In your everyday life and in introductory pcyhology, you will be exposed to

psychological research findings. In encountering psychological research in

the media, you should adopt the attitude of a scientist and critically
evaluate the research as presented. You should avoid overgeneralizing
based on little information. Media reports of psychological information
often leave out details and it is wise to take research result with a grain of
salt. We cannot generalize from a small group to all people and we also
cannot apply conclusion from a group to an individual. It is important to
keep in mind that statistics about a group do not necessarily represent
each individual in the group equally well. Sometimes consumers of
psychological research can get the wrong idea about whether their
experience is normal if it does not match group statistic. You should look
for answer beyond a single study because the media might identify an
interesting piece of research and claim it that it is something phenomenal
with far-researching implication. Although such pivotal studies do occur
but they are rare. It is safer to assume that no single study will provide
conclusive answer to an important question, especially answer that apply
to all people. Remember that you should not take one research study as
the final answer to a problem no matter how compelling the findings.
Drawing causal conclusion from correlation studies in one of the most
common mistakes the media makes. We cannot say one causes the other.
When you hear about correlation studies, be skeptical of words indicating
causation until you know more about the particular research. Consider the
source

of

psychological

information

because

studies

conduct

by

psychological are not automatically accepted by the rest of the researcj

community. Although the quality of research and findings is not uniform
among all psychological journal in most cases journals submit the findings
to far greater scrutiny that he popular media do. It is not unusual to read
about psychological research online. There were bloggers and others
might comment on the validity of researchers findings. As helpful as a
Google search, a blog, or a Wikipedia entry might be, reading the actual
science is crucial to evaluating the conclusions drawn.

When you think of psychology, you might think first and foremost about
the mind and its complex mental processes such as those involved in love,
gratitude, hate, and anger. However, psychology has come to recognize
more and more that the mind and its operation are intricately connected
to the body. It might be helpful to think concretely about the ways the
mind and body can relate to each other even as they are united in the
physical reality of a person. Dedication, goal setting, and self-discipline
will be the kind of mental processnecessary o transform your body. The
mind can work on the body, prompting changes to its shape and size.
Similary, the body can dramatically influence the mind. Consier how fuzzy
your thinking is after you stay out too late and how much easier it is to
solve lifes problems after a good night sleep. The relationship between
the body an mind is illustrated in a major dilemma that countless
psychologists have faced, the impact of nature versus nurture. Essentially,
psychologists have wondered and debated which of the two is more
important to a person nature that is genetic, heritage or nurture which is
social experience. The influence of genetics on a variety of psychological
characteristic, and the ways that generic influence can itself be altered by
experience, will be addressed in many of the main topics in this book.
From development to personality traits to psychological disoders.you will
see that every turn , your physical and metal self are interwined in ways
you may have never considered. In introduction to psychology, you should
make the most of the experience by applying it o your life. Psychology is
after all the scientific study of your, your behavior, thoughts, goals, and
well being.