Psychology studies at MRU and University of Liverpool

When I started to look for opportunities to study psychology abroad, I have found that programs and work opportunities are really different. So I will try to compare them.

The first difference I noticed is the different number of the year you have to study. Here, in the University of Mykolas Romeris, to get bachelorhood you have to spend four years. Conversely, almost in all universities of England it takes three years to finish your studies. However, fewer years are not an advantage. In contrast, it is hard to learn all information in a shorter time and to become a good specialist.

Another difference is learning programs. Basically, they include similar subjects, just they are compulsory in different year. In the first year students of Liverpool University study Statistics, Theories of personality, Biological psychology, brains. Almost all of these subjects are included in our program. However, they also research Social and Abnormal psychology, subjects, that we would have further.Although, the second year contains quite similar subjects, the third year in both universities is different.

Students abroad in their last year have to write a research work, which is compulsory for us in fourth year. Also, in this year they do not have any obligatory disciplines, just a requirement to choose from a variety of subjects, beginning from Eating disorders to Psychology in visual arts.

And the last difference is the advantage they have – laboratories. All of them are involved in the studies of eating behavior, development of language, visual perception and others. So students have a possibility to do trainings in all those classes.

All in all, there are many differences between these two universities. However, I can not state which is better, each of them can give you many advantages.

References:http://www.liv.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/C800.htm (2009 03 24)http://www.mruni.lt/lt/padaliniai/fakultetai/politikos_fakultetas/studiju_programos/ (2009 03 24)

End-of-term self-assessment

The aim of this contribution is to evaluate my self-assessment during the second term. I would like to discuss my achievements in writing, doing presentations, dictations, listening and other tasks.

First of all, writing summaries wasn’t very successful. I have learnt the structure and the basics how to write them. However, I make a lot of mistakes in spelling and punctuation. In my opinion, I have to pay much more attention to the text and be more accurate.

Secondly, writing ESP vocabulary tests was easier in this term. I have learnt all the definitions faster than before. Also, I tried to change them to more understandable forms that made them clearer.

Performance in class dictations went quite easy. I haven’t made a lot of mistakes. Unfortunately, this activity hasn’t given me a benefit in writing. Though, doing this kind of exercises improves my listening.

Another point I want to discuss is listening practice. All of them weren’t hard; I didn’t make a lot of mistakes and the texts were clear and straight. I think I really succeeded in this kind of activity.

Moreover, making Power Point presentation was more useful than listening to other students. This practice gave me an opportunity to go into the interesting theme and to improve my speaking skills in front of class. I think it was one of the most useful practices in this term.

But the activity I evaluate the most is speaking on ESP themes in front of class. It gave me an opportunity to speak more fluently, use ESP vocabulary and improve writing skills, while preparing the talks.

All in all, I can’t call this term a failure for me; rather it is a success that my English goes better every day.

Phobias

Phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It is a strong irrational fear of a particular object, activity or situation. People suffering from this disorder may feel:
· Panic and fear;
· Rapid heartbeat;
· Shortness of breath;
· Strong desire to get away;

One survey has showed that fears of crowds, death, injury, illness and separation are more common among people in their sixties. In compare, fears of snakes, heights, storm, enclosures or social situations are prevalent among 20-year olds. As we can see, fears become more reasonable as the years pass.

Another interesting data shows that women have much more phobias than men do. Also, Latin Americans twice as many of them as white Americans.

The reason of all phobias is held in behavioral psychology. It is believed that fears are learned through classical conditioning – two events that occur close together in time become closely associated in a persons mind. If one event triggers a fear response, the other may also raise it.

The first phobia I would like to introduce is arachnophobia. It is a fear of spiders. People suffering from this phobia try to avoid any area they can meet spiders or their webs. Reason for this phobia is held in evolutionary psychology. It is believed that fear was transmitted genetically. Ancestors who avoid venomous animals like spiders tend to survive longer.

Another phobia I would like to talk is very common in these days. Agoraphobia – fear of situations in which escape is difficult. This phobia may include crowded areas or open spaces. Moreover agoraphobia is usually experienced in conjunction with panic attacks.

So it would be interesting to know how phobias are treated. Every theoretical model has its own approach to treat phobias but behavioral techniques are more widely used.
The first technique is systematic desensitization. People learn to relax gradually facing the objects or situations they are afraid.
Another way is flooding. Clients are forced to face their feared objects or situations without relaxation training.
And the last way to treat specific phobias is modeling. A therapist confronts the fear objects and shows that there is no danger.
However, treatment of social fears was successful only the recent years. The patients are given medication or they have to develop social skills.

Even though you have a phobia, don’t be upset. Many famous people had really irrational fears. Queen Elizabeth I was afraid of roses, Napoleon Bonaparte, Cesar and Alexander the great had a phobia of cats.

All in all phobias is not very serious disorder, until it doesn’t damage your life.

References: Comer, Ronald J. „Abnormal psychology“