One concept in Psychology that I think I'll remember 5 years from now is the development of the mind. This is because I've already spent so much time outside of class applying the ideas of nature v nurture, attachment styles, class/race differences, etc. in the context of others' behavior. This class has provided me with an interesting lens through which to observe how others behave. If somebody is acting in a manner that I am totally baffled by, it's fun to try and look at the world through their eyes and empathize. Basically this class has taught me that there's a somewhat "logical" reason for everything that everyone does. Something that somebody else does that may seem stupid, or irrational, or downright crazy to me would usually seem like a rational thing to that person.
A second concept that I'm going to remember is Kohlbergs theory of morality. The entire morality unit has made it so that I strive to achieve post-conventional morality for important decisions, and not just stop at conventional. This is hard, but I believe that this idea will help me make better decisions throughout my life.
Final blog--empathy and better decision making.
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The concept of looking though another eyes, or walking in their shoes is a very important and useful tool we can use to understand why people act and do what they do. At school I have been able to place myself in others shows, and see why they are so stressed out on occasion. The thing is that not everyone has the thought process to step back and view the world through another persons eyes, causing much misunderstanding. Empathy is also important in understanding how you should or could deal with situations, after putting yourself in ones shoes, if you admire how they dealt with something, you can take that experience and apply it to your own life.
i think i speak for all of us when i say that everyone can "piss us off" from time to time. Our reactions to these situations often can reflect negatively on us. Something that i always keep in mind when i am becoming upset at someone is that you have to understand that everyone has a story. If you are stuck in traffic and someone flys up the shoulder and cuts you off, you might interpret it as a greedy or selfish move. But, they might have reasoning behind it. They could be on the way to the hospital to see their newly born child. This is something that i believe everyone should keep in mind on a daily basis when dealing with others.
Grant, I think you took away what is possibly the best lesson ever from the class. Empathy is such a valuable trait. Seeing things in the perspective of someone else is valuable for gaining insight into life. Sometimes, we just need to step out of our own shoes to have fun and see how awesome life is!
Empathy is a great thing and I believe that it is wonderful that we can do it. I personally believe that empathy allows us to develop stronger and deeper relationships than any other species. And I also feel the same way you do about observing people. Psychology had opened my mind and now I see things in people that I would have not before, such as there personality traits, how they might differ because of their culture. Now I feel like it is easier to be opened minded to people.
Empathy is something that I feel many people lack. While most people have different opinions than the next, I feel it is very important to be able to, as you said, look through their eyes. At a place like the University of Minnesota you can come in close minded but it is forced out of you very quickly as there is so much diversity. This class has also taught me to see in a different way and that goes beyond remembering facts and statistics. It goes to viewing everything differently which is what I feel learning really is.