Among the many concepts in psychology, few are applied in my everyday life. They are based on Freud’s psychoanalysis theory of how the mind works, including how they influence experiences (Moccia et al. 1). The events in my life shape how I behave and feel; hence, it is essential to analyze psychological theories that explain their impact on me.
Behavioral psychology, as the study of human behavior, is helpful in everyday life. The theory is significant in the areas of conflict management, time management, and decision-making. It is also critical in improving my communication skills, including my understanding of people’s actions and gestures. Studying psychology has enlightened me on the human mind and behavior and the ways of establishing meaningful relationships and friendships. Thus, I continue to overcome challenges in relationship building experienced since childhood. Studying human behavior and insight into human conduct has enabled me to gain self-confidence and learn how I fit in the larger social construct.
It is equally important to understand cognitive processes that influence how the mind works on creativity, thinking, problem-solving, perception, memory, and language use. Although research on cognitive psychology appears academic, the theories and concepts learned are essential in everyday life. Cognitive psychology is applicable in everyday life because it helps to understand the cognitive approach to wisdom as a critical aspect of adulthood. In addition to conventional wisdom from life lessons and academics, I have developed mental conception by studying cognitive psychology – a key feature in the reflective characteristics that define wisdom. In this regard, I consider myself to own an integrative notion of ideas, attention, and consciousness from studying cognitive psychology.
Consequently, I can now take challenges positively and learn from experiences through self-reflection and thus become wiser.
Humanistic psychology is the study of individual uniqueness. The study emphasizes how to view people as a whole and apply concepts such as self-actualization, self-efficacy, and free will; in other words, it is the study of humanism. The discipline has empowered me to gain empathy for people, view them as innately good, and refrain from concentrating on human dysfunction. Applying psychoanalysis and behaviorism theories also helps decipher personal experiences and their effect on behavior and discover human potential. Thus, humanistic psychology will help me continuously discover my full potential in academics and my career days. Indeed, self-discovery is critical to understanding societal systems and adjusting my worldview to prevent negative experiences from affecting my personality.
It is undeniable that one needs a spiritual aspect of living a balanced life. Transpersonal psychology is an important field that integrates psychiatry, personal psychology, and spiritualism and enhances an in-depth view of the past beyond the ordinary. Indeed, comprehending the realm of the human spirit transcends physical encounters. In this view, tans-personal psychology departs from conventional psychology that focuses on human behavior and experience, ranging from mental, emotional, and physical exploits. It extends beyond these into a spectrum that adds transcendent and immanent dimensions to human achievements and past performances. Thus, studying trans-personal psychology will help me understand the non-conventional state of consciousness and mystical escapades, and enhance my perceptions regarding achieving my potential. Since transpersonal psychology integrates multiple studies and disciplines such as cognitive, behaviorism, and humanistic psychology, anyone seeking to practice psychology should appreciate its concepts.
Recognizing the eight stages of Erikson’s psychological development theory enhances people’s experiences of conflict. Erikson’s theory is vital in discovering how victims of conflict can use their past and their present psychological strengths to influence their behavior. Everyone considers conflict differently; however, the failure to resolve disputes effectively could erode self-confidence and compromise the skills that depend on a strong sense of self. I agree with Erikson that proficiency motivates behavior; thus, it is my goal to use Erikson’s theory to become competent in all aspects of life. Deriving confidence from my abilities would also enable me to master my profession – an element that affects one’s ego quality and strength. Studying Erikson’s theory could also help me eliminate inadequacy that inhibits self-development.
From theories on classical conditioning, we consider how humans respond to present conditions and their responses. The discipline is critical to my view of human response to a stimulus- a factor that is essential to consider oneself. The theories on classical conditioning are also crucial to comprehending positive and negative reactions by others and me. The numerous emotions that influence my life daily are positive and motivate me to live while the negative ones distract and demotivate me. In this regard, I must understand how I react to neural stimuli and unconditioned and conditioned responses. Therefore, the classical conditioning theory is critical to developing and understanding the fundamentals of behaviorism that could help me become a better parent, guardian, or mentor.
Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory disapproves of the notion that IQ (Intelligent Quotient) should be the minimum indicator of one’s intellect. Instead, intelligence is a result of past experiences – meaning everyone has a different level of understanding that is influenced by daily life. Therefore, I should expose myself to environments that allow for intellectual growth. As with Gardner’s hypothesis, spatial representation, music, logical math, and language play a profound role in advancing reasoning. The theory is thus critical to distinguish which aspects of life can improve intellectual capacity. Self-realization can invoke skills that enable me to solve various problems based on earlier experiences and thus progress in multiple domains. Arguably, intelligence comes to the learned. Therefore, in line with Gardner’s assumptions, I should challenge myself academically and depart from the uniform and universal approach to learning that seeks to impose equal intelligence among all.
Developing and maintaining productive customer relations can grow a business and enable it to remain competitive. As a non-directive form of talk remedy, client-centered therapy is a critical skill for anyone engaging in verbal communication with customers. Understanding the concepts and theories on dialogue empowers one to steer conversations in any manner. The approach to discussions lies in unconditional positive regard, a critical quality in customer management. Besides using it in therapy and in my future career practices, client-centered therapy will play a pivotal role in conversing professionally with everyone. Applying the qualities learned will expand my view of people and consider them for who they are. It will also enable me to create an environment that promotes considerable discussions.
There are numerous theories on human behavior that are important to psychologists and anyone pursuing a psychology discipline. However, I consider a few to apply in my everyday existence, mostly based on Freud’s theory. These theories expand my perceptions of how the past could affect the present and alter my behavior. These include behavioral psychology, cognitive psychology, and humanistic psychology. Others are transpersonal psychology, Erikson’s psychological development theory, classical conditioning theory, and Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory.
Work Cited
Moccia, Lorenzo, et al. “The Experience of Pleasure: A Perspective Between Neuroscience and Psychoanalysis.” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, vol. 12, no. 359, 2018, pp. 1-8. Web.