牛津大學心理學專業PS（個人陳述） Psychology Personal Statement
In "Das Vorleser" by Bernard Schlink, the main character asserts that decisions can have no influence on our behaviour. In many ways I think this is true. There are times when we can consciously make a decision, justify it, yet we can't go through with it. I am curious as to why this is, as I have always been fascinated by behaviour. A-Level Psychology has provided me with some answers, yet I am eager to learn more.
Cognitive Psychology is one of my main interests because I believe that the best way to understand people's behaviour is to try to understand the processes that take place in decision making, in remembering and also at times when we don't even realise them, such as during the perception of our surrounding environment. I also like it because of its links to neurosciences, which I have found intriguing because of the links between brain and behaviour. Recently, I have been reading articles on mirror neurons in Scientific American Mind, which I found compelling because it would appear to explain many of the processes engaged in learning. I found Kandel's work with sea slugs fascinating as well because it would seem to explain memory at a biological level, but I feel that there is still much to discover, as I think that all behaviour could be explained in biological terms. I think this should be investigated using the experimental method, with the challenge in doing so making it all the more exciting.
I am also very interested in mental disorders. What compel me are the relationships between various biological and environmental factors which can induce them. Richard P. Bentall's 'Madness Explained' gave me an insight into these relationships, but I also found this book interesting because of the implications for clinical psychology. His theory for treating psychological symptoms rather than whole disorders could be more beneficial for patients due to the lack of reliability in the traditional method of diagnosis and treatment. Despite this, I am sceptical whether this approach would actually eliminate the problem, however he would assert that it does.
I consider myself an excellent candidate to study Psychology as I have a strong work ethic, I am motivated to extend my learning beyond the classroom with reading around the subject and attend lectures organised by the Royal Institute in London when I can (the most recent of which discussing infidelity from a psychological viewpoint) and I am very capable of keeping to deadlines in spite of my many extra curricular activities. I am also a responsible and reliable person as these are some of the qualities required for being a Prefect.
One of these extra curricular activities is Student Researchers. Currently, I am the Head of Qualitative Research and we have to design qualitative questionnaires, distribute them and analyse them. At times this can be quite challenging, especially our first project, which was undertaken during our AS exams. So far we have completed two projects, one exploring the students' views on learning and another investigating the students' views on grades and feedback. I gained excellent experience with researching, analysing and evaluating evidence, drawing conclusions and exploring the implications of these conclusions, which I feel will particularly help me in studying Psychology.
Outside of school, I referee for youth and senior football. This is challenging because of the unpredictability and aggressiveness of some players, whom I must keep control of, often under intense pressure, yet I also find it rejuvenating as it is a break from studying. Since March, I have been in the refereeing promotion scheme, which pushes my ability as a referee and also enhances my organisational skills. I also enjoy playing bass guitar or socialising with friends.
I am eager to study Psychology and the prospect excites me greatly. I strongly believe I am an excellent candidate and I hope that I will be offered a place at your university.
