This reflection paper traces one student's psychological education from having no prior knowledge of the field to developing a deep interest in abnormal psychology. Beginning with General Psychology I, the author describes how topics such as memory, personality, psychological disorders, and human sexuality expanded their understanding of the discipline. The paper continues through Abnormal Psychology and General Psychology II, where exposure to the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic system, brain physiology, and various subfields of psychology — including clinical, cognitive, and developmental psychology — further shaped the student's academic identity. The piece concludes with a recognition of how much remains to be learned.
Prior to attending my General Psychology I class, I had no tangible understanding of psychology, nor did I have any expectations. When I enrolled in the course, my only exposure to psychology was what I had witnessed on television shows like The Sopranos. One of the main characters, Tony, would see a psychiatrist, and their interactions were my sole introduction to the field. My high school did not offer any psychology courses, and I had no formal opportunities to learn about the subject until I was in college.
I heard references to psychology when people used phrases such as "they are a psycho," "psychological breakdown," or "psychological thriller," but I had no appreciation for what psychology actually encompassed. Watching Tony's sessions with his psychiatrist on The Sopranos told me that psychology was involved in counseling, but I did not understand how it worked, what it truly was, or what was taking place in those conversations.
After my first week of attending General Psychology I, my expectations shifted from zero — and uncertain — to a feeling of being completely overwhelmed. I had not been aware of the depth of psychology, its history, or its relevance to everyday life. I did not know I would be learning about the physiology of the brain, the different specialties within the field, or the wide range of psychological disorders and illnesses.
My experiences with psychology were so minimal that I did not know what to expect on my first day of General Psychology I. After being handed the course syllabus, I began to understand that psychology is far more complex than I had ever imagined. Over the course of the semester, we covered topics such as memory, learning, gender and human sexuality, personality, motivation and emotion, psychological disorders, and several others. Before taking this course, I did not know that so many areas of human thought, expression, and motivation existed as distinct fields of psychological study.
Shortly into the semester, I was eager to learn more. I had gone from having no expectations whatsoever to being completely engaged and genuinely enjoying the depth of the discipline. The unit on psychological disorders quickly became my favorite part of the course, and it sparked a curiosity I had not anticipated. Before taking this class, I had no idea how many dimensions psychology contained, and the realization that I had barely scratched the surface made me want to explore further.
"Student pursued deeper study of personality disorders"
"Brain physiology challenged student; disorders still captivated"
"Student acknowledges vast remaining knowledge ahead"
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