our challenges

I think that the biggest challenge for psychology is to be able to say what the mind and the emotions are. There are different theories and they all postulate different and opposite things about this subject, that is why there is not one psychology. If someone asks to a psychologist what are the mind and the emotions, they will answer from the approach that they apply and believe in. For example, if I ask about the mind to a behavioral psychology, the answer will be that the “black box” can`t be studied, so is not considered in the theory, but if we ask to a cognitive psychology, the answer bill be extremely different, it will say that with the mind we significate and interpretate what we live as animals, creating the subjective experience. The necessity to be able to agree with all the approaches of psychology is the biggest challenge and the weakest aspect of my discipline, but is also the best part of it. For me, is fun and necessary that in a profession coexist different ways of seen the word and the human being, because it allows flexibility and freedom to choose which one makes more sense to you, the one you like the most, the one that will help you to accomplish what you want as a professional and as a person. I think that is no solution for this “problem”, which I think is good, but I also think that it can be improved. In the time that I have been part of the program I have observed that the people are not very respectful with the psychologist that do not agree with the way they think, that goes for everybody, even me.

I think that teaching respect for the “different thought” it will improve the relationship that exist between the many types of psychologist, which will help to create a better, solid and complete knowledge created with cooperation and respect.

I think that the other big challenge of psychology is the social role of this discipline. Some people say that the psychologist could be a generator of change or a reproducer of the power relations of our society. I think that we as an active social actor have to question our role in the society and discover what we want to do with it. We need to be aware of what we do, not only in our consult with our patients, but also as a person who participates and influences the social order, so we could know what our actions mean and what we have to do to accomplished our personal goal, as a discipline and as individuals.