Interesting topics in psychology for beginners

Writing a thesis is the ultimate goal of every student who has reached the last year of university. However, the task is not mechanical, but creative. And difficulties here arise from the very first steps, that is, from choosing a supervisor and a topic for the thesis.

On our telegram channel there is a lot of material about the rules and tricks of writing academic papers, and the group constantly gives out lucrative offers.

With our article we want to help specifically students of psychological specialties and describe all the approximate topics of diplomas in psychology.

Definition of the terms “psychology” and “psyche”

Psychology is a science that studies the functioning, development and patterns of occurrence of various mental phenomena and the psychological activity of both a group of people and an individual.

There are several definitions of the term “psyche”. So, for example, one of them says that the psyche is a certain set of mental phenomena and processes, such as: memory, emotions, perceptions, sensations, and so on; aspect of human life in his interaction with the environment in which he is located.

Some people study psychology on their own, while others study psychology professionally at universities. Depending on the way they study, people prefer different topics in psychology that are interesting to them. For students, the choice is based on the topic currently being studied or the branch of psychology that is more interesting to them. For independent study, they mainly choose topics in psychology that are interesting and relevant at the moment, which can solve a specific problem. The science of psychology is very interesting and broad, it reveals many areas of life and helps a person understand himself and the people around him.

The most popular areas of professional development for psychologists

The curriculum and list of disciplines depend on the field of activity in which the specialist will work. Psychologists are in demand almost everywhere: in preschool and school institutions, law enforcement agencies, medical organizations, the economic environment, etc. Therefore, it is important to initially choose the field of activity that interests you and is “closer to the body.”

The specialty "Psychology" is quite extensive. Here we can highlight the following branches of training of certified specialists:

Child psychologist: specializes in working with children of certain ages. She is engaged in psychoanalysis and identification of deviations, works with children and their parents, develops a recovery/treatment program, corrects the child’s behavior, etc.
Clinical psychologist, works in specialized institutions, can engage in private practice. This specialist can not only influence using certain techniques, but also medications, therefore he necessarily studies pharmacy (pharmacology), therapeutic therapy of patients, psychosomatics, psychotherapy (individual and group), etc.

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Educational psychologist and social psychologist. Most often it works in schools and kindergartens, especially if the educational institution has a special class with disabled students. He evaluates the living conditions of students, their behavior, academic performance, works with parents, engages in psychodiagnostics and psychocorrection, advises guardians and other teachers regarding the selection of methods of influence, etc.
Practical psychologist. This professional is engaged in psychoanalysis and provides consulting services to the population, helping to solve individual problems. Here we can distinguish psychoanalysts, family psychologists, etc. The greatest demand for practical psychologists is in rehabilitation centers, dispatch services of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, in social structures (orphanages, baby homes, medical clinics, etc.).
And other directions.

As we can see, the list of areas of professional training for specialists is large. Each psychospecialist has his own spectrum of action, his own methods and instructions. Therefore, it is important to choose the right field of activity and master all the necessary basics.

Interesting topics in psychology

When studying psychology, people select different topics depending on what they are most interested in. Thus, the most interesting topics in psychology are topics about sex, relationships, introspection, communication and others.

At the moment, psychology helps solve many problems, and it is also connected with many other sciences. There are many branches in psychology, each of which is a relatively independent area of scientific research in one or another area of society. Industries are divided into special and fundamental.

The fundamental branches of psychology are called the term “general psychology,” which includes the general meaning of the concept of human behavior and psychology, regardless of their specific activities. In turn, special branches are engaged in the study of human behavior and psychology depending on their activities.

You can select interesting topics in psychology from the general psychology section, as it includes:

The study of personality psychology and individual differences. It studies emotions, feelings, will, needs and motives, character, inclinations of a person and his abilities for something.
Psychophysiology.
Animal psychology. He studies the psyche of animals.
Social psychology. It studies the manifestations of a person’s personality in society, his psychological compatibility with others, and relationships with people.
Age. Studies the development of the personality of a growing person, his consciousness, various psychological processes and his activities.
Psychology of cognitive processes. It studies human thinking and memory, his perception and sensations, imagination and attention.
Psychology of communication. Studies the psychological aspects of interpersonal relationships and others.

Features of the curriculum for students of the Faculty of Psychology

The range of subjects to be studied by future psychologists depends on their chosen field of activity. In one case, a newly minted specialist will be able to work with children of general development or children with signs of developmental delays, physical and mental disabilities. In another, they will be authorized to work exclusively with adults. Moreover, the specificity of a psychologist will lie in his “narrowness”: some treat patients in psychiatric clinics, while others provide consulting services, helping people understand the situation, establish the root cause of problems and solve them.

Getting higher education

Scientists have long proven that all mistakes and “obstacles” in people arise first in their heads, and only then are revealed “outside”, in life and environment, deeds and actions. Therefore, it is important to understand and answer: why the person did what he did, what prompted him to do this, and how the issue can be resolved.

Training to become a psychologist involves completing a bachelor's program, and later (if desired and possible) a master's degree. Particularly successful specialists who prefer scientific activities can conquer graduate school and receive an academic degree.

The work of a psychologist is very delicate and scrupulous: he has to find an approach to the patient, help him open up, entrust his most secret things, analyze the situation and find a worthy way out. Therefore, psychology students study several categories of subjects:

General developmental and fundamental, which reveal the history of the origin of psychological science, the stages of its formation and recognition, the study of key terms and theories, the psychological development of personality, etc. This basis includes such subjects as the fundamentals of psychology, developmental psychology, personality psychology, as well as a number of general disciplines (humanitarian, natural science, socio-economic, etc.). They are mastered in 1-2 courses;
Methodological disciplines: here students touch on basic data about psychology, gradually immersing themselves in their chosen profile. This module is designed to introduce students to the most common and current methods of conducting psychological research, methods of diagnosing a disease or deviation, skills in psychological management of individuals (motivation, incentives, pricing, etc.), practical psychology, etc.

Specifics of training to become a psychologist?

Practical psychology: this section of professional training of specialists involves the study of highly specialized disciplines that will help them in identifying the problem and finding its solution. This category includes educational psychology, occupational psychology, clinical psychology, occupational psychology, neurolinguistic programming, psychoanalysis, etc. The range of subjects here depends on the chosen industry (economics, management, pedagogy, etc.);
A pedagogical block that involves mastering key subjects that allow you to delicately approach the problem, establish contact and competently convey the necessary information to the patient. Students master the following disciplines: philosophy, history, fundamentals of pedagogy, etc.

For research work

Many students engage in research in the field of psychology. Below is a list of interesting research paper topics in psychology for those who are just starting out as a researcher in this field.

Magic of color.
Study of mnemonic rules.
Study of Internet addiction in people of different age categories.
Study of the influence of the Internet on people.
Study of various teenage subcultures. Values and interests.
Individual differences in memory in humans.
Study of the behavior of adolescents and adults in conflict situations.
Study of the process of human personality formation.
Conflicts. Causes of occurrence. Methods of settlement.
Study of the mechanisms of expression of emotions.
Research into the causes of stress and methods of dealing with it.
Studying youth slang as a form of self-affirmation.
A study of the process of evaluating people by each other. The science of beauty.
A study of difficulties in interpersonal communication.
What does the handwriting say?
The status of a teacher through the eyes of modern students.
Is loneliness normal?
Self-esteem problems.
Research on children's creative abilities.
Manipulation research.

For reports

It is not uncommon for students to make reports. There are also quite a few interesting topics for a report on psychology; you can easily find a suitable one in the list below.

The influence of mass information on the psyche of a teenager.
Memory records.
History of the development of the science of psychology.
Foul language among teenagers. Causes and solutions.
Verbal and nonverbal forms of communication among schoolchildren.
Aggression in society. Methods of its suppression.
Methods of psychological research.
The importance of partnerships for success.
Stages of development of the human psyche.
Methods for developing intelligence.
Basic scientific principles of psychology as a science.
What is the connection between human consciousness and speech?
Stressful tension. Methods of dealing with stress.
The phenomenon of a smile.
Personal identification.
Human temperament.
Forms of knowledge of the world that surrounds us. Sensations and perceptions.
Peculiarities of human thinking.
Methods for successful memorization.
What role does memory play in human life?
Prerequisites for the development of a creative personality.
Types of people's thinking.
Psychology in family relationships.
What influence does the family have on the development of individual abilities?
Manifestation of a person's individuality.
How to develop strong-willed qualities?
How does motivation affect a person? Where does motivation come from?
Stages of relationships in marriage.
How do relationships differ in Muslim and Orthodox families?
Formation of self-esteem.
Conflicts between children and parents.
Types of raising children.
Communication. Speech style. Mechanisms. Essence.
Man as a social being.
The art of communication. Significance.
How are stereotypes formed?
Authority and ways to maintain it.
Internet addiction. Methods of struggle.
Complexes and methods for their elimination.

For coursework and dissertations

Term papers and dissertations in psychology are more serious, because the topics for them must be unique, previously undiscovered, relevant, and so on. When choosing a topic for these serious and voluminous works, we advise you to rely on sections of psychology that are interesting and relevant to the student. Some interesting topics for psychology coursework are given below.

Divorce. Psychological problems of children.
Features of raising a child.
Role behavior and its characteristics of working women.
The influence of the family on the formation of the child’s psyche.
Ethnic norms of etiquette behavior.
Features of the formation of the psyche of orphans at the stages of value, semantic and objective consciousness.
Cognitive appraisal of difficult situations.
The idea of happiness.
Freedom of choice and its features among students of humanities and science majors.
Features of human long-term memory and its dependence on individual psychological characteristics.
Unlocking human creative potential.
Problems, acceptance and socialization of the “bodily self”.
The problem of age socialization.
Overcoming learned helplessness as a development factor.
Mental readiness for age-related changes.
Features of the manifestation of aggression among young people.
Personal boundaries.
Reasons for suicide.

Interesting topics in psychology for a diploma:

Psychology of passion.
Analysis of age-related crises.
The influence of family relationships on the psyche of children.
The use of drawing methods to develop imagination in preschool-age aunts.
Leadership skills. Development.
The role of motivation in people's lives.
Methods of intellectual development of children.
Peculiarities of gender identity of adolescents.
Psychological causes of conflicts in young families.
The influence of an incomplete family on a child’s self-esteem.
The influence of child-parent relationships on adaptation to school.
Psycho-emotional state of children from single-parent and two-parent families.
Development of the moral sphere of a preschooler’s personality. The influence of family upbringing.
The influence of team cohesion on work performance.
Development of stress tolerance skills.
Fighting the negative influence of society.
Features of alcohol dependence. Relationship with stress.
Formation of ideas about the seasons in children.
Development and diagnosis of attention in children.
Development of color perception in children.

Teen Themes

There are many interesting topics on psychology for teenagers, for example:

Fighting aggression in adolescence.
Peculiarities of manifestation of deviant behavior in adolescents.
The influence of the media on adolescents.
How to understand, accept and love yourself?
Diffidence. Causes and methods of struggle.
Features of self-esteem in adolescence.

The science of psychology has been well studied and continues to be studied. This is a very interesting field that fascinates many people. If you want to better understand yourself and the people around you, then in this article you can find many interesting topics to study.

Power makes us obedient and can force us to do things we could never imagine.

In Milgram's famous experiment, participants were asked to give shocks of increasing intensity if a subject in the next room gave incorrect answers to questions asked. The role of the victim was played by the experimenter's assistant. The participant initially delivered weak shocks, but in the second part of the experiment he was asked to press the "Danger: High Current" button, ignoring the victim's requests to stop the experiment. As a result, 63% of the subjects pressed the button with the maximum discharge, which, if it had not been staged, could have been fatal to another person.