Background
I am a five-year veteran of the Marin Corps and have a passion for psychology. I witnessed a lot of violence as a young man in a housing project with his family. No matter where one is, violence is evident or underpinning. As I grew older, I realized that violent acts can be caused by factors like racism and societal morality. This opportunity has been pursued by me to increase my knowledge in moral psychology and decision-making as I work alongside the most brilliant minds in this field.
As a young man and as a soldier, I have seen how people grow. Many people start out as innocent and good-natured individuals. They become aggressors after a period of military service or exposure to violent environments. Military recruits are able to change their behavior after they enlist in the military and then serve in any form of the armed forces. These individuals are trained to be selfless and upstanding citizens, with respect for authority, and fight against injustice in the beginning. These same people are often arrested at the end of their service. These individuals are then discharged under the dishonorable discharge category for immoral behavior such as sexual assault and unjustified violence. The majority of those who do not go down this path of destruction become silent accomplices, who know the truth but don't speak up to stop their brothers and sisters in arms. My research continues to explore this mental change. Individuals who start innocently are trained to not fear death and then become more fearful. It is still unclear why these same people become future aggressors, causing untold suffering to the innocents they were fighting for.
Education
This topic has fascinated me since high school, college, and now. Majoring in psychology, I hold a 3.96 GPA. My minor in biology and advanced computer science further support this qualification. Computer science offers many advantages in collecting data and compiling results for the numerous research projects that I support. I have been involved in research projects at five universities as a way to gain clarity about the aspects of moral psychology and decision-making. These projects include multiple disciplines, including clinical psychology, nursing, school psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and moral psychology. They have enriched my understanding of my pursuit. Excellence in science can only be achieved through the collaboration and cooperation of minds hungry for knowledge. To better understand moral psychology and how it causes people who are morally grounded to commit evil acts, I will focus my efforts on military personnel.
Experience in research
As I searched for the answer to this question, I had the opportunity to work with many scientists. I have had the opportunity to interact with many scientists through my role on various platforms. Twenty posters that I have had the privilege to present at scientific conferences are one platform that continually challenges and improves my understanding of the reach of this query. Three of my current publications are co-authored in peer-reviewed journals. They cover a variety of disciplines, including moral psychology and decision-making. Three different first-author studies are in progress and I plan to publish them in peer-reviewed journals. This collaboration has had a significant impact on my understanding of the issue. I have gained a holistic understanding of psychology and research practices through the information I received from the five universities. These experiences and opportunities have helped me become a better researcher, as well as enriched my thinking on moral psychology.
In the past, I've held many roles on various platforms. As a consultant, I was responsible for developing and building upon the research parameters associated with the projects. The articles in which I was co-authors also showed this collaborative aspect of research. These articles had me as a co-author. I was responsible for the collection, testing, and compilation of data relevant to the study. These instances culminated in the 20 posters that I had the privilege of presenting at various scientific conferences. I was able to improve my presentation skills and present the results in scientific circles and in front of an audience. This allowed me to share the knowledge and trigger thought processes that can change our moral beliefs, perceptions, and rationality. These scientific collaborations enrich my research and make me a more competent researcher in any field I am assigned.
Outreach
I have a unique perspective because of my upbringing in a housing development with my sister and mother. As I was trying to get out of the chaos and hierarchy that is military service, the changes in veteran behavior and morality in the military prompted me to write this article. These are the foundation of this research question. As I explored deeper and took part in related