Reflection 13 – On the Importance of Psychology In Our Lives

I have to admit that I was one of those who took the field of psychology very lightly altogether more than a decade ago. In our part of the world, it is viewed as something only relevant to people with some sort of psychological disorder. Media and society around us typically associate it with the crazy amongst us (of course, I‘m adopting a very broad generalization but I would argue is nonetheless largely valid). With such a flawed understanding, not so many bright people undertake this endeavor. What can I say, ignorance at its best!
Environmental Psychology; Psychology of Supermarkets; and Psychology of Menus!
It wasn’t until I began to pursue my PhD at UCI that the rust began to wear off. As a new PhD candidate, my appetite for new knowledge was huge especially the more I began to realize how ignorant I am. Living in CA and with a previous disposition towards love of nature, it was no wonder I got so attracted to the field of environmental psychology. My professor Dan Stokols was one of its pioneers and several of my colleagues did amazing research in that field. But how are both fields related? Climate change as well as other looming environmental threats require an abrupt change of behavior; therefore, psychologists study and analyze people‘s behavior in hope of changing it. It was this field that got me thinking about whether Islam encourages sustainable behavior and how it can be used in addressing such pressing issues (more on that in later reflections).
Have you ever wondered how goods are arranged on shelves in supermarkets? Probably not! Would you have thought that there are dedicated psychologists who get paid for this?! From the order of goods to the colors to the smell; it‘s all planned my dear friend! Supermarkets typically don‘t have clocks so that we don‘t feel how long have we stayed! Psychologists play on our impulse buying behavior to make us buy more. Professional restaurants do the same. The order of items on the menu down to their names and how they are pronounced have an effect on your buying behavior. Welcome to real life
In a Nutshell. Unless you are Robinson Crusoe living on that island all by yourself, human beings interact with others on a daily basis. In doing so, they both impact others and at the same time are influenced by others. We all would love to have a positive impact on others (we like it when we are heard and our opinions are considered). Those amongst us that are able to capitalize on what ongoing psychological research has to say, definitely have an edge! As for the rest of us, being street-smart also pays off!