The study of psychology should be mandatory for all college students because it would help them build better habits and understand other people. In this reading, it explains how reread notes an ineffective way of studying.

Instead “testing is a powerful means of improving learning, not just assessing it” (page 49).

This shows one way psychology can guide students toward effective learning strategies. Students who study psychology can develops better study habits which can leads to stronger academic performance.

Psychology is also important because it provides tools to help with mental health. College students often time face stress, and pressure so learning about psychology can help them manage these difficulties more effectively.  Learning about psychology can help us understand why people act the way they do and allow us to take sympathy toward them.

This means people are “less often judge psychological disorder as moral failing” (page 46).

By studying psychology, students gain awareness that behaviors are caused of a deeper mental struggle. Students will be able to practice empathy and supports others who are struggling.

For these reasons, psychology should not be optional. Making it mandatory ensure all students can improve their learning and have a better understand of others. 

            There are five perspectives used to study psychology, one of them is the biological perspective which is defined as any explanation of behavior and mental processes that uses life processes. Behavioral genetics is the sub-field that investigates how genes passed through generations influence personalities and how the environment shapes what we believe in. For instance, even twins who are identical in every aspect can still have many differences due to the environment they were raised in.

The environment we grow up in—especially the difference in parenting styles and cultures we experience—plays a major role in shaping who we become as individuals. From birth, children are constantly taking in information.

Research shows that until about the age of six, they absorb the world around them almost like sponges.

This process is known as socialization and observational learning, which explains why kids so often copy what they see. For example, if a toddler watches their parents politely say “thank you” when something is given to them, the child will often repeat that behavior. On the other hand, if children grow up around yelling or conflict, they may assume that is the normal form of communication. In this way, everyday observations quietly shape how children come to understand relationships, behavior, and communication.

Our genes provide the foundation for who we are, but it’s our experiences that bring that foundation to life. Most traits don’t come from a single gene but from many working together, and how they appear depends heavily on the environment we grow up in. However, some emotional and mental disorders can be passed through genetics through chemical imbalances as well. Heredity passes traits from parents to children, setting the range of possibilities we’re born with, but the environment determines how much of that potential is realized. For example, while genetics may influence the limits of a person’s intellectual ability, factors such as education, nutrition, encouragement, and opportunities will often decide where within that range a person will actually fall and what barriers or bridges their mental state will build.

            Beyond genetics and environment, the way children absorb their surroundings and the habits they form also play an important role in development within society.

Research examining nearly 50,000 American families found that chores remained a consistent responsibility from age nine through the end of high school.

Routines like these can help establish patterns that can have lasting effects, guiding children as they learn to navigate life into adulthood. Positive habits encourage growth, learning, and resilience, while negative ones—such as too much screen time or poor sleep—can hinder development. Many of these poor decisions can affect the child’s tolerance and patience causing easy frustrations with everyday tasks that are seen as foreign because of the lack of routine during their development.

In conclusion, understanding human behavior means looking at both our biology and the environments we grow up in, as well as the habits we form along the way. Our genes set the foundation, but our experiences and daily routines shape how that potential turns out. The different perspectives in psychology, like the biological and behavioral approaches, help explain these influences from different angles. Towards the goal of the discussion, it’s the mix of nature, nurture, and the choices we make that shape who we become and how we use our resources and surroundings to build ourselves and navigate everyday life.

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