I have a curious mind and enjoy finding out why people think the way they do and why they behave in certain ways. For example, I find it fascinating how two people can look at the exact same thing and either think the same thing about it or something completely different.
The same applies to behaviour. Why do some people react to something they see exactly the same way, while others react entirely differently? Can you guess what I am interested in?
You guessed it right – that’s psychology, and here is a fun fact: Did you know that a person can have up to 6.5 thoughts per minute, in other words, 6000 – 6200 thoughts per day!So, what do I do with being curious about what people think and do? You guessed it right again; I work as a bit of a “thought detective” and like to find out what people basically like, dislike, and everything in between.
In one of my projects, I worked with colleagues from universities in Queensland and Tasmania, where we explored how people solve problems and are creative. We looked at how people build different Lego creations, complete puzzles, and talk about their favourite animals, foods, and music. It was fascinating to see the variety of thoughts and ideas people had.
In another project, I am currently exploring why some people enjoy certain video games while others do not. Here, I would like to understand what kinds of things people like in video games: the colours, the animation, playing with friends, or whether it is the type of game they play. I like to understand what people find enjoyable or not enjoyable about different games.
So, as a scientist in psychology, I like to learn more about how people think, feel, and behave. Most days, you will find me thinking about what other people think and do, and by understanding this better, I hope to help people live happy and healthy lives.
