Help! I can't think of a topic for my psychology project!?

Question

Well, it can be any subject relating to anthropology, sociology or psychology... But psychology interests me more. It is something we'll be working on all semester. I want something interesting and allows me a lot of room to do my own research like surveys, interviews, perhaps put a videotape together..

Answer 1

I think that the topic of the anxiety disorder known as obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd) should make for a very compelling project. Ocd is a mental health problem where the person has repetitive thoughts that cause a great deal of fear and anxiety (obsessions) such as fear of contamination if shaking someone's hand, and the person may also have an urge to perform some sort of ritual (compulsions) to help reduce that anxiety such as handwashing or checking something again and again such as a front door lock. Perhaps you can include how one is diagnosed with the disorder (DSM-IV/diagnostic statistical manual, 4th edition has criteria listed for all mental disorders) as well as the treatment that is most effective (cognitive-behavioral therapy, specifically 'exposure therapy'). And just fyi, traditional 'talk therapy' or psychotherapy has Not been found effective in treating those with ocd.

I happen to have ocd and take the ssri (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) medication, prozac, which helps to balance out the serotonin (a neurotransmitter) in the brain which is thought to be the cause of ocd symptoms. (Dopamine, another neurotransmitter in the brain is thought to also be related to those with ocd and their being an imbalance.) I had also received cognitive-behavioral therapy (cbt) many years ago and it helped me tremendously with new symptoms that can come up. Cbt is a way to get one's thoughts and behavior more under control and for those with ocd, cognitive-behavioral uses 'exposure therapy' which is generally used for those with phobias. There are a couple great books on ocd and cbt including "Stop Obsessing!" by Edna Foa and "Brainlock" by Jeffrey Schwartz in which the dr/author has a 4 step 'plan' to help with ocd symptoms very similar to 'traditional' cbt. Good luck with whatever topic you choose for your psych project!

Answer 2

I'm taking a personality psychology class and we're discussing the ways that birth order/number of siblings can shape your personality. I think it's really interesting. You can probably find some articles to do some basic research and then go from there. Also, this is a broad topic that you would be able to work with all semester.

Answer 3

You could look into the relationships of sleep patterns and work performance, or look into the effects of the media on body image, or you could do an experiment to test helping behaviors and in what conditions people are more likely to help.

Answer 4

That's a toughie, how about these:

the effects of sexual abuse (why type of adults do they become?) Some actually persevere and become functioning adults...

Depression and the brain

Teen and young adult addiction

Religion and the American family (or families of other countries in America)

Eating Disorders (IN MALES)

Hope that helped good luck!

Answer 5

brain