How to start studying psychology from scratch on your own using books

Psychology is a vast academic science that is difficult to fully master on your own. But it is also a discipline that studies human behavior. And people have always tended to seek an explanation for their actions and thoughts. Therefore, everyone who thinks even a little about this is, to some extent, a psychologist.

And in order not to turn into an “armchair” specialist, you can independently study at least the basics of popular psychology. How can I do that? Where to start? Of course, not from tests in a women's magazine, but from an understanding of what psychology is.

In this article:

Why study psychologyScientific psychologyDefinition of psychologyDivisions of psychologyWhat psychology doesStudy psychology: what skills do you needWhere to start studying psychology

Why study psychology

In everyday life, everyone often encounters situations in which they look for explanations for the behavior of other people:

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– Why was Anton so sad?

- Maybe he's depressed!

Or someone is trying to predict what another person will say or do. Usually such explanations are tied to certain characteristics that people have accumulated through their experience and knowledge, and sometimes it is also an inner feeling that guides everyone in their assumptions. So, everyone uses everyday psychology almost every day!

But what exactly is the difference between popular and scientific psychology? The behavior just described shows that people try to make predictions about the behavior of other people based on their experience and knowledge. But this process is not really systematic because, unfortunately, people's assessments often depend on the individual, and it is impossible to derive any generally applicable rules.

Both university professors and practitioners agree that a foundational academic degree in psychology is still a necessary prerequisite for successful self-employment in all areas of applied psychology. Universities also offer specializations in certain sub-fields of the professional psychological field during their studies instead of obtaining a general master's degree, which then allows them to work in a wide variety of fields.

15 best books on psychology and psychotherapy

This is an advantage for those who know in advance where the acquired fundamentals will be applied. But this applies to those who connect their professional life with psychology. Without a high-quality higher education you cannot become a good psychologist. It's difficult to absorb several semesters' worth of information just by reading a couple of books.

Your personal learning goal

Most likely, from time to time you noticed your own interest in psychological topics when something went wrong in life - this is common to many. In addition to the fact that one’s own life becomes more interesting and clearer, basic knowledge of psychology helps those who want to master this specialty to decide.

Those who are going to study psychology from scratch need to decide on their own motives for acquiring this knowledge. This is important not so much for motivation (after all, a person who is going to independently master any science is clearly motivated), but for understanding in which direction to move and where to start.

Main topics that may be of interest:

Child psychology, features of development and education.
Family relationships, searching for a partner.
Conflictology and ways to improve relationships with others.
Business psychology, methods of achieving success.
Personal growth.
Overcoming psychotraumatic experience.
Gestalt therapy. There was an article about this direction here on the blog.

Separately, it is worth highlighting the reason for studying - this is the further acquisition of this profession. This includes not only personal interest, but also certain restrictions and obligations:

You cannot judge or evaluate both the person himself and his life situation.
Confidentiality of other people's information cannot be disclosed. Exceptions are cases when a psychologist learns about a crime being prepared or committed.
Having psychological knowledge, you cannot impose your help on others. If a person close to you does not want to deal with some problem, that is his choice. You have no right to interfere or manipulate his decision.
You cannot provide psychological assistance or correction without completing training. The human psyche is very fragile, so not every experienced psychologist can immediately cope with difficult problems, and without the appropriate skills, you can even do harm.

Scientific psychology

This is where scientific psychology comes in. Researchers are trying to establish general rules for people's experiences and behavior. Thus, scientific psychology is an empirical science because the statements made are based on systematic observations. In the research cycle, these statements are refined, tested, and possibly rejected again. Psychological science is not a rigid field of knowledge; it is developing dynamically and is being improved daily by researchers around the world.

Thus, a series of rules and models are assembled to describe, explain and predict the processes of our behavior and perception. Scientific psychology differs from popular psychology in that the former is based on systematic observations that are intended to make general statements that apply not only to one person, but to entire groups of people.

Nonverbal communication as a basis

Without what is the science of psychology inconceivable? Where to start studying? A beginner needs to study both theory and practice. And accordingly, practice immediately: learn to listen, learn to pay attention to non-verbal signs. This practice is important in the same way that to learn a foreign language it is necessary to immediately pronounce sentences.

Nonverbal messages are a hint to the interlocutor; the theory of nonverbal communication states that gestures, facial expressions and postures of a person speak about the internal state much more than words. A good psychologist immediately “calculates” the state of a person nearby by his appearance. Even if you are not going to study psychology professionally, but are only interested in it, you need to learn to identify nonverbal signs. This will simplify communication with both loved ones and colleagues.

Definition of Psychology

Now the question arises as to how psychology can actually be defined. In recent years, scholars have come to a consensus on a broad definition. Psychology is the study of psychological processes, human experience and behavior.

This definition is very rough and can be extended to a wide variety of areas. But it also indicates that psychological processes occur in any situation. In addition to its own models, psychological research also uses findings from the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences to be able to explain people's behavior and experiences.

Magazines and publications

In today's incredibly vast space of information, finding an accessible and interesting journal on psychology is not a problem. Many universities publish their own magazine and post free versions on the Internet quite freely. You just need to find the journal that will be educational and useful for you in your chosen field of science.

"Russian psychological journal".
Journal of the Higher Attestation Commission "Bulletin of VlGU".
"Experimental Psychology".
"Existential and humanistic psychology."
Online magazine psychologies.ru.
Other.

The online magazine psychologies.ru was created for a wide range of readers. If you need scientific publications written by qualified employees of institutes, it is better to read official publications. Such as: “Russian Psychological Journal”.

Subsections of psychology

The statements that can be derived from research can be applied in a variety of contexts. For this reason, subgroups have formed within psychology that narrow the field of psychology thematically and contextually.

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Subsections of psychology, for example:

Developmental psychology.
Biological psychology (and neuropsychology).
Social Psychology.
Clinical psychology (and psychotherapy).

Labor psychology, organizational and business psychology.
Legal psychology.
Educational psychology.
Sports psychology.

Methodology

When a person decides to study a science such as psychology, it is worth thoroughly becoming familiar with the methodology of science. And devote a lot of time to reading various literature.

But where to start studying psychology on your own? How to find the knowledge base on which you can rely further and study science in depth? Without fundamental, orderly concepts, no real science exists. First, the subject of science and methodology are studied. Methodology is a systematic analysis of the methods that are used in a given science to obtain knowledge.

What does psychology do?

Psychology is ridiculed by many and considered a “fake” science. Or they reduce it exclusively to its history - for example, to Freud's psychoanalysis. But this discipline is much larger and permeates all areas of life. All people benefit from scientific and applied psychology.

Giphy

This is what this science does, among other things:

Fears of the process, experiences of loss and traumatic experiences.
Preventive health work.
Avoiding stress or coping with it in a healthy way.
Analysis of purchasing behavior and influence on it.
Support for schools and advice to parents, students and teachers.
Development of personal skills and their maximum use.
Help for good, social togetherness.
Good and productive work environment.

Proxemics

Distance and the need to maintain it when conducting a conversation are studied by such a science as proxemics. The concept was introduced into science by Edward Hall.

Edward Hall introduced 4 zones into the scientific world of psychologists that must be observed when communicating:

intimate;
personal;
social zone;
public

Understanding people's inner states is not so easy. There is no point in reading books if a beginner cannot recognize the inner mood of his interlocutor.

A psychologist cannot put pressure on a person. When he does not keep his distance, the person will close himself and will not allow him into his inner world.

Studying Psychology: What Skills You Need

Clearly, psychologists must be interested in other people. What other qualities do aspiring psychologists need?

Interest in communicating with people.
Interest in research and scientific work, basic knowledge of scientific work.
Communication skills, language skills.
Ability to reflect and criticize, critical thinking.

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Social skills, empathy, emotional intelligence
abstract, logical, analytical thinking.

“Diversity of human worlds”, P. V. Volkov

The author calls his work “a guide to the prevention of mental disorders.” He writes about the uniqueness of characters and their subtypes, pays attention to interpersonal relationships, mental disorders, and examines specific cases from his practice.

The best book about people's characters in Russian.

Ilya Shabshin

The work encourages you to evaluate a person based on his characteristics and helps you understand how to treat others with tolerance and why you need to do so. Why bother with this? To prevent painful situations that arise due to lack of mutual understanding.

Buy a book

Where to start studying psychology

As with higher education, you need to start by determining your specialization. Those who want to improve family relationships and those who intend to build a competent marketing company by studying consumer psychology need different information. And then make a list of references.

Psychology, especially in the form of manuals, is currently one of the most popular categories in the book world. To live a fulfilling life, you need to deal with your feelings and understand them more deeply. This is why psychology books are great tools for understanding and personal growth.

They cover a variety of subjects and areas that can be very useful in different ways. It all depends on the current state of mind and the problem, or rather on what area of life needs to be developed or improved.

The fundamentals of psychology are the books of K. G. Jung, Z. Freud, E. Fromm, A. Adler. This is a lot of reading, but at the same time it is a guarantee of fundamental knowledge.

In addition, you can study the following books:

"How to Be Miserable Without Help" by Paul Watzlawick

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This is undoubtedly one of the most recommended books on psychology, which is sure to appeal to everyone. It is also one of the guides that helps to recognize personal lifestyle in various situations and at the same time provides an opportunity to know how we humans gradually create unwanted and unhappy truths for ourselves through mental mechanisms. Overall, a great way to reveal yourself.

“How not to turn your life into a nightmare. 20 proven ways to escape from the captivity of toxic thoughts to the shores of a new life" by Rafael Santandreu

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Psychologist Santandreu, one of the most influential psychologists in Spain, talks in this book about very detailed experiences of the most harmful forms of behavior for mental health and how they affect our quality of life.

"Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman

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This guide was written many years ago, but it still promises a very high educational effect. It is highly recommended and recommended by many psychologists of our time. In this book, the author brilliantly analyzes the relationship between the world of thought and feeling. In this book, Daniel Goleman also offers the opportunity to learn what emotional intelligence is, how you can strengthen it, and what it consists of. This is a very famous book on psychology that helps people better understand themselves and those around them.

"How to Overcome Your Victim Complex" by Wayne Dyer

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This book is still a reference for many psychologists. The author shows the wrong actions that prevent people from being happy, and practical tools for achieving positive changes.

In fact, this guide is one of the most practical because in each chapter the author lists exercises that allow you to learn what irrational perception is and how people sometimes make life difficult for themselves. Because, according to this book, a person does this through anxiety, guilt, or a need for attention and validation from others.

"The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" by Oliver Sacks

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This is a very atypical book on psychology, the purpose of which is to introduce the reader to the pathologies that a visit to a psychologist can reveal and how they affect the patient. It reports more than 20 clinical cases, summarized in a very human novel.

"Think slow... decide fast" by Daniel Kahneman

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This book unexpectedly became an international bestseller. It describes two forms or systems that control thoughts and influence quality of life.

Daniel Kahneman surprises by showing how little people can trust their brains. You should definitely read this book on psychology if you want to learn more about your own thinking.

“The power of habit. Why we live and work this way and not otherwise” by Charles Duhigg

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Habits are part of everyday life and also determine well-being. It is important that people are aware and change what does not add positive aspects. With this guide, you have a great tool at hand that will allow you to do just that.

These are books on psychology that can be recommended to those who have set a goal to learn more in this area or in general want to improve their lives as much as possible. These guides will help you get started.

Methods of psychological influence on people

Society consists of people who constantly communicate with each other. Consciously or not, they all influence each other. There are various ways to influence the environment.

Methods of exposure to humans:

Contagion is a method based on the transfer of emotions from one individual to another. If someone panics or cries, then everyone's mood deteriorates. You can be “infected” with both negative and positive emotions, for example, laughter, joy, fun.
Suggestion - an individual is inspired to act as someone wants. Suggestion occurs through words, gestures, and actions. Each individual has different suggestibility. Suspicious people and children under 13 years of age are more easily suggestible than independent individuals.
Persuasion - an individual is persuaded to act one way and not another through logical thinking. The higher a person's intelligence, the harder it is to convince him. In the process of persuasion, it is important to instill trust. If the interlocutor doubts the veracity of the arguments, it is impossible to convince him of anything.
Imitation - consciously or unconsciously, an individual tries to copy the behavior of another person. Typically, role models are successful, famous and rich individuals.

Many people use another method of influencing an individual. Its name is manipulation. Using this method, the manipulator gets what he wants, while the opponent retains the illusion of independently made decisions. Aristotle also said that the success of influence depends on who says what to whom.

Personality psychology is a fascinating science. Anyone can understand its basics. True, not everyone is able to put their knowledge into practice. An experienced psychologist will help you understand all the nuances of the psychological discipline.

Science of Happiness

This is one of the most popular free online psychology courses for beginners that details the origins of a happy and meaningful life. Here, students will be involved in hands-on science lessons to learn how cutting-edge research can be applied to their own lives.

Additionally, this course will offer students practical methods they can use to maintain their happiness. Using these strategies, students will be able to conduct a variety of explorations that promote social and emotional well-being and explore how their happiness changes along the way.

Paid certificate for $169
Start date: For self-study
Duration: 11 weeks (4-5 hours per week)
Venue: UC Berkeley via edX (online)

enroll

Feel

Sensations are mental processes that are mental reflections of individual states and properties of the external world, arising from direct influence on the senses, a person’s subjective perception of external and internal stimuli with the participation of the nervous system. In psychology, sensations are usually understood as the process of reflecting various properties of objects in the surrounding world.

Sensations have the following properties:

Modality is a qualitative indicator of sensations (for vision - color, saturation, for hearing - volume, timbre, etc.);
Intensity is a quantitative indicator of sensations;
Duration is a temporary indicator of sensations;
Localization is a spatial indicator.

There are several classifications of sensations. The first of them belongs to Aristotle. They identified five basic senses: touch, hearing, sight, taste and smell. But in the 19th century, due to the increase in the types of sensations, the need for a more serious classification arose. Today there are the following classifications:

Wundt's classification - depending on the mechanical, chemical and physical properties of stimuli;
Sherrington classification - based on the location of receptors: exteroceptive, interoceptive and proprioceptive sensations;
Head's classification - based on origin: protopathic and epicritic sensitivity.

When the past doesn't let go

Childhood traumas, memories, impressions are a normal part of our lives. But some people go through them and move on, while others continue to live with a painful burden. Why does this happen and how can we leave the past in the past?

Unloved daughter. How to leave a traumatic relationship with your mother in the past and start a new life

Peg Streep

Fear of Intimacy: How to Stop Defending and Start Loving

Ilse Sand

When you need to be freer

We are limited by fears, anxiety, self-doubt and other people's influence - all this can be overcome. Below are books that tell you how.

The Age of Anxiety: Fears, Hopes, Neuroses, and the Search for Peace of Mind

Scott Stossel

Restart: How to live many lives

Irina Khakamada

The subtle art of not giving a damn: A paradoxical way to live happily

Mark Manson

I'm manipulating you: Methods for countering hidden influence

Nikita Nepryakhin

“On the Characters of People”, M. E. Burno

Larisa Milova

family psychologist, procedural psychotherapist, genetic psychologist and trauma therapist

The essay helps to understand the “naturalness” of people’s weaknesses (including our own), difficult feelings and actions. It describes the worldview of each character quite well.

Psychiatrist, psychotherapist, doctor of medical sciences and professor M.E. Bruno reveals the essence of different characters and gives examples from his practice. The professor examines what type famous writers, poets, artists and musicians belong to, and uses the example of their work to explain the characteristics of each character.

Perhaps in the descriptions you will find yourself or your loved ones and understand why relationships work out with some and not with others. And finally fix the situation.

Burno’s work is recommended by the Department of Psychotherapy, Medical Psychology and Sexology of the Russian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education and the Professional Psychotherapeutic League as a textbook on psychotherapy.

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“Understand human nature”, A. Adler

Adler, the author of the term “inferiority complex,” talks about the adaptation of the individual in society, the significance of the period of infancy and early childhood, the development of character, its individual traits and manifestations.

Adler says that the foundation of any relationship in society is understanding the other. And mutual understanding can only be achieved by understanding human nature.

Larisa Milova

He argues that a person is responsible for his actions and is able to change behavior, which plays an important role in interpersonal relationships.

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“Why Good People Do Bad Things” by D. Hollis

A book about the dark sides of our soul. About why people gamble or drink excessively, do things that don't match our understanding of them.

Larisa Milova

Everyone has a shadow side, but not everyone is ready to admit it. It hides in the unconscious, but manifests itself in our actions and actions. Hollis writes how to recognize your Shadow, change behavior, overcome internal contradictions and learn to act consciously.

The book will be of interest to anyone who wants to find the strength to deal with “inner demons”, understand the essence and nature of the Shadow and find out what motivates other people when they commit certain actions.

Buy a book

What is the mind?

In these free online psychology courses for beginners, students will learn how the mind works. Students will also learn how to eliminate traditionally antagonistic approaches to understanding the mind.

This course will shed more light on four different aspects of the mind, including subjectivity, intentionality, consciousness, and free will.

First of all, this online course is suitable for anyone interested in psychology and psyche. Moreover, it is intended for students, researchers and professionals from different fields of study who work directly or indirectly with everything related to the brain and mind.

Areas of study in which it is applied include neuroscience, psychology, psychoanalysis, philosophy, psychiatry and neuroscience.

Paid certificate for $54
Start date: For self-study
Duration: 6 weeks (3 hours per week)
Venue: University of Cape Town via FutureLearn (online)

enroll

We do stupid things to fit in

In the study, a participant was assigned to a group and asked to answer a seemingly simple question. The group was instructed in advance to say a deliberately incorrect answer. In the end, 37 out of 50 subjects gave the wrong answer, repeating it after the majority (even if it was obviously wrong), simply because they wanted to please the group members or thought that the majority knew better than them. This effect is blunted if there is at least one person in the group who agrees with the subject.