 
Like most bright kids these days, she will probably go to University without a clear knowledge of what she might do. She is nearly sixteen, and leaving school now would only bring that decision forward, and with fewer options.



She's planning to do 4 A levels (2 in Maths so it's more like 1 1/2). She has no idea what she'll do. She seems to always be lucky when it comes to money, but has no real expectations. She had a fixation with New York, but I've been attempting to crush that idea. (Another thread? :eek:) We'll probably struggle to fund her, then with any luck she'll fall for a nice man and get on with her life. I have hopes for her being educated enough so as to see her way clearly, not to fall into the lifetime traps that we fell into. But I have learned that there's little point in steering them, because as Pino Palladino said to a Bass guitar teacher that was amazed when he found out that he was teaching Pino's own daughter "She doesn't listen to anything I say!" :)
If she doesn't know what to do, I'd think about a course which might offer the broadest job options. Psychology graduates seem to appear in most sectors from medicine, through HR, training and social work for example.

Mathematics, Law, BusIness with a foreign language, Technology. Lots of options.
 
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Has this thread lost some posts or something? Steve's first post above links to something Doppelgänger wrote, but the link doesn't work.

David
 
It may be the case that a psych degree with the right work experience and research is the way to go.

I mean a psych major with internships at an ad company, along with some design experience, is going to likely have different financial prospects than someone who does a lot of volunteer work in schools or someone who is helping professors with research in some way?

But she has time. Exploration is important though ideally not too haphazard.
 
I think Doppelgänger had other ideas when she asked me to start a separate thread, so I'll try not to mention my daughter again. Well, maybe once or twice?

Doppelgänger has issues with psychology, but I'm not sure which issues she specifically has. What I'm worried about, is the effect that the mainstream approach, that schools and further education establishments, have on people such as my own daughter. I personally, think that we are probably snuffing out unknown numbers of sideways thinkers. Thinkers that may have produced amazing ideas that would have blossomed. I have seen the huge difference that an open minded teacher has, as opposed to a closed minded one.

I am quite pleased that Maeve has chosen to do psychology for A level, as it will possibly provide a direct insight into this type of thinking. If she is anything like I was, the teachers will be glad to see the back of her.

 
I think Doppelgänger had other ideas when she asked me to start a separate thread, so I'll try not to mention my daughter again. Well, maybe once or twice?

Doppelgänger has issues with psychology, but I'm not sure which issues she specifically has. What I'm worried about, is the effect that the mainstream approach, that schools and further education establishments, have on people such as my own daughter. I personally, think that we are probably snuffing out unknown numbers of sideways thinkers. Thinkers that may have produced amazing ideas that would have blossomed. I have seen the huge difference that an open minded teacher has, as opposed to a closed minded one.

I am quite pleased that Maeve has chosen to do psychology for A level, as it will possibly provide a direct insight into this type of thinking. If she is anything like I was, the teachers will be glad to see the back of her.

Does Maeve know about this website? Could she have any interest in pursuing the wilder shores of psychology?

David
 
Does Maeve know about this website? Could she have any interest in pursuing the wilder shores of psychology?

David

Yes, but right now I'm trying to get her to swot for her GCSEs in a months time. She listened to the podcast about astrology with me recently, but her interest waned about 20mins in. I am hopeful that she will maintain an interest in the 'wilder shores' of topics as she matures.

I've just been going through some physics papers with her. It's frustrating as hell, because she has a mental block about physics that I'm quite certain is down to poor teachers in that subject. She doesn't 'like' the sciences. She likes maths because she loves the teacher, and the teacher loves her. As I said, a lot comes down to the teachers, and it's not right to blame them, it's a very complex issue I think.
 
Yes, but right now I'm trying to get her to swot for her GCSEs in a months time. She listened to the podcast about astrology with me recently, but her interest waned about 20mins in. I am hopeful that she will maintain an interest in the 'wilder shores' of topics as she matures.
I don't feel astrology is at the core of what we are about.

David
 
Hi, Steve. I didn't know you were going to start this thread with my quotes! :)

I'm not British, just a 'lowly" American :), but I do know that A-levels are a big deal, but I don't know anything about GCSEs. Okay, I actually don't know anything about your system. My knowledge of the British only extends to watching the BBC and I dated and lived with someone from the UK, but he was an outlier as he came from the Channel Islands. So, I'm woefully uninformed to how the Brit educational system works.

Aside from that, were you wondering about my issues with the field of psychology? Or something else?
 
Aside from that, were you wondering about my issues with the field of psychology? Or something else?

Yes, would you like to tell me more? This is a weird thread, it appears to have a life of its own. :)

The system here, has two major sets of exams, the GCSE's at around age 16, then you start A-levels, which take place after two more years. Usually 3 or 4 subjects are studied for A-level. You legally have to be in full time education until age 18.
 
Yes, would you like to tell me more? This is a weird thread, it appears to have a life of its own. :)

The system here, has two major sets of exams, the GCSE's at around age 16, then you start A-levels, which take place after two more years. Usually 3 or 4 subjects are studied for A-level. You legally have to be in full time education until age 18.

In the US, you also have to have full-time education from age six to eighteen, but we don't have the same tests as you guys. We have our own BS tests in the US. :)
 
I hope not! I rather prefer the idea that we have free will.

Aha. That's what's genius about it.

We have free will, or rather we appear to have. Astrology and many other disciplines hint at the truth, but are not allowed to reveal too much, otherwise the veil will be unveiled.

I dunno, but it sounds plausible to me. :)
 
If she doesn't know what to do, I'd think about a course which might offer the broadest job options. Psychology graduates seem to appear in most sectors from medicine, through HR, training and social work for example.

Mathematics, Law, BusIness with a foreign language, Technology. Lots of options.

Psychology has a pretty wide net of sub disciplines that can take you to some very different places.
https://www.verywell.com/fields-of-psychology-2794900

Would she prefer to help people? Personally or through research?
Would she prefer to sell products? Etc. Etc.

What do you think she'd find most fulfilling?
 
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