Developmental Psychology Personal Statement
The field of psychology, unlike in most of the individuals whom I have interacted with, it was not among my interest in childhood. I loved repairing and making my own toy cars to the extent that my parents thought I would be an engineer. Today, I can associate my passion with the people I grew around and my interest in understanding how people just change. Apart from that, underrepresentation of the minority communities in the field, together with challenges they go through, made me believe that the changes that human beings undergo might be normal, but some individuals require assistance to help them manage it.
Therefore, one of the main things motivating me to pursue the programs is to have a better understanding of the normative development process. This will enable me to have the necessary knowledge from which I can help those from minority communities to promote their well-being. Besides, a developmental psychologist works with an individual of all ages, which will then give an opportunity to fulfill my interest in knowing people change.
Furthermore, the fact that developmental psychology focuses on not only the physical changes but also the issues to do with emotional, social, and cognitive offers another chance for me to understand the process more comprehensively. Together with the love I have to make the best out of individual, my greatest aim will be achieved by dealing with concerns of moral reasoning, personalities, challenges in learning and development, among others.
In the United States, the issue of disciplining children is common and most prevalent in some of the parenting styles employed in different homes. For example, corporal punishments are mainly practiced in the authoritarian parenting style. This has been found to have significant effects on mental health, academic performance, and other detrimental effects, including the formation of relationships. This is something I have been totally against, and I believe through the program, I will be able to have the necessary knowledge and skills that I can apply and advise parents on this bad practice.
Besides, a better understanding of why and how individuals change will enable me to help individuals from the minority communities and others to live up to their potential, which is among my aims of bringing a change to the population. Proper recognition of potential problems that are posed by challenges in the normal development will contribute to my interest in understanding human beings and issues such as low self-esteem, frustrations, depression, and poor performance in schools. Therefore, getting into the program will be a big opportunity for me.
In conclusion, developmental psychology is a field that I developed interest because of the people who were around me and my interest in understanding how and why human beings change. Besides, some of the challenges that are experienced by individuals in minority communities concerning the development process are what made me think that it might not be normal for everyone. Thus, I plan to help them in dealing with some of the problems they experience related to development. Furthermore, a good understanding of the normative developmental processes gives a psychiatrist a chance to explain to individuals affected by the situation some about the issue, which will then promote better management. This is among the reasons I am motivated to pursue the program because it will help me make a change.
