Psychological & Behavioural Sciences

Deborah is a cognitive neuroscientist, interested in emotional cognition - the effect that emotional value has on our cognitive system. She began her studies at the Adi Lautman Interdisciplinary Program for Outstanding Students at Tel Aviv University, Israel, where she also completed a Masters in cognitive psychology. She began work on emotional memory for her PhD, which she completed under the supervision of Morris Moscovitch at the University of Toronto, Canada. She then trained with Ray Dolan and Chris Frith as a postdoctoral fellow at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging in UCL, prior to taking up her first lectureship at the University of Manchester in 2009. Deborah remained in Manchester for ten years until 2019, during which time she was promoted to senior lecturer and also enjoyed a sabbatical visit at Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, USA. She is Associate Professor at the department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge and a director of studies in Psychology at Lucy.

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I left my school in Hampshire at sixteen, spending six years as a nanny before my interest in child psychology inspired me to study independently for A-levels. As a mature student one of my biggest anxieties when starting university was fitting in. However, at Lucy Cavendish my worry was soon forgotten because within the students there is no such thing as a typical path or background. The friendly staff quickly made the College feel like home. Studying PBS here offers you the chance of being taught by leaders in the field of psychology. In addition the large emphasis placed on research and the opportunity to undertake individual projects enables you to graduate with more extensive practical experience than many other degrees offer.

I worked in contract catering for fifteen years and was a chef manager until I enrolled on an Access to HE Diploma at New College Nottingham. The Cambridge course is mind expanding and cutting edge in its research. Some of the things we learn about have not even made it into text books yet! I have learned to think in a different way and look at things that are presented to me with a critical eye. I’ve received many things from College: pastoral support when I thought I wasn’t going to make it; financial support when it was tough going and I needed a little extra; a laugh and a cup of tea from the library staff when the library seemed bigger than me. The opportunities that are before me now are so vast I feel spoilt for choice.

I originally majored in Translation at Shanghai International Studies University and freelanced as an interpreter for several years prior to my arrival in Cambridge. At Lucy Cavendish, I've enjoyed lively and thought-provoking conversations with people from many cultural backgrounds and subject areas: theoretical debates with course-mates, re-examining the same topics from the perspective of other disciplines, listening to a PhD student telling me about her thesis... I have never felt so intellectually alive. The College has also given me a research grant for my second-year project on paranoia, and its relationship with traumatic experiences such as being bullied or abused. I hope my findings will help improve prevention and intervention programmes for children.

• What made you choose PBS? Psychology is everywhere, and it affects all of our lives all of the time, every decision we make and every person we interact with. Our brains are so complex and mysterious, and I can’t think of any other degree that would give me the opportunity to explore human experiences in such depth and on such a broad scale. I’ve always been interested in how and why people behave in certain ways, and what these behaviours mean for wider society. Psychology perfectly bridges the gap between science and humanities, so this is a great degree for someone who doesn’t want to stay in one lane, academically speaking!
• And why PBS at Cambridge? The way Cambridge approaches psychology is so unique and incomparable. The structure of the degree means you explore such a wide variety of psychological theories, but you also branch out beyond psychology, giving you the tools to make those essential links between how society and human behaviour interact. The range of optional modules you can take each year means I can approach their degree in different ways. From archaeology to sociology, evolution to philosophy. The opportunity to work so closely with academics at the top of their field through Cambridge’s supervision system is also incredible, and something you won’t find at many other institutions.
• How did you find applying for your course at Cambridge? Deciding to apply to Cambridge is a scary step to take. You’re very aware of the prestige of the university and the stories that go along with that about the workload, the lack of social life etc… You don’t know whether you’re the kind of student Cambridge wants to take, and you’re reminded of those black and white photos of very serious looking people in very serious looking suits. In the end, the application process was hard work, but with a huge payoff! If you love your subject and are passionate about learning, you’re the right student for Cambridge. The interview process especially should be seen an opportunity to talk candidly about the topics close to your heart with an expert in the field, rather than something to be intimidated by.
• What has been great about your course so far? It’s been amazing discovering new topics that I hadn’t given much thought to before coming to Cambridge, and suddenly becoming totally immersed by them. I knew very little about primates and evolution before Cambridge and now I’m obsessed! It’s been amazing discussing so many different subjects with my peers and academics. I’m not very far into my degree, but we’ve already talked about issues such as schizophrenia, genetics, free will, child development, primatology and classism.
• How have you found the college system? The college system makes the settling process into uni so much smoother. Having a close-knit, welcoming community of students and staff around you make Cambridge feel like less of a change from a school environment. Colleges give you the freedom and experiences that any university provides, but also a space for you to feel at home and make friends outside your subject and your accommodation block (a trickier task at universities with no colleges).

Dr O’Brien received her undergraduate training in psychology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She was awarded two Gates scholarships to complete her MPhil and PhD respectively, in Social and Developmental Psychology at the University of Cambridge. She was then a research associate in the then Faculty of Social and Political Science, University of Cambridge. Dr. O’Brien has supervised on psychology papers for numerous Cambridge Colleges. She was Director of Studies in SPS/PPS/HSPS at Peterhouse from 2007-2017 and has directed studies in PBS at Magdalene College since 2014, at Jesus College in PBS (Part I) since 2020, and at Wolfson College since 2022. She is a Bye-Fellow in PBS at Lucy Cavendish, Jesus College and Wolfson College. In May 2018, she was short-listed for a CUSU student-led Teaching Award as supervisor, one of only 10 such supervisors selected in the School of Social Sciences. Her research interests range from school bullying to autistic spectrum conditions.