Psychology Personal Statement

I was in the psychology field working to be a social worker and counseling with children and teenagers for mental health.

I have always been interested in the way people act and what affects their behaviour in social situations. From studying psychology at A-level this passion and fascination has grown so much so that I now want to complete a degree in psychology to further my knowledge into human behaviour and what motivates a person to show this behaviour. From studying Piliavin during my A-level course I learnt about the ‘diffusion of responsibility’ which helped me understand why people are lacking in motivation to help a person in need, this theory became particularly interesting to me when a customer at work who had special needs broke down crying because she had lost a key to her house, other customers in the shop fled and refused to help her if I had not learnt about Piliavin this behaviour would have shocked and confused me but I now understand why a person feels this behaviour is necessary and their only option. Therefore I think that psychology is vital in society and everyday life as human behaviour is always being analysed by others and so psychology is fundamental to be able to understand the human mind in a variety of situations and to fully understand why people think and act the way they do.

I’ve always loved the thrill of a challenge, and what’s more challenging than attempting to study the most mysterious thing known to mankind: the human brain? Dr Oliver Sacks said ‘If a man has lost a leg or an eye, he knows he has lost a log or an eye; but if he has lost a self – himself – he cannot know it, because he is no longer there to know it.’ Without memory, what are we at all? Memory makes us the person that we are; we build from our past experiences and use them to adapt our personality, and the complexity of it all is what intrigues me to pursue psychology at university and into a career as a neuropsychologist. In 2009 a family member of mine was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. This was one of the first elements that sparked

“It takes a village to raise a child.” I never quite understood that saying when I was growing up, but my experiences teaching and working in school settings have showed me how true it really is. Obtaining a degree in school psychology will allow me to give the support that students, families and educators need to ensure that every student will thrive.

Psychology is a term derived from two Greek words that translate to life explanation, which makes it an important element of daily life. The field of psychology can be described as a discipline that focuses on the study of mind and behavior. This discipline is characterized by several concepts and approaches that are used by psychologists in understanding human behavior. Since psychology is a broad field, psychologists not only use these concepts and approaches but also conduct scientific research that enables them to understand human behavior. Some of the most common psychological concepts that are used to modify or change an individual’s behavior include operant conditioning, positive and negative punishment,

​When I declared a psychology major during the second year of my undergraduate career, my objective was to attend medical school and eventually become a psychiatrist. I enjoyed the psychology classes in which I was enrolled and found them to compliment the premed curriculum I also wanted to study. I reasoned that a major in psychology would provide insight that could later be useful in my planned studies of psychiatry. Although I decided against going to medical school, psychology remained the primary area of focus of my studies with the ultimate career goal of becoming a clinical psychologist. While my long term professional plans include achieving a PhD and becoming a clinical psychologist. Pursuing a masters degree in

Lawrence fiddled with a toy while listening to the radio. After the broadcast was over, he softly mumbled something, though he generally kept to himself. I listened closely since his autism typically prevented Lawrence from stringing even two words together. He had recited the entire radio program, virtually word for word, even mimicking the tone of the broadcaster's voice. My jaw dropped. At that moment I knew that I wanted to learn more about Lawrence’s autism condition so that I could help him grow, but I also hoped to dedicate myself to studying the brain both from a physiological and psychological standpoint.

It's fascinating that humankind has had an easier time entering outer space than trying to develop a complete understanding of the human brain; and this paucity of information is what drove me to pursue the field of psychology, the fact that resting in my head is one of the world's most ironic enigmas. How can we know so little about the thing that makes us who we are? On the first day of my AP psychology course, my teacher informed us that “In this class you may be left with more questions than answers, and if you can't handle that, this may not be the class for you.” And when he said that, it was clear to that I was in the right place. You see, a riddle is no fun if the solution is obvious.

To me psychology in itself is a beautiful mosaic piece hanging in museum and a Mozart’s symphony piece paying in the background. My interest in clinical psychology dates back to my years in high school, where I excelled in psychology. When I was a senior, I took a second-year course in psychology at my high school. This advanced-level AP psychology class was engaging and interesting, and earned an A. Since then all I can remember, I have been motivated to understand human thought, feeling, and behavior. It seemed only logical that I pursue a career in clinical psychology.

Through the last two years as a student at Manchester Community College, I have been able to experience numerous classes and meet wonderful professors. In my first semester of college, I decide to take a general psychology class with Dr. Francine Rosselli-Navarra. She taught me that psychology is a science, which studies our minds and behaviors. After that class I knew that I did not just want to study the physical feature of the brain and the brain process, but how the interactions with and within our brains that produce our cognitive functions. After completing that psychology class I realized that I did not wish to be a biology major anymore, instead I wished to study in the field of Neuroscience, which is a combination of both biology and psychology.

Students that desire to pursue a career in psychological therapy need to be focused individuals and they need to be willing to put in the work that needs to be done. I'm talking to students that are willing to do a lot of reading because in order to pursue this career you have to learn about people and how there feelings and emotions work. Student you don't need to be shy to ask a question because no question is a stupid question. That is the only way your teacher will know how to help you it is pointless to sit there in the classroom and not ask questions it is apart of learning. You also want to make sure that your GPA is not to low it needs to be least a 3.0 or higher maybe a little bit higher in order for you to get into any good colleges

The current vision for the contribution that I would like to make within the field of Psychology and within my community is to become a college/university professor. Part of the vision is that I will be dedicated to teaching my students the best practices within Psychology and the most up to date information. Another part of this vision is becoming an active researcher within the field of Psychology, expanding the knowledge within the Psychology field. This will provide a service to the community by providing a higher education to individuals. I wouldn’t say that my interests, vision, and perspectives concerning my aspirations for Psychology have changed because of this course.

According to the World Health Organisation psychology is defined as not merely the absence of psychological disorders, but rather the physical social and psychological well-being of an individual. What draws me into studying psychology is learning how people interact with each other, how such disorders have affected peoples personalities, why these people act differently to others and to what extent the brain has in impairing our lives. During my A level studies I developed a much greater sense of the appreciation of health and the factors that affect it. This has involved studying human behaviour and attitudes in psychology, and how these affect the functioning of the brain ultimately how they impact on health, and leads to poor physical health. We have also looked at the impact of psychosocial factors from a sociological viewpoint.

As someone who naturally questions human behaviour, psychology is intriguing to me as it can help provide us with the answers to the unknown through experimental research. In my opinion, this is what makes psychology such a thrilling and exciting subject to study. I am interested in studying psychology in order to learn more about how the mind and brain can affect our behaviour. Not only can the knowledge I gain strengthen my future career prospects, but it can also increase my understanding of the world around me. I carried out an independent research project about the biological factors that influence the mind, and in particular the effect of mental illness.

Already getting started next year, I enrolled into a psychology class to get a jumpstart for when I go into college. I chose to enroll into the psychology class because the human mind is something that is very complex and diverse. By me taking this class, I am partially more ahead and more taught than that of a student who doesn’t take the class. And that way, when I get into the psychology major, I have a small intake of what it is all about.