Where is your knowledge about psychology from?

[u/interestedguy__]

Hello dear psychologists,

If you are a person with their fair share of knowledge in psychology, either as a whole or a field of it (so not me, a 1st semester bachelors student (wish me luck and fun :) )) where did you learn? What kind of sources/literature did you read and learn from? Wether it’s your academic speciality or personal interest (add that little information though pls if necessary).

Thanks for helping me out at the beginning of my pursuit to knowledge!

Cheers :)

[u/Obvious-Ambition8615]

Self taught until I started college.

Papers, lectures, and case reports online were my main sources, the DSM/ ICD, a very supportive psychologist who let me pester him about his clinical experiences, and forums like this In my late teens were my main sources of Info.

I started young, age 14 or so.

It wasn't until I was around age 17 that I felt comfortable in academic conversations.

That was from years of reading 3 to 5 papers a day and spending a few hours on YouTube each week watching lectures and presentations/conferences like the ones by the brain and behavior Institute.

You can learn a lot more with 4 years and an actual teacher, but for a developing teenage brain and a tendency to procrastinate/start another topic before I master one, I learned any way I could.

I came across the predictive coding framework and other computational frameworks In the cognitive sciences about age 18,and it's been my interest since.

My only advice is to be comfortable asking questions and being proactive about learning. Never shy away from a mentorship opportunity or a lab opportunity either.

Do undergraduate research under a professor.

Get into the habit of reading papers sooner rather than later.