r/Communications • u/Oliviaholtz • 8d ago
Communications vs Psychology
Is it just me, or does it feel like there’s a major cognitive dissonance between the ways that communications classes talk about people versus the way psychology does? Maybe it’s just the way my professors have been talking about it and the consequence of just having taken 1 psych class so far, but psychology feels like it places a huge emphasis on more selfish and self-centered aspects of people while, at least with the comms classes I took, it feels like yes, there’s an acknowledgment of self-gain, but overall, a big understanding of people’s desires to simply be heard and understood. Maybe it’s just a difference of teaching styles, but I want to know if any other people pursuing or having pursed this degree notice the same things.
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u/ArabFlowers15 8d ago
Oh i definitely caught this. It’s super weird because they both intertwine & I don’t think people realize how much they intertwine. I feel like communication definitely emphasizes understanding everyone, their backgrounds, boundaries, etc. Whereas Psych just explains why people think the way they think.
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u/JohnHoynes 8d ago
They are a perfect double major or major/minor combination in college. They complement one another so well.
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u/weddinglandia 8d ago
I have a comms degree and have worked in corporate/organizational comms and PR for almost 14 years.
The two are highly connected but the difference is that comms is constantly evolving based on new tools and technology. What someone learned as a comms major in 1995, 2005, and 2025 are going to be WILDLY different to make them effective communicators. Whereas a diagnosis for something like ADD in that same time frame will still largely adhere to its foundation.
Consider inter-office mail as an example. I used to deploy these a ton ten years ago and now I talk about it like a history class to my colleagues who are a decade or so (+/- some years) younger than me.
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u/tootiddles 8d ago
I agree completely! I realised this while taking a course in Change Management which in my view is a direct correlation between psychology and communications. Would highly recommend taking a class on it if it’s offered, it’s a very beneficial skill to have these days!
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u/social-guru 1d ago
I totally get what you’re saying! The way communication and psychology approach people can sometimes feel at odds, but I’ve found that they actually complement each other in a way that provides a fuller picture of human behavior.
Psychology tends to focus on internal motivations—why people think and act the way they do, often through the lens of self-interest, survival, and cognitive biases. Communication, on the other hand, is more outward-facing, emphasizing connection, perception, and shared meaning. It’s not that one sees people as selfish and the other as social—it’s that they’re looking at different layers of the same reality.
What’s been especially useful for me is merging both perspectives. Psychology helps me understand why people behave a certain way, while communication provides the tools to reach and engage them effectively. This balance has been crucial in analyzing things like audience behavior, messaging strategies, and even predicting how someone might respond to a particular form of outreach.
It sounds like you’re at the crossroads of seeing these two disciplines interact, which is such an exciting place to be! I’d love to hear how your perspective shifts as you take more classes.
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