Steven Pinker, a renowned experimental psychologist (with credentials) once argued that it is not only the scientists, professionals and academics who study the mind. He asserts that instead, we all do. I would agree with him. In a lifetime, we amass countless experiences interpreting interactions and intentions in our relationships with others, both positive and negative, which feed into the conceptualization of ourselves. Depending on who you are, this process may be more or less of a conscious or intentional study. I am not saying that we are all great psychologists, but that we are all psychologists.
In particular, Pinker credits great poets and novelists in their ability to “create representations of our general nature” (Pinker, 2002). Do you remember Eng Lit in high-school/secondary school)? I recall hours combing through Golding or Steinbeck, or theorizing why George finally shot Lenny, simultaneously wondering just how this was supposed to prepare me for life. I’m now beginning to see it a little differently.
If literature is a product of minds, it is not hard to imagine novels and poems as human expositions. What does it take to write a compelling story, to create an imaginable context in which we can relate to the characters and their predicaments? A writer’s ability to elicit our empathy for characters unlike ourselves or to draw us into unfamiliar territories might suggest an impressive knowledge of what it means to be human. Yes, a story may not offer us facts or tangible conclusions. But hopefully it casts light on a nuance or offers some semblance of validation, enough to inspire questions about our own experiences.
A well written story leaves just enough space for a reader to exercise their intuition or imagination while remaining connected to the intended narrative (White, 2007). Interestingly, how we relate to one another also shares a balance between recognizing familiar experiences while allowing for individual nuances.
Literature and Psychology have been trading notes for a while. The great works of Dostoevsky have continued to feature in psychology academia. Jung, Adler and other notable figures have referenced literary works in their study of the mind . For Freud and Lacan, even coined terms also have their literary roots (Emir, 2016). On the other side, distinguished authors like Ian McEwan (Parker, 2019) and Virginia Woolf (Johnson, 1994) are famous for their astute psychological study in the portrayal of characters and their dispositions.
There are many additional examples of analysis of the human psyche embedded in other professions, not usually held as hallmarks of psychological expertise. I would include actors and comedians among those undervalued in the world of psychology as many are able to investigate nuanced problems of culture, engage audiences, evoke emotion and tactfully offer us a grain of relatable truth. Car salesmen and real estate brokers who navigate the push pull dynamics of incentivizing.
I invite you to dive into how other fields of study offer their own gifts of psychological wisdom. Pick up a novel, watch a comedy special or listen to a poem read aloud (pay attention to how you engage with colleagues/customers) and see what you can get from it. Hopefully, you will feel more inclined to dig for meaning behind the text now that there is no essay or chapter summary to hand in. See if it makes you a better psychologist.
Why did I write this, because I’ve ran into a few too many people telling me “what do I know, I am not a psychologist.” For those who already do this and have found this entire article to be another summary of what they already know, I’m curious to know if and how your reading makes you a better psychologist. What have you been paying attention to lately? Which works have given you new insights?