My Passion Towards The Study In The Field Of Developmental Psychology

I have always felt a strong desire to understand how individuals are affected by certain disorders and experiences - in particular, how developmental disorders such as autism can affect behaviour, communication and social functioning. Having a brother diagnosed with autism at the age of five, I nurtured a desire to seek answers regarding the human mind and its complexity, and so I have drawn a passionate longing towards the study of psychology.

The study of Sociology at A-level has helped me understand the rejection I felt as a working-class female of Asian ethnic minority, largely through my experiences at white populated educational institutions. Through learning about critical race theorists such as Daria Roithmayr, I have felt that I have gained a deeper understanding towards the education system through her explanation of institutional racism being a ‘locked-in inequality’ - in which David Gillborn applies this concept to the education system. As my white peers bonded through their cultural similarities, I often felt ashamed because of them as their racist ‘banter’ was targeted towards me - the only Asian in my class. However, I was more intrigued by why I was treated differently from my white peers. Questions such as what makes individuals act in such a way baffled me; sparking an interest in psychology for me as I grew older. Fortunately, through the diversity of my college, I have made friends from many cultural backgrounds, and I have learnt that these differences should not be deemed shameful; but rather that they define who I am, and I should learn to embrace them.

In addition to my academic studies, I have taken up babysitting in my spare time; an enjoyable experience in which I am able to observe and correlate theories from my own research on developmental psychology; such as Jean Piaget and his theory of cognitive development, which suggest that children move through four stages of mental development, therefore making my theoretical perspective more insightful, as I am able to apply this theory to the real world. I also attended a ‘trial’ lecture at one of my university open days which I found incredibly useful as we learnt extensively about research methods; enhancing my previous knowledge gained in Sociology through theoretical perspectives such as positivism vs. interpretivism. Furthermore, concepts such asz Talcott Parsons ‘primary socialisation’ have allowed me to develop an understanding of the effect of raising children with encouragement and aid, further igniting my interest towards developmental psychology.

Aside from my academia, in my free time I enjoy reading as a hobby, allowing me to expand my own general knowledge whilst engaging in something I love to do. Moreover, during my study of criminology in my first year, theorists such as Freud, Bandura and Eysenck enthralled my understanding of criminality by applying Freud’s personality theory to criminality. This allowed me to widen my knowledge of criminology and to an extent my psychological knowledge. Not only does the study of my two other subjects contribute to my understanding of psychology, but the study of English has also allowed me to explore social issues through the context of Shakespeare’s' ‘Othello’ as I expand my knowledge towards the social context and the issues that were present within the Jacobean era. I was inspired by a Freudian analysis of Othello - presented in a research article which expressed how Iago is in fact homosexual, and through his lust for Othello he takes out his frustration upon Desdemona, thus Iago’s homosexuality would result from a failure to resolve the oedipal complex in childhood. This analysis allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of Othello in my English studies, and allowed me to engage in critical thinking.

I believe that my skills and knowledge can be developed even further at your institution, in which I hope to gain a career in the field of developmental psychology and strive for educational success.