Hot Spots in Psychology

• Mind-Body Debate

Is the mind a separate part of the body, or is the body an extension of the mind? Which is in control? Does the mind control the body via thought, or does the body control the mind via hormones? (More Info)

• Nature or Nurture

Are the behaviors of people based on genetic influences (nature) or environmental learning (nurture)? Is it a combination of the two? What is the proportion of natural and nurturing influences on people's behavior? (More Info)

• Reductionism or Holism 

Can human behavior be understood by breaking it down into smaller parts, or is it better understood as a whole? Is the best way to understand behavior looking at the smallest measurable activity and working up to the large scale? (More Info)

Although all three of these points are related to each other to some degree, I find the mind-body debate most interesting. I grew up in a religious context, so I was raised with the idea that there was dualism between the body and the spirit. This has many similarities to the mind-body problem, and was historically discussed in a religious context, using the idea of the body and soul being distinct.

From my own experience, I feel that there is some distinction between our spirit and our body, but being able to differentiate only comes with death, or near-death experiences. I cannot objectively prove this, but my own experience has led me to believe that a person's spirit is essentially placed into a body. I would say the "which is in control" question varies from individual to individual. Some, are largely led by doing what they "feel" is right, even if it goes against what the body wants, while others are more likely to "give in" to the bodies demands. This debate is one of the principal reasons I chose to study psychology in the first place; to answer this, and other perplexing (and somewhat philosophical) questions.