Reflective Essay: How Psychology Has Changed My Life

I clearly remember how angry I was when I watched a video about a two-year-old Chinese girl who was hit by a truck five years ago. The poor girl, then, was left to death by almost 20 people who passed by. How human being – an only creature who can feel love – could have such a cruel action? I had kept that anger for almost five years until I learned about the “bystander bias,” which is the tendency for any given bystander to be less likely to give aid if other bystanders are present. The presence of many people can make individuals “scruple” to help poor victims. If I were one those witnesses, I might also choose leaving the child because of the thought that somebody else would help her. Psychology has changed my perception and worldview. Now, I view the world by a psychological, scientific prism. Once I know about the “bystander bias,” no matter there are many people or less, I will help people who need help with all my heart and …show more content…
I over-spoiled and over-trust my “brain.” After every test, I did not check my answers but confidently submitted it to my teacher and believed that it was 100% perfect. I was more confident than correct, and over estimate the accuracy of my beliefs and judgments. In other words, I am overconfident. Although it is not a sick, it still affects my physical and mental health seriously. As a result, I try to reduce it by using “critical thinking,” which is thinking that dose not blindly accept arguments and conclusions; rather it examines assumptions, uncover hidden values, weighs evidence, and assesses conclusions. Even though I am not working in scientific fields, I can still apply critical thinking in my life to repress my over confidence. In my tests later, I won’t blindly accept the thought that my tests are 100% perfect. I’ll view problems in many aspects, think about them in many ways, and assess them based on analysis more than