Are you thinking about majoring in psychology? For a lot of students, picking a college major can be a difficult decision. It can be particularly tough if you are torn between similar majors (such as psychology and social work) or differing interests. Talking to your academic advisor can help, but one of the best ways to determine if a major is right for you is to spend a lot of time researching your options.

Start by taking this quick quiz that seeks to help you answer the basic question: Should you major in psychology? Once you have a better idea of whether the subject might be a good fit for you based on your needs and interests, continue to explore some of the things you should consider before you choose a psychology major, some of the great reasons why you should earn a psychology degree, as well as some of the different educational paths and career options you'll find once you graduate.

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Definition: Behavioral therapy uses the principles of behaviorism to increase desirable behaviors and reduce or eliminate unwanted ones. Unlike many other forms of therapy, behavioral therapy is focused on taking an action-based approach to changing specific behaviors. Some methods used in this type of therapy including aversion therapy, flooding, systematic desensitization, extinction, and contingency management.

Learn more about how this approach works in this overview of behavioral therapy.

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While many students in the U.S. are probably thinking about the upcoming summer break, it will soon be time to start thinking about final exams. While there are no sure-fire shortcuts when studying for a psychology test, there are things that you can do to get the most out of your study time. By following these relatively simple strategies, you can be sure that you'll be ready when test day arrives. Learn more about how to study for a psychology test.

More Test-Taking Tips

• Tips for Taking Multiple-Choice Psychology Tests
• Psychology Test-Taking Strategies
• Share Your Best Psychology Study Tips

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Marketers utilize a number of different techniques to gain compliance from consumers, including one that is known as the "low-ball" technique. I was recently shopping for a new cell phone plan and experienced this particular compliance strategy first hand. The salesman pitched what sounded like a really great plan for mobile phone service. As we were preparing to sign the two-year service agreement, the salesman suddenly mentioned some additional hidden fees that made what had started out as a great deal turn into a not-so-great deal.

This low-ball strategy works by first getting the consumer to make a commitment before raising the terms of making that commitment. The hope is that since you have already dedicated yourself to the decision, you will stick with it even when the costs increase. While I walked away from the cell phone contract once it became clear that we would actually be paying much more than the salesman initially claimed we would be, many consumers find themselves going along with sales pitches that utilize this clever compliance technique.

Some other strategies that are frequently used to gain consumer compliance include the "foot-in-the-door" technique (getting you to make a small commitment before requesting a much larger one) and the famous "that's-not-all" technique ("...but wait, that's not all! Buy now and you'll get an extra for FREE!").

Learn more about how compliance works, when and why we are more likely to comply, and some more techniques that are often used in this article on the psychology behind compliance.

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