Discovering Psychology DSE141 May 2012

Here’s four words I’ve always wanted to be able to say – “I’m a psychology student”.

Something about psychology always fascinated me when I was younger. Similar, I suppose, to the way that philosophy did. Much as I enjoy science and empirical proof, I love those subjects where interpretation is subjective and so changeable. I loved studying philosophy, hard as it was, for the fact that I could read something by Descartes and legitimately question his work (and/or sanity) without being ‘wrong’ and I think psychology is going to go a similar kind of route.

It’s early days in my DSE141 module of course, but so far it’s gone into depth about the psychological determinants which may cause someone to do harm to another – is it their inherent personality traits and/or characteristics or is it more to do with just following orders or imitating others (it discusses Nazi leaders and authoritarianism at length).

I’m loving it. Absolutely loving it. It’s the yang to my social policy yin and in fact I’m already so incredibly excited about getting to study DD307, as I started it once before and had to drop out, so I know how brilliant it is. Social psychology is a definite area of strong interest for me and it was part of the reason I chose to do this second degree in Criminology and Psychological Studies.

One of the ever endearing features of the OU for me was that I was able to study whatever I wanted and come out with a qualification – no set pathway, no modules I didn’t want to do or thought looked boring, I just cherry picked modules one at a time until I finished the degree. Well, despite not being able to do that now and actually having a set path to follow I must admit – it ain’t all that bad on this side!

'Five out of the six modules for this degree are set in stone and the remaining free choice is a no-brainer for me as it gets me another qualification in addition to this one but I don’t feel like I’m trapped in the qualification at all'

Five out of the six modules for this degree are set in stone and the remaining free choice is a no-brainer for me as it gets me another qualification in addition to this one but I don’t feel like I’m trapped in the qualification at all. Every one of the modules sounds interesting and worth studying and they’re exactly the kind of topics I’d have chosen myself anyway so this, for me, is like a dream degree! My only problem at the minute is which order to do them in to a) have them not overlap too horrendously with my MA, but b) get the degree finished as quickly as I can.

I’d rather not have anything overlap my MA at all but to qualify for the transitional arrangements I have no choice. It’s doable though, the worst time will be from next June through to October when I have to write my dissertation, however, it works out quite nicely that whichever module I study next will finish in June 2013 anyway and the next one won’t start until the October. Works out brilliantly doesn’t it.

Surely I can’t be the only student concerned with overlaps though? Am I the only person studying for more than one qualification at a time? Please, someone, tell me I’m not the only module masochist at the OU?


 

Psychology in the Pub in Sheffield returns on Thursday 21 June with Dr Gail Coleman on racicm in the mental health.

Does racism continue to play a role in our mental health system today and what is the impact of racism on the individual? Clinical
Psychologist Gail Coleman will explore these questions in a presentation looking at the historical roots and reality of racism in psychology and in British society today.

Dr Coleman will consider the way BME people have been pathologised by psychiatric/psychological professions. She will also reflect upon the impact on children, given that nearly 88,000 racist incidents were recorded in Britain's schools between 2007 and 2011. In conclusion, Dr Coleman will discuss what can we do to promote change in the NHS, in our education systems,in our families and in our communities today.

• Find out more about Psychology in the Pub
   

Positive psychology is the scientific study of the positive aspects of human life, such as happiness, confidence and achievement; it focuses on understanding and promoting what makes life worth living rather than on treating mental illness.

Bridget is one of the first qualified positive psychologists to practice in Europe and her latest book is full of straightforward advice, case studies and step-by-step instructions to making your life even better.

Speaking to Platform at a time when many of us are thinking about New Year’s resolutions and developing good habits, Bridget offers readers some helpful pointers, based on some of the latest research in positive psychology:

Beyond SMART: 3 Top Tips for Successful Goal-Setting and Achievement
 

Focus on creating approach goals

According to psychology research, avoidance goals (those with negative outcomes which we work to avoid) are stressful because constantly monitoring negative possibilities drains our energy and enjoyment, eventually taking its toll on our well-being. On the other hand if we set approach goals i.e. those with positive outcomes which we work towards, our focus is on achieving the presence of something positive, which is more energizing and enjoyable. According to psychologists this ultimately leads to greater well-being too.

Increase your intrinsic motivation

Being intrinsically motivated (i.e. doing something because you want to, not because you have to) is an essential part of goal achievement. Intrinsic motivation can be increased by ensuring that, in identifying and pursuing your goal, three basic psychological needs are met:  i) control, ii) competence and iii) connection. If your goal is not freely chosen, how might you change it so that you increase the amount of control that you have?  To increase your level of competence, why not seek regular and constructive feedback on your performance from a trusted friend, colleague or mentor? And how might you ensure that you have positive support from those around you in achieving your goal?

Develop your self-control and commitment

Fortunately for us, self-control is like a muscle – the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. This means that being more disciplined in one domain of your life can help you develop greater self-control in other areas. The key to self-control is to try to create new habits which simply become part of your day-to-day routine; after a while you don’t need much self-control at all.

Research into goal commitment suggests that it makes a difference to your self-motivation whether you focus on the progress you’ve already made, or whether you focus on the things that you have left to achieve. If you are fully committed to your goal, you can maintain your self-motivation by focusing on what you have left to do. But if your commitment is less than 10 out of 10, you can increase your self-motivation by focusing on what you have already accomplished.

Finally, remember that not all goals are equal in the well-being stakes: make sure yours are intrinsic, congruent and in harmony with each other.

To find out more about Bridget’s work or to order her book, visit her website.

For your chance to win a copy of Bridget's book, see our competition. Share your goal for 2012 and be in with a chance of winning...