CORDELIA RÖDDER
Hello, my name is Cordelia Rödder, I come from near Cologne, Germany, and I am studying Psychology at the University of Twente.
Why psychology at the university of twente?
A while back I had to make a decision about which university to attend. After visiting various universities in The Netherlands, the University of Twente's Open Day was on the programme. After that, I did not need much time to decide. There are two main reasons why I chose to study Psychology here at UT:
Firstly, I liked UT’s unique and personal atmosphere. I still really enjoy the campus - it has a relaxing place and you feel connected here. Secondly, I liked the interaction between students and teachers, and amongst the students themselves. It is very pleasant and personal, which really suits me.
I also find it very interesting that technology plays such an important role here. This is because of the university's technical background. During the programme we always see if we can use technology to achieve the goals we set, for example, in a behavioural change intervention.
Why psychology at a technological university?
As technology is playing an increasingly big role in our society, it can be a good medium and means for us psychologists to influence people and to contribute to the desired behaviour. An example of this could be apps that teach children to acquire healthy eating patterns and motivate them to exercise more. We can use technology not only to influence behaviour, but also to make our society safer. At one point I studied how you can use technology to make events safer for people, for example how to prevent mass panics. Psychologists can also contribute to the technology we use in everyday life, like smartphones, computer software or navigation systems. That is why I think that studying psychology at a technological university is a brilliant choice.