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Why
did you do that?
Written
By Kaaren Watts
with assistance from Sarah Wilson
Human
behaviour has forever fascinated me. I always wanted to know
what caused people to do certain things, and what correlations
could be attributed to it. However, it was the issue of nature
versus nurture that drew me into the broad spectrum of Psychology.
As a PhD student at the University of New South Wales, I am
examining whether young women have automatic emotional responses
towards appearance-related words and images. This is in the
field of Behavioural
psychology, and involves a lot of research and
experimentation.
Today involved running an experiment on first year psychology
students. It is the final one in a series of 11 studies that
form the basis of my PhD research. This is very typical of
my daily work, which is currently focused on intensive data
collection and data analysis. As soon as I have completed
my data analyses, I will reflect on my results and write up
my thesis for submission at the end of this year.
I really enjoy collecting the data, interacting with the participants,
and getting their feedback about the experiment. I also had
a meeting with my PhD supervisor to discuss my recent results
and their implications for my thesis. This is a critical part
of the process that enables me to address any research problems
that arise.
I was drawn to science because I have a natural curiosity
and interest in learning. At school, I loved biology and doing
school projects that involved scientific research and learning
new things. I was also an insatiable reader of all types of
books. I was drawn to a career in Psychology because I wanted
to learn more about the causes of normal and abnormal human
behaviour.
After I finish my PhD at the end of this year, I plan to complete
my Clinical Masters, resulting in a combination of research
and clinical work in my future career. I would also like to
be involved in promoting or developing mental health resources
for rural areas.
My advice to students who are considering a career in science
is talk to people who already have a career in a scientific
field. Ask them what they most like about their job, and also
what they don’t like. Also, talk to your teacher, lecturer
or careers advisor at school or university.
If you are considering a career in science, all you need is
a natural curiosity about the world and how it works. Be able
to problem-solve, think logically, and be persistent.
To pursue a career in psychology, develop a good knowledge
of scientific principles and have a genuine interest in various
aspects of human behaviour. Clinical psychologists specialise
in assisting with the wellbeing and mental health of other
people. Don’t forget however, there are many other paths of
psychology that you can take. Forensic, organisational, health
and sports psychology are other options in this extremely
diverse field.
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