Psychology Program Reflection - Term Paper Example

? Reflective Essay Introduction It is often said that a satisfying career is central to a happy and fulfilled life given that it allows an individual to attain a feeling of well-being, either at a social and economic level. There is significant merit in this observation as I personally believe that equally important benefits can be enjoyed in the very act of building a satisfying career. I have come a long way within both my professional and personal life, whereby I can attribute the bulk of accomplishments to a strong desire for growth and productivity. The paper starts with an introduction that encompasses a narrative of how I have evolved as a psychology student, followed by a description of attributes that I have gained from the psychology program. In the paper, I employ personal experiences and analyze course-related material so as to enrich my understanding of course topics within the psychology program. Discussion The psychology program contained content that is pertinent to numerous occupations applicable to numerous work settings such as value knowledge of human perception, motivation, learning, data analysis, and social behavior. The psychology courses largely focused on the science of human behavior. My goals centered on fulfilling the course requirements of the program department, as well as developing critical thinking skills, in-depth knowledge of psychology, and research competence, which are critical in advancing academic and career pursuits. The psychology class altered my perceptions of this subject; it was not until my first years of high school that I was able to discern the career path to pursue. Initially, I had a few number of careers in mind, but this was my first psychology class that strongly grasped my attention and interest. After undertaking the course, I entirely embraced the concept of becoming a psychologist, not only because I find it interesting, but also because it gives me a leeway in helping people effectively. When I initially chose the psychology program, I thought that career chances in psychology remained slim; however, I later that psychology opens to countless career options (Coon & John, 2012). The psychology program has provided a platform for learning basic concepts and knowledge about the field with regard to job and career opportunities that can be attained with bachelors, masters, and doctorate in psychology. The program enabled me to learn that there were other career options within the realm of psychology that were available to me including teaching, therapy, counseling, administration, business, human resources, and research (Carroll, Shmidt, & Sorensen, 1992).. Applied psychology, in particular, appeals to me compared to academic or research careers (although they are not essentially mutually exclusive). I hope to be a clinical psychologist and take up roles such as assessing, diagnosing, and treating behavioral, cognitive, and emotional disorders while frequently employing research to appraise the effectiveness of treatment and pursue novel approaches in therapy and assessment (Coon & John, 2012). The introduction to psychology course was significantly helpful in my learning of various aspects relating to the discipline of psychology. When I was initially starting out the psychology program, I had minimal knowledge about the discipline of psychology itself; indeed, I initially, I had the misconception that psychology is less of a scientific discipline than physics. Furthermore, prior to joining the introductory psychology class, I perceived that Freudian theory to be what psychology is all about and that hypnotists can compel one to do anything that they want one to do and that geniuses are akin to insanity. Nevertheless, the program has provided a window that the range of psychological research has proven such claims to be false (Patricia & Kujawski, 2006). The psychology program has thrown me into the proverbial “deep end” as it has taught me to apply concepts of psychology into my life. I grew up within an educational system in which schooling drew largely on the traditional system of teaching, which pays too much attention to the role of the teacher on depositing the supposedly correct information to the students. The psychology program has introduced me to a new approach in which the emphasis hinges on performance goals rather than learning goals, which facilitate mastery of material, and contribute positively towards intrinsic motivation that is essential for sustained interest in learning. There are various learning theories regarding student motivation and how students process information. Mentoring plays a critical role in the attainment of skills and knowledge shared, as well as numerous other aspects of professional socialization and personal support required in fostering success in schooling and beyond. Knowledge on the impact of mentoring, especially on academic achievement of at-risk youth, has motivated me to consider launching mentoring programs targeting at risk youth within impoverished neighborhoods. The psychology program gave me an opportunity to enhance the transfer of knowledge and stimulate relationships with other students within the Department of Psychology at the University. The mentoring program availed a structured, yet flexible, system to foster one-on-one relationships with the alumni. This provided me with a “real world” guidance centering on career planning and skills development far beyond what I would have gained in class. The mentoring program at the university gave me exposure to and consideration of career options within diverse industries and sectors. This was also a chance for networking and discussing classroom or textbook concepts as they connect to working professionals’ experiences. Behavioral psychology (behaviorism) refers to a theory derived from the notion that all behaviors are acquired via conditioning. This approach was advanced by prominent psychologists such as John B. Watson and B.F. Skinners. Studying developmental psychology has helped me to understand myself, given that all people were once children, learning about how children develop and grow can avail additional insight into the person that one has become. Indeed, developmental psychology has enabled me to gain a greater appreciation of human development throughout life. I once carried out an experiment with young children with the intention of confirming Piaget’s sensorimotor stage dwelling on object permanence, which turned to be true. I showed the children equal amount of juice in glasses of different sizes. When the glass contents are poured into a longer and thinner glass, and they could not identify that, the glass contained equal amount of juice as the original identical glasses. Studying psychology has deepened my appreciation of psychological processes and thoughts in broad ways that I had not anticipated. The program has not only increased my interests in the discipline, but also made me eager to learn. The psychology program has introduced me to areas such as abnormal psychology and development psychology. Courses in abnormal psychology explored the biological, environmental, and cultural impacts on abnormal behavior. The course gave me insights into personality disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, and psychosomatic disorders. This course left a huge impression on me on how to support my younger brother, Paul, who suffers from borderline personality disorder. Initially, Paul seemed like an enigma to me, and I was always at a loss for how to help him. In most of the instances, I felt guilt, exhausted, confused, and overwhelmed and even thought my brother to be manipulative in getting what he wants, uncaring, and always thinking about himself. The condition can yield to chronic stress of caring for Paul such as severe psychological trauma owing to some of the high-risk behaviors (self-harm behaviors) linked to borderline personality disorder. The course on abnormal psychology gave insights and strategies of dealing with the symptoms of borderline personality disorder such as emotional instability, impulse behavior, disturbed patterns of perception/thinking, and intense, but unstable relationship with other people. Other courses that had a profound influence on me include developmental psychology, social psychology, and personality psychology. The psychology program availed an excellent opportunity to understand human behavior by employing scientifically rigorous methods. The psychology program has awarded me with an opportunity to think scientifically about behavior, gain insight into the skills related to the conduct of research, and appreciate the values that mirror psychology (as a science and an applied discipline). By the end of the psychology program, I have comprehended that individuals possess different thought processes, reactions, and feelings towards situations such as loss of a loved one, terrorist attacks, and motor vehicle accidents representing extra-ordinary stressful events that shatter the sense of security. Furthermore, the psychology program has enabled me to gain desirable skills such as predicting and comprehending the behavior of individuals and groups; comprehending how to utilize and interpret data; appraise the legitimacy of claims regarding behavior; demonstrate the capability to adapt to change; manage difficult situations and high stress environments; and, gain resilience in challenging circumstances. The program has availed insights into responses to emotional difficulties within the form of coping patterns, defense mechanisms, and schema that can be adopted in dealing with traumas and life problems. The module has also aided me to understand the some of the acts of aggression behavior that one of my peers, Bob, exhibited during lower schooling years. The psychology programs have helped attained valuable insights on why this might have been the case. The program has provided an understanding of why children of authoritarian parents are characteristically low in social and academic competence, experience negative events as school, and are highly likely to be unfriendly. Bob was very unfriendly to the majority of people indicative of rejecting-neglecting parenting style that yields to antisocial behavior, low academic competence, and depression. The program has also aided me to appreciate the significance of the home environment given that, for a majority of young people representing a place of instability and emotional upheaval in which caring, security, and nurturing may be depleted, or nonexistent, and this may yield to adverse impacts on children. The psychology program was not without challenges: first, the application process to the program was a bit strenuous. Gaining collaboration with educators and fellow students to create an enriching and supportive, active learning environment has been quite challenging. The program was alive with high expectations, added responsibilities, and additional coursework. As a result, I had to learn how to manage my time and stay motivated. I was able to overcome challenges encountered in the psychology program by making school a priority, establishing an effective study routine, volunteering to work with graduate faculty, keeping a journal, and focusing on getting good grades. Conclusion Certainly, I am pleased that I selected this program during my freshmen years as I am firmly on course towards my career choice and I have all the information needed to take that route. The psychology program availed an excellent background and a strong foundation for my career goals, especially given that is aligns with my resolve to pursue a career in Psychology. The psychology program gave me an opportunity to acquire basic skills required to attain a sophisticated understanding of the field, a wide grasp of the varied areas of inquiry that constitute psychology, and an opportunity to shape an advanced understanding of certain areas of interest. Works Cited Carroll, J. L., Shmidt, J. L., & Sorensen, R. (1992). Careers in psychology: Or what can I do with a bachelor's degree. Psychological Reports, 71 (1): 1151-1154. Coon, D., & John, M. (2012). Psychology: A Journey. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Patricia, Kowalski and Kujawski Taylor. Ability and critical thinking as predictors of change in students' psychological misconceptions. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 31.4 (2006): 297-303. Read More