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A Hautlieu student's in-depth exploration of how the so-called 'love hormone' affects trust beat entries investigating animal therapy and vaccine hesitancy to win first prize in a psychology essay contest.
Ellesha O’Malley was awarded £150 for her piece, 'Does oxytocin affect trust?'.
Now in its fifth year, the Annual Jersey Psychology Essay Competition is open to all students in post-16 education following a psychology course, and regularly draws entrants from across the island.
Entries this year focused on subjects ranging from animal therapy for mental health to vaccine hesitancy, the effect of remote learning in the pandemic, work and prison, and the effects of solitary confinement.
But it was Ellesha's entry that most impressed judges - Rachel Baxter, Chair of the judging panel and Senior Adviser on Learning and Teaching at the Education Department, described it as “exceptional, due to the clear focus, range of academic research and fluency of writing style which led to an essay that had momentum and impact."
The second prize of £100 went to Melanie Camacho for her essay on managing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms, and the third prize of £50 went to Arielle Gee with her essay on factors affecting free will on vaccination choices.
Pictured: Ellesha and the judges.
Adrian Moss, Head of Psychology at Hautlieu and founder of the competition, said: “I am delighted that, in this the fifth year of the competition, we continue to see an increase in the quality of the essays that are being written.
“The competition provides a platform for the students to demonstrate their knowledge and research skills beyond that of the curricula, and I am so pleased to see students engaging with this opportunity to showcase their skills."
Judge Carli Garraghan Chartered Forensic Psychologist said: “It was a pleasure to be involved in the competition and see how the students develop their psychological interests and knowledge beyond their studies.”
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