Psychology Personal Statement Example 35

My passion for psychology began when an experience on a plane with severe turbulence made me think about the irrational fear I was experiencing.

The Science of Psychology helped me realise, that my fear of flying was not abnormal but simply a learned emotional response to a situation that provoked intense and terrifying thoughts.

Being able to understand my phobia and how I can control it is why psychology has changed a part of my life.

The diversity of the A Level syllabus has reinforced my commitment. The course has enabled me to work independently and manage my time effectively.

These skills were demonstrated in my A Level coursework project which involved extensively researching a topic of my choice.

I thoroughly enjoyed this project as I was able to gain an insight into many relevant theories of my chosen subject on figure attractiveness.

To support my studies I attended a crime conference in Leicester which was a fascinating experience, from hearing crime investigators talk about their daily challenges to psychopath profilers engaging in the nature vs. nurture debate.

I also heard American Nick Yarris' poignant story of spending 20 years on death row after being framed for murder. Attending the conference strengthened my note taking and listening skills.

Working in a primary school for a week as a teacher's assistant with children aged 4-5, has furthered my interest in the educational aspects of psychology and I believe that this experience has been useful for a career in psychology.

The experience enhanced my leadership skills and I was able to communicate successfully with the children, helping them to grasp classroom topics they found difficult.

Seeing the way in which children socialise and engage in different activities helped me acknowledge that conditioning of behaviour is prevalent in a human's first few years.

Last year I decided to participate in an outreach project which involved visiting a nearby college to help teenagers with a range of disabilities with basic skills such as numeracy and literacy.

This was an incredibly fulfilling experience; I gained confidence in supporting others and working as a unit with the other volunteers.

In my spare time I enjoy reading books of a psychological nature, having subscribed to the magazine 'Psychology'. I enjoy reading autobiographies; especially Nick Yarris “7 Days To Live” which I took pleasure in reading after hearing him give his story at a conference I attended.

I am enthusiastic for research and find current and past theories fascinating, particularly Freud's theory of the unconscious mind and its relevance in our desires and compulsions. Reading 'Basic Freud' has helped me comprehend his theories in more depth.

I enjoy travelling to different parts of the world, experiencing different cultures and meeting a range of people.

A school trip to Singapore and Malaysia meant I had to immerse myself in different cultures and I became aware of the different attitudes whilst socialising with people from a different background.

Whilst learning to adapt to an environment I had never experienced before I was lucky enough to complete a week on an eco field trip which presented a range of exciting activities; trekking through the rainforest, snorkelling and walking through mangroves in thigh high water.

Above all the experience taught me about the critical state that parts of the environment are in.

Working part time as a sales assistant has enhanced my interpersonal skills, the ability to cope under pressure and my time management skills. Music has always been an interest of mine and I have completed grade 4 in piano and grade 3 in cello.

During my gap year I will spend part of the year in Borneo taking part in Orang-utan conservation.

I am fascinated by the similarities between their behaviour and ours and think that helping conserve their environment and observing them would be particularly fulfilling as well as educational and I feel this would be useful and relevant experience before starting a course in psychology.