Psychological Facts About Students Behaviour

Not much attention has been paid to the psychological aspects of student behaviour, especially in universities and colleges, though they’re significant enough to merit some consideration. In fact, there are certain psychological facts about students that you should know about in order to better understand how to handle them. Here are 7 surprising facts about their behaviour that will change the way you see them.

 Psychology students: 7 surprising facts about their behaviour

1) They over-optimise

Students entering university are always looking for ways to improve themselves academically. But, according to new research, that might not be a good thing. One study in 2015 concluded that over-preparing for exams can have a detrimental effect on performance; people who do so are more likely to get lower grades overall. The research found that over-preparers often perform worse than their peers because they’re too attached to achieving an ideal outcome—in other words, an A grade or even full marks.

2) They procrastinate

A survey conducted by Student Loan Hero revealed that nearly a third of people in a student debt crisis admitted to delaying making payments on loans, grants or other forms of financial aid. The most common reason for delay was not having enough money to make full payments, but some respondents said they were simply avoiding what is typically an unpleasant task. It's important to pay your debt in a timely manner because defaulting on a loan can severely damage your credit and it may be difficult or impossible to get future loans without a good credit score.

3) They don’t prioritise

In general, humans tend to be pretty bad at prioritising what they need to do. That’s why, when we try to change our behaviours (especially if we have a lot of things going on in our lives), we often find ourselves failing. Although psychology students have a passion for their studies, it doesn’t mean that they are any better at doing what needs to be done. Make sure you keep your goals in mind, make time for them and stay motivated by rewarding yourself when you achieve something small but important toward reaching those goals.

4) They think they know it all

Yes, you're smart. But no one in a classroom knows everything. You might know more than everyone else – but even that's an accomplishment worth celebrating. It's OK to be shy in class. Even if you're 100% convinced that you know what your professor is going to say – he or she doesn't know what you think they're going to say. So don't sit there silently thinking of all your brilliant answers; share! Your contributions will add depth and insight to the conversation. Sure, it can be scary at first, but putting yourself out there is empowering and shows just how far you've come as a student thus far!

5) Their confidence isn’t always justified

You might assume that a graduate in psychology would have it all figured out, but according to psychologist and York University professor Dr. Alice Boyes, that’s often not true. People who are very confident may actually be more likely to make mistakes, because they think they know what they’re doing and so don’t check themselves or ask for help, she says. They might also use a more risky decision-making style because they tend to be less anxious than those who question their decisions. When in doubt, though, there’s nothing wrong with asking someone else—like a supervisor—to look over your work or weigh in on an idea you’re considering.

6) Their success is often down to luck

Many psychology undergraduates are shocked to discover that on average, psychology graduates earn less than non-psychology graduates. For example, in 2014, Psychology graduates averaged around £25,000 a year compared to around £26,000 for Business Studies and £28,000 for Economics graduates. That said there were a few Psychology related subjects which did better (e.g., Sport & Exercise Sciences: BSc(Hons) = £33k; Sport Science & Management/Exercise Science and Health Promotion MSc = £35k). So while they may not earn as much as other graduates at first – there is hope! If you look at successful businessmen like Richard Branson (CEO of Virgin), he never finished his degree!

7) They stress out over unimportant things

Students experience a lot of stress, and it often comes from things that are not really worth stressing over, says Pauline Lavallee, president of College Positive. I mean, who really cares if you get a C instead of a B? The grade is not going to matter in 20 years. So don't worry too much about grades. It's more important to develop relationships with professors and work on your interpersonal skills so you can get good jobs after graduation. In fact, says Lavallee, some employers will actually discriminate against people with great grades—not because they're lazy but because they lack other skills like leadership and communication.