A person’s actions, behaviors, and emotions make up one’s personality. Someone’s personality is dependent on multiple factors, such as a person’s upbringing and his parent’s genetics. Mr. Bornschein would be considered an optimist in the field of psychology, believing that humans aren’t just programmed piles of cells, and that everyone has free will and individual motivations. 

Mr. Bornschein grew up in Fern Creek and graduated from Saint Xavier in 1974. He then attended the University of Louisville for two years before going to Xavier for one year. He finally completed his Master’s degree in Divinity and his Bachelor’s degree in Theology at the University of Chicago. 

The human brain has always interested Mr. Bornschein, which is partly why he minored in psychology during college. His greatest influence in joining the field was his older brother, who has a Ph.D in psychology. He said his choice of major was most influenced by a class he took freshman year of college, Western Religion and Sexism. He didn’t plan on ever teaching Psychology until the previous teacher, Mr. Heitzman, asked him to takeover the course.

Aside from staying up to date in the field of the brain, Mr. Bornchein’s most favorite thing to do outside of class is attending live performances and concerts. He’s a rock ‘n’ roll fanatic and his favorite band of all time is the Beatles. If he’s not attending a festival or a live show he’s either reading his latest novel or fishing for bass in his neighborhood pond.

The psychoanalytic approach most appealing to Mr. Bornschein is Jungian Psychology, because of the way Carl Jung explores a person’s shadow, or their unknown dark side of their personality. He likes that through brain training and self reflection the weaknesses of your shadow can be turned into your greatest strengths. 

Mr. Bornschein does not agree with behaviorists such as B. F. Skinner, who dismiss free will and human motivations as illusions that simply disguise the real causes of human behavior. He instead chooses to believe that humans are much more than just flesh, blood, and instincts.

He welcomes all students looking to enroll in his psychology course, and said, “By all means, welcome aboard! I believe the course can be appealing to anyone — you don’t have to be an AP student to benefit from a good psychology course.”