Psychology Class Reflection

Over the course of this class I have pieced together many things about my own life that before went unnoticed. I am now able to see things in a bit of a different light. Now that I have been introduced to the realm of psychology I understand some of the reasons for behavior around me. I have learned that there is a reason for most everything and a lot of our behaviors and mental processes can be explained through psychology. Studies have been conducted for many years to try and pinpoint the source of our behavior and it is not something that most people think about every day. Having a better understanding of why we operate the way we do will help me to better understand myself and the others around me.

Our behavior at times can seem a little out of the ordinary. People do not always conform to the behavior that is accepted by everyone else. From time to time people will stray from the beaten path and it tends to make them stand out. I used to just kind of look the other way without really giving it a second thought. Now when I look at behavior that is not exactly normal I am able to try and come up with a hypothesis on the causes of their behavior. I have a co-worker that is well known for being a compulsive liar. He likes to fabricate the most unbelievable stories and events that there is obviously no way ever could have happened. I think we may have all met someone like this before. So instead of just nodding my head or calling him out on his lies I now find myself trying to understand what they mean. Why is it he lies about these things? Through further analysis I have formed a hypothesis as to why he does it. He grew up with several siblings. One of these siblings has special needs and requires a great deal of...

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...ork I now am more motivated to strive ahead and move forward and I better understand why it is that I do it everyday. I understand our need for self improvement and I know now that I tend to agree more with the expectancy theory of motivation. As a leader of junior personnel I have learned that people are motivated in different ways. I can now figure out what their motivation is and provide them with a means to an end so that they will know what it is they are working for. This will cause them to work harder or more efficiently to achieve their own personal goals. So whether I am at home with my family or I am out at a ballgame it seems there will always be something I am doing or thinking that involves psychology. Psychology was a much bigger part of my life than I ever realized. It is involved in how I think, learn, behave, and interact with everything around me.