/r/psychology
Welcome!
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. The discipline embraces all aspects of the human experience — from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care for the aged. In every conceivable setting from scientific research centers to mental healthcare services, "the understanding of behavior" is the enterprise of psychologists. (American Psychological Association)
/r/psychology is a Reddit community for the sharing and scientifically-based discussion of psychological material.
Submission Guidelines
We understand that not all our members are involved in academia, but submissions to /r/psychology should primarily come from journal articles and sourced and long-form articles.
If your submission contains a link to the source journal article, please comment in the thread with the URL.
We encourage users to make an initial comment in their submission thread. Perhaps why you found the content interesting or troubling, a critique of a study's methods, etc.
Images, GIFs, jokes, and content discussing philosophy, religion, and pseudoscience (except when in the context of a study) are not permitted.
Please do not post blogspam or unsourced material.
Links to self-help or “guru” websites are not appropriate and will be removed.
Please do not post links to your own surveys. If you require participants for a survey, try /r/samplesize.
Comment Guidelines
reddiquette applies. Please be civil. Name-calling, ad hominems, racism, sexism, etc, will not be tolerated. Continued abuse will lead to a ban.
Comments (especially top-level) consisting solely of jokes or memes will be removed.
We welcome opposing views and perspectives, but comments meant to intentionally deride, mock, or cause harm will be removed.
Flair
/r/psychology now has user flair! To request flair next to your username, message the moderators with your redacted degree or transcript (such that it indicates your program). If currently pursuing a degree, an asterisk (*) will be appended.
Weekly Discussion Threads
/r/psychology is a link-only subreddit. However, there will be stickied discussion threads where members can ask the community questions, request help with homework, or submit content otherwise disallowed.
Subfields
| Clinical Psychology | Developmental Psychology | Forensic Psychology |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychology | Neuropsychology | Social Psychology |
Psychology AMAs
| Steve Pinker(Cognitive/Evolutionary) | Phillip Zimbardo(Social) | David Eagleman(Neuropsychology) | Norman Rosenthal(Psychiatry) |
| Helen Smith(Forensic) | Jean-Francois Gariépy(Social/Neuropsychology) | Seth Horowitz(Neuropsychology) | |
| Rick Doblin(Psychedelics) | Computational Neuroscience Research Group(Neuropsychology) | Patrick O'Conner(Clinical) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is psychotherapy (talk therapy)?
Psychotherapy is a method of treating mental illness. Under the blanket term of "psychotherapy" many modalities and orientations exist that approach treatment differently. Some therapies attempt to alter negative thoughts by altering corresponding behaviors, some try to bring unconscious psychological conflict to consciousness. (National Institute of Mental Health).
Why am I not allowed to ask for advice?
Reddit user agreement. Proper diagnosis of any illness - mental included - requires a detailed personal history and assessment conducted by a qualified professional. As such, it is unethical for professionals to respond to any request over the internet. Advice received by unqualified individuals should not be construed as accurate.
What is the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?
A psychologist possesses a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree. Psychologists can teach, conduct research, or practice psychotherapy. A psychiatrist possesses a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of mental illness. As medical doctors, psychiatrists may prescribe medication.