The human mind is extremely complex. We may never fully understand how or why it works in the way it does, but with every study carried out we edge closer to this goal. In-depth knowledge of the human mind and behaviour can be an invaluable resource in many professions, for example, the police force, in criminal profiling, and many more.
After reading Manwatching by Desmond Morris and upon starting my psychology course in Year 12, I was instantly hooked on the subject. I knew that this is the subject I would like to study in greater detail and build a career in a psychology-related field, either clinical or criminal psychology.
I enjoyed carrying out my coursework, which was based on Glass and Singer's 1972 study into the effects of control on stress levels and ability to perform in a set task. I enjoyed being able to put the skills and knowledge I learned throughout the year into practice, such as analysing and evaluating each aspect of the study.
Being the eldest of four children, with an age difference of thirteen years between the youngest and myself, I have witnessed first-hand the behavioural developments of children from birth to ten years, the age of my sister. This, plus the fact that my mother is a childminder, means that I have experience with how behaviour develops in children of all ages.
Taking A-level math will no doubt help with the statistical side of psychology, analysing the collected data, the most important part of any study, while biology will provide me with a basic understanding of the biological side of the field. I have an active interest in environmental issues, both local and worldwide and so I volunteered for BTCV, the British Trust for Conservational Volunteers, an organisation dedicated to protecting the woodland and its creatures. For a week (and a previously volunteered weekend), I and several other volunteers worked together as a team, coppicing small trees, and making useful objects out of them, such as hedging posts and posts for deer fences. I found this an extremely valuable experience as it really made me feel that I had made a difference and improved my ability to work in a team.
My part-time job as a server has increased my confidence and ability to deal with the sometimes difficult public and has also given me more independence and more initiative. In my spare time, I make full use of my gym membership, I am a registered Blood Donor and give blood whenever I can. I also swim regularly and have competed in gymnastics competitions at both district level and for my school, earning a silver medal. I constantly look for ways in which I can improve my fluency in French and study AS-level French in my free time due to the course not being offered at my school. I speak a little Japanese after being involved in a summer school a few years ago and I have recently begun to learn German. I believe speaking a language is an extremely valuable skill, as knowledge of other cultures will enhance opportunities and expand personal horizons. Many businesses work closely with other companies in other countries and search for employees who can communicate in different languages and understand other cultures, strengthening business relationships.
I am highly motivated, hard-working and have a genuine passion for psychology. I believe that university will provide me with more independence and the skills and knowledge needed to enter the field of clinical psychology.
MA Psychology Statement of Purpose Examples
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