What can I study as a layman to develop practical knowledge of human psychology?

Question

What can I study as a layman to learn enough facets of psychology to develop better understanding of human behaviour? Unfortunately as I know nothing of the field I'm not really certain about what I should even look for. Any suggestions such as subjects, books, documentaries and even advice would be appreciated. I am interested in topics such as personal fears, prejudices, motivations, mental health illnesses, hostilities, etc. On a larger scale I want a better understanding of social issues such as resistance to change, radicalisation, extremism, value systems, group dynamics, etc. Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi Franklin,

There are some great sites you can use to get a good overview of psychology, at no cost.

One site that I think would be helpful for you is from iresearchnet. It has topics on some of the major schools of psychology. At the end of each topic there are links to more detailed information relevant to that topic. Here is the link: https://psychology.iresearchnet.com.

I would also suggest reviewing Psychology Today on-line : https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

There are also some very good blog articles at Scientific American - Mind: https://www.scientificamerican.com/mind/