•  I am looking for a way in which design can 
     help people to “use their minds” rather than 
     “change their minds.” 

    social conditioning:

    Social Conditioning is
    a sociological process
    of influencing an individual psyche to fit social and cultural expectations.

     Incognition is a model of a social conditioning process that translates the concealed flux of social influences into a visual experience. 

    For my graduate thesis project at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), I address,through graphic design, the issue of social influences on our minds. My continuing goal is to find a language, a vehicle, and a voice that will resonate with people who choose to confront the nature and impact of these influences.

     does society teach us what to wish for? 
    People are social beings who live in groups, create culture, and follow it. Individual thinking, decision-making, and actions are affected by society. But to what extent? How healthy is it for you or me to be influenced to certain extents by society? Can you or I in return affect society? And how can I navigate social influences?

     change begins from within 

    social navigation aid:

    As a part of my project
    I developed objects that can be warn or kept in the visible places, like a mirror, to remind people
    to stay focused and aware of social influences.

    I hope design can influence people to practice active thinking, to look at familiar situations from a new angle. It is hard for people to overturn their beliefs, but they can find ways to use their minds more responsibly.