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Gregory Pena

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Schools should add psychology as a basic and mandatory subject.

I believe that psychology should become a basic and mandatory course for all schools and all grades. My primary reason is that psychology helps people open their minds and live happier. There are many ways a psychologist accomplishes this. Studying psychology helps the student learn more about the human mind and how it operates. Just to be clearer in what I'm trying to say, some of the mandatory courses in schools are: math, science, language and social studies. Now compare each of those 4 courses individually to psychology, weighing the benefits of each. The only course I found that is more essential for a person than psychology is language. But besides that being obvious, why should math or science or social studies be mandatory and psychology not be? The only reason I find any course should be mandatory is that it makes life and coexisting with others easier. I personally can't find any reason why studying psychology shouldn't be mandatory in schools, can you?

Topics: education happiness psychology society
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    Jedrek Stepien 10+

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    Dec 13 2012: You may be right, but I am in principle against forcing a nation-wide cirricula. I think I have been in this world long enough to say that ultimately all sciences boil down to an integrated world-view. Based on that I can say something as shocking as this: no matter what you teach you always teach one and the same thing. Therefore it is not really important which subjects is or is not in the curriculum. Everything again, depends on the teacher. If he IS somebody neither what he says nor whether he is undestood is of any great importance. IF only he does not descent from his own level, he raises his audience to his. It simply works like this.

    I.e. If your maths teacher IS somebody, you will not need psychology to live a happier life.

  • Barry Palmer 50+

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    Dec 13 2012: I don't agree.

    I have a big problem with psychology courses. Psychology is presented as a science, and it should not be.

    Psychology is the study of behavior, but it does not come close to the rigor necessary to be considered science.

    Provided that psychology would not be presented as a science, I think it would be very valuable at the college level, but not before.
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      Gregory Pena

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      Dec 13 2012: I'm somewhat confused with your view of psychology. Even though it may not be the most rigorous of the sciences compared to biology, chemistry or physics, does it make it less important to society and the educational system? The point I was trying to get across with this conversation is that essentially psychology helps the human species better understand what they are and how they operate. Even though the study of psychology does not prepare a person to find a cure to cancer or build a robot, and it is definitely not the only way to be happier, yet it does help.
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    Jerry Yang 500+

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    TEDx Organizer
    Dec 13 2012: One of the primary issues here that I see with integrating psychology into the curriculum is that psychology is not necessarily used in all fields. Sure, perhaps it does make us more content with the world around us, but what value would that have on society as a whole? We have a whole bunch of happy people; how can that help our country become a better country? Psychology is an interesting subject, but my question is: How would integrating it into the curriculum produce the same effects that the other "core areas" attempt to?

    • Barry Palmer 50+

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      Dec 13 2012: "We have a whole bunch of happy people; how can that help our country become a better country?"

      Are you serious? What is your idea of "better" if happy does not qualify?
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        Jerry Yang 500+

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        TEDx Organizer
        Dec 13 2012: Sorry, I forgot to specify economically, politically, socially better on the global scale.

        A psychology class is not mandatory to make someone happy in life. What I consider "true happiness" is when people believe that they are living their lives to the fullest and are content with the world, regardless of global conditions.
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      Gregory Pena

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      Dec 13 2012: The point of any education is to provide tools and knowledge essential to survival and coexisting with life in general. I find that psychology provides us with the tools and knowledge to be successful beyond the superficial sense of getting money and being able to buy a lot of things. Psychology helps build a more confident and rational human, that is why I believe anyone from any age can and should study this subject. Obviously any ten year old will not be able to understand Sigmund Freud's deepest and most controversial ideas, but like any subject the student will gradually with the years grow with it and then will be able to advance in psychology. If happiness is not what people actually seek in life, then what is it?
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