Essay on Why Psychology Majors Study Statistics

The study of statistics in psychology is an important area that many people or researchers have overlooked in the past. It is important to explore various benefits and reasons as to why people learning psychology majors study statistics (Freng et al., 2011). The aim of the essay is to give a reaction to the provided readings on the reason why psychologists have to study statistics or math in their career life. The four readings provided are elaborate on why psychology majors need statistics and it is vital to explore the same for a deeper understanding (Buchs et al., 2016). It is crucial to provide a summary of each of the readings given and provide potential benefits of studying statistics in psychology majors. Exploring the provided literature can help give an account of the need for math for individuals who study psychology majors.

The article “Why I Study Statistics” written by Jeremy Miles is elaborate on why one should study statistics or mathematics as part of the psychology majors. The author of the article gives an account how he once hated statistics but later came to realize that it plays a crucial role in promoting learning and understanding of some situations in psychology (Schmidt 1996). Modeling and item response theory have been mentioned in the article as part of concepts in statistics that can help improve the way people think and analyze situations. The article by Jeremy Miles is detailed enough and can inspire many to study statistics in psychology.

Another important reading provided is the “On the Importance of Learning Statistics for Psychology Students” authored by Jessica Tessler. The author of the article asserts that statisticians have changed the world not only by discovering new facts and techniques, but also altering the way people think and form opinions in society (Freng et al., 2011). The source is elaborate and gives an account why people need to study math in psychology majors. For instance, techniques such as structural equation modeling are helpful in answering complex questions about systems of variables. The author concludes by asserting that statistical skills are necessary for psychologists as they help individuals become better researchers and critical thinkers.

The third article provided is “Why Study Statistics” is elaborate on the reasons and benefits associated with statistical skills in psychology majors. The author has explained that the major reason for studying math is to become better when conducting research on a particular phenomenon. It will be difficult to make informed decisions without utilizing data that has been collected from a project (Schmidt 1996). Equally, the article explains that it is through statistical knowledge that one can know what to collect regarding a specific phenomenon or variable. The author concludes by asserting that statistical knowledge is essential in helping one read more journals and expanding their scope of knowledge. Equally, critical thinking and learning improves with statistical skills in psychology majors.

The last reading is “Nobody Becomes a Psych Major to Study Statistics: Part I” was authored by Nancy Darling. The article explains how the author developed interest in learning statistics as part of the psychology majors (Landrum, 2015). The author asserts that math provides a invaluable approach that many people in the world can utilize to better understand what they are researching. A paradigm is essential in helping individuals understand and explore various variables and psychological behaviors in individuals. The article is detailed enough to provide reasons why statistical knowledge is essential for psychologists.

It is important for the essay to provide a reaction to the readings on the benefits and potential reasons why people who study psychology majors should learn math. The first reason is to expand the scope of knowledge regarding a certain topic or phenomenon in psychology (Landrum, 2015). Statistical methods help improve research and prompts individuals to do more readings, which consequently increase the scope of knowledge. The second benefit of studying statistics in psychology is that it helps compare and understand the relationship between variables. It is through statistics that psychologists can develop critical thinking skills that are equally helpful (Freng et al., 2011). The four readings provided are elaborate and should be inspirational to individuals taking psychology majors to embrace math. Third, statistical skills in psychology improve critical thinking and learning in various circumstances. Structural modeling techniques are essential in experimenting and formulating new opinions about a specific phenomenon (Buchs et al., 2016). It is important to highlight that statistical knowledge is required to make informed decisions regarding various issues in psychological contexts. For instance, studying behavior in society requires statistics for one to prove or deny a specific hypothesis.

To sum it up, statistical knowledge is essential in promoting understanding and experimentation of various hypotheses in psychology. The essay focuses on exploring why students who study psychology need to learn and understand mathematics. For instance, it is through math that research skills and decision making can be improved significantly. Equally, utilizing math in analyzing various situations and improving research skills makes statistics very important for psychology majors. The field of psychology can benefit greatly from statistics if students are encouraged to emulate mathematical skills and techniques in handling or facing various situations.

References

Buchs, C., Gilles, I., Antonietti, J. P., & Butera, F. (2016). Why students need to be prepared to cooperate: a cooperative nudge in statistics learning at university. Educational Psychology, 36(5), 956-974.

Freng, S., Webber, D., Blatter, J., Wing, A., & Scott, W. D. (2011). The role of statistics and research methods in the academic success of psychology majors: Do performance and enrollment timing matter?. Teaching of Psychology, 38(2), 83-88.

Landrum, R. E. (2015). Career development courses: Preparing psychology majors for the workplace. Oxford handbook of undergraduate psychology education, 681œ691.

Schmidt, F. L. (1996). Statistical significance testing and cumulative knowledge in psychology: Implications for training of researchers. Psychological methods, 1(2), 115.