Introduction

Hi! My name is Samantha, and welcome to my first book blog post. I am taking this cognitive psychology class because I have always been interested in understanding how the mind works and how our thoughts, emotions, and experiences shape who we are. As a psychology student, learning about perception, memory, and identity feels especially meaningful because these concepts influence how we interpret the world and interact with others on a daily basis. I enjoy being able to connect what we learn in class to real-life situations, whether it involves understanding behavior, stress, or decision-making.

I chose The Self Illusion: How the Social Brain Creates Identity by Bruce Hood because the topic immediately stood out to me on a personal level. The idea that the self might not be as fixed or independent as we often believe challenged my assumptions and made me curious to explore how identity is shaped through social relationships and life experiences.