What attracts me the field of psychology is the necessity to remove all barriers between people in order to approach every situation objectively. At our most primitive and basic core, we are all no more than connections of neurons trying to communicate with each other in order for the organism as a whole to properly operate. So to me, it is difficult to look at any situation without first considering all the possible psychological confounding variables that can put a spin on that specific situation.

Critical turning points in life have a knack for leaving a lasting impression on the demeanor and attitude of typical people. With that being said, it’s impossible to know the roots of all of the cumulative experiences of another person’s life, which supports the cliche of, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” By no means do I consider myself totally unaffected by first impressions; what I am trying to say is that I believe that taking an interest in the field of psychology at a young age has reminded myself at times to hold back any predetermined judgments about people who I have yet to get to know. The field calls for every person to be treated as, well, a person. Initiating and engaging in a conversation with someone that you previously thought had nothing in common with yourself can leave you walking away with alternative outlooks on any number of discussion topics.

I heavily believe in the concept that the brain not only decides, but dominates human behavior. The brain is like a muscle (theoretically, certainly not anatomically), and can be trained in the same manner. Maybe next time you’re next to a fellow student on the CataBus, you could spark up a conversation about whatever’s on your mind; maybe you’ll notice that if you make a habit of interacting with strangers that you’ll become more comfortable doing so and could potentially become a more outgoing person.

The connection I am looking to make is the one that holds the study of psychology together to the concept of positive inter-personal interactions. I think that this type of foundation for interaction has the potential to breed the highest level of shared knowledge and harmony.