Xavier

        A specific topic that sparks my interest from the reading is social cognition. The subfield of social psychology can shed light on the topic because the subfield can help us determine what is significant and what is insignificant when it comes to interpreting the characteristics of those around us. It can also help us make sound judgments about said characteristics. (American Psychological Association, 2011)

        Social cognition is defined as the way people understand and make sense of others and themselves. Through this subfield, psychologists have uncovered that individuals have advanced schemas. Schemas are defined as sets of cognitions about people and social experiences. The purpose of schemas is to collocate information within our memory and to portray in our minds how the social world works. Schemas give us the basis we need in order to recognize, categorize, and recall information in regards to social stimuli such as people and groups. (American Psychological Association, 2015)

        Through social cognition, psychologists have learned that people take note of certain significant traits that stand out to help them form an overall impression of others. These significant traits are known to psychologists as central traits. Psychologists have learned the presence of a central trait affects the meaning of all other traits. This topic sparks my interest. (American Psychological Association, 2001)

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First Memory

One of the first memories I can recall is from my early childhood, my first day of preschool. To this day, I still don’t understand how I can remember this day so perfectly.

I remember my mother walking me over to an odd building a block over from my apartment. It was chilly that day, being that my mother dressed me in the gym uniform sweatshirt. She lined up with me along with the rest of the children and their parents. Some kids were crying while others were playing around. I was calm and remained calm while my mother held my hand. I remember Ms. Rivera was wearing  her iconic black fleece coat and her distinct cigarette smell.  She was standing alongside Mrs. Galvin, I remember her for her characteristics: marshmallow figure, sleek black hair with scarce grey streaks, baby wipe smell, and the ways she waddled around.

Then, there was a sudden change when Mrs. Galvin lifted her attendance folder into the air and demanded our attention in order to file into the building. I wasn’t used to her authority, so it was sort of scary for me. However, I felt at ease when I noticed my mother was walking with me. As we were approaching the entrance I noticed how parents were letting their children go up alone. My mom was reassuring that she wouldn’t let me go. She proceeded to walk through the door with me, but Ms. Rivera said she couldn’t go any further. She let me go and told me that she would be waiting for me. After that, I cried for the remainder of the school day. I still joke about it with my childhood friend, Karina, who was present and her mom caught it on video.

This memory is significant to me because my mom has always been in my corner. Even when she is upset with me, my mom always checks on me and always has my back. This memory is one of the pillars of the view, the perception I have of my mom and who she is to me, I have been building and constructing since birth. Another reason I hold this memory dear to me is because my mother has been ill for some time and I don’t know what I would do if I lost my mother. I can definitely say she is one of the realest on my team and a major contributor to the man I am today.