Six Biggest Myths about Psychology that Everyone Believes
“Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar,” are words spoken by one of the most famous psychologists: Sigmund Freud. With psychology, self-help, and other mental health issues flooding various aspects of life, how are we supposed to know what is real and what is a fad? A good place to start is by examining the six biggest myths about psychology everyone believes to see if you still do.
- 1. Opposites Attract: Not according to Jean Lawrence and Dr. Louise Chang of WebMD. They reported on a study that concluded a likes-attract rule based on the subjects having a preference for partners who are similar to themselves in a variety of areas. Another university professor of psychology concluded that people seeking a relationship look for a compliment, rather than an opposite or someone identical to themselves.
2. Happy Partners Never Argue. Because Meg Ryan and her true loves never argued on screen, at least after they got together, neither should you. In reality, partners who argue properly can release tension and increase trust. Four simple rules to arguing from Dr. Phil include avoiding personal attacks, seeking conflict for stimulation, a willingness to negotiate, and achieving emotional closure. For this, and other relationship myths, visit here.
3. Subliminal Messages Can Make The Viewer Do Just About Anything: From purchasing a soda in a theater to voting for a certain candidate, the myth is out there. However, the famous soda buying scheme was first reported on 1957, yet the original purveyor has never been able to reproduce the results and eventually confessed to fabricating it. The article also discusses the famous Judas Priest backward playing record and others.
4. Kids and Teens Give In To Peer Pressure: Whether anything from a pink Mohawk to drug use, parents think that if their friends do it, so will their kids. According to National Mental Health Information Center, studies show that parent’s opinions have a significant influence over children and even teenagers. They also offer five simple rules for parents to discuss with their children to ensure that their values are preserved. 
5. High Self Esteem Is Good: Not according to several professors who had their work published in “Psychological Review.” Entitled “Relation of Threatened Egotism to Violence and Aggression,” they explore the dark side of high self esteem. If you don’t feel like reading the entire 29 pages, the report examines the hypothesis that egotism can cause violent acts and even discusses low self esteem as a rival hypothesis.
6. Violent Video Games Lead to Violence: This one is actually a part-truth where various studies have mixed results. Psychologist Craig Anderson, Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at Iowa State University, examines several myths surrounding this topic. They include fantasy violence, correlation versus causation, and he even talks about theories. Unanswered questions, such as longitudinal studies testing the link between aggressive games and aggression along with the role of television, are also discussed.
While taking a look back in the history of mental health can be fun, please remember to see an accredited professional if you are suffering from a serious condition or have a question regarding the six biggest myths about psychology that everyone believes.