We generally like to think we are in charge of our actions. Society has a stake in us believing that, or there would be no way to justify restraining and punishing people with antisocial behaviors. Nevertheless, we know that some of the things we do are not controlled consciously. These are known as reflexive or autonomous behaviors.
It is easy to see these autonomous behaviors in other species. Some of these can be quite complex and are part of animals’ DNA. For example, the South African weaverbird normally builds an intricate nest using specialized materials. Experimenters removed a pair of these birds from contact with building materials and from other members of their species for five generations. The birds were not able to build, or even see, traditional nests. And yet when the sixth generation—still in isolation from its species—was given access to the traditional materials, it built a perfect nest. This may be an extreme example, yet it illustrates the point that even some complex behaviors may be reflexive and not quite under conscious control.
You see this at work when physical danger and emotional threats trigger our fight-or-flight response. By the time the signals get to the parts of our brains that can reason about them, our emotional and reflexive brain centers have already armed our bodies, and we are in action.
Although this quick gut-level response could be lifesaving, it may not be the appropriate response to perceived emotional threats in a psychologically complex world. Not all issues can be satisfactorily resolved by following our first reactions. Like when that jerk cuts you off by swerving into your lane at ninety miles an hour.
What happens when someone does something aggressive on the highway? Well, most people respond in exactly the wrong way. They decide to fight. They yell, curse, honk their horns, or even chase and attempt to confront the offending driver. Meanwhile, the best option for survival is flight. I have discussed this with people from many different backgrounds, and it always brings the same response. We all agree that if someone is driving aggressively or dangerously, the best thing to do is stay as far away as possible. Yet a lot of us admit to behaving in the opposite manner: we pursue the other car. Where does that come from? In this situation there are two options. The first is the initial knee-jerk reaction triggered by our brain, which is out of our conscious control. The second is our reasoned response, which can be brought under control.
The first reaction is often called a limbic-abduction reaction or an amygdala hijacking because it is triggered by the amygdala, a small organ within the brain’s limbic system. The amygdala’s primary function is to immediately signal the adrenal glands when a fear stimulus is received. It has a secondary—and slower—connection to the cortex and the other reasoning centers of the brain.
It is important to realize that the secondary “reasoned” reaction is not a voluntary one. Many of us just follow what we have seen our friends and family do, and that can brainwash us into thinking that dysfunctional behavior is the normal or honorable thing. With a bit of effort you can easily change your secondary reaction. All you have to do is decide you want to change, and then work on it. If you are willing to ignore the initial limbic impulse, you can get your cortex to calm down, take charge, and calm your whole body down.
Admittedly, some people have to work harder at controlling themselves than others. It does not matter if you’re a hothead by nature or nurture (or both), you can learn to control your secondary reaction, and it’s important to do this, so you don’t end up blowing up at people. Some powerful people—politicians, actors, singers, CEOs, even a book publisher—have ruined their careers because they didn’t get their limbic impulses under control. Momentary temper flare-ups can cost you everything.
There are four-step process to handle situations in which we are in the thrall of a limbic abduction:
• Stop yourself from doing what your initial reaction dictated.
• Take a deep breath.
• Become aware of how you are feeling.
• Recall a past event that gave you a feeling of happiness and peace.
In terms of design thinking, you’re breaking down the fight response and looking at it as a problem to be solved, then using ideation to bring you to a better place. These steps bring you into a state of emotional well-being, in which you regain control over your behavior.
In most cases you only need to take the first three steps to get the situation under control. It takes practice, and if you keep at it every time a negative behavior presents itself, it eventually becomes easier and easier to gain control and stop doing it. In any event, taking a deep breath in any situation never hurts.
It is easy to see these autonomous behaviors in other species. Some of these can be quite complex and are part of animals’ DNA. For example, the South African weaverbird normally builds an intricate nest using specialized materials. Experimenters removed a pair of these birds from contact with building materials and from other members of their species for five generations. The birds were not able to build, or even see, traditional nests. And yet when the sixth generation—still in isolation from its species—was given access to the traditional materials, it built a perfect nest. This may be an extreme example, yet it illustrates the point that even some complex behaviors may be reflexive and not quite under conscious control.
You see this at work when physical danger and emotional threats trigger our fight-or-flight response. By the time the signals get to the parts of our brains that can reason about them, our emotional and reflexive brain centers have already armed our bodies, and we are in action.
Although this quick gut-level response could be lifesaving, it may not be the appropriate response to perceived emotional threats in a psychologically complex world. Not all issues can be satisfactorily resolved by following our first reactions. Like when that jerk cuts you off by swerving into your lane at ninety miles an hour.
What happens when someone does something aggressive on the highway? Well, most people respond in exactly the wrong way. They decide to fight. They yell, curse, honk their horns, or even chase and attempt to confront the offending driver. Meanwhile, the best option for survival is flight. I have discussed this with people from many different backgrounds, and it always brings the same response. We all agree that if someone is driving aggressively or dangerously, the best thing to do is stay as far away as possible. Yet a lot of us admit to behaving in the opposite manner: we pursue the other car. Where does that come from? In this situation there are two options. The first is the initial knee-jerk reaction triggered by our brain, which is out of our conscious control. The second is our reasoned response, which can be brought under control.
The first reaction is often called a limbic-abduction reaction or an amygdala hijacking because it is triggered by the amygdala, a small organ within the brain’s limbic system. The amygdala’s primary function is to immediately signal the adrenal glands when a fear stimulus is received. It has a secondary—and slower—connection to the cortex and the other reasoning centers of the brain.
It is important to realize that the secondary “reasoned” reaction is not a voluntary one. Many of us just follow what we have seen our friends and family do, and that can brainwash us into thinking that dysfunctional behavior is the normal or honorable thing. With a bit of effort you can easily change your secondary reaction. All you have to do is decide you want to change, and then work on it. If you are willing to ignore the initial limbic impulse, you can get your cortex to calm down, take charge, and calm your whole body down.
Admittedly, some people have to work harder at controlling themselves than others. It does not matter if you’re a hothead by nature or nurture (or both), you can learn to control your secondary reaction, and it’s important to do this, so you don’t end up blowing up at people. Some powerful people—politicians, actors, singers, CEOs, even a book publisher—have ruined their careers because they didn’t get their limbic impulses under control. Momentary temper flare-ups can cost you everything.
There are four-step process to handle situations in which we are in the thrall of a limbic abduction:
• Stop yourself from doing what your initial reaction dictated.
• Take a deep breath.
• Become aware of how you are feeling.
• Recall a past event that gave you a feeling of happiness and peace.
In terms of design thinking, you’re breaking down the fight response and looking at it as a problem to be solved, then using ideation to bring you to a better place. These steps bring you into a state of emotional well-being, in which you regain control over your behavior.
In most cases you only need to take the first three steps to get the situation under control. It takes practice, and if you keep at it every time a negative behavior presents itself, it eventually becomes easier and easier to gain control and stop doing it. In any event, taking a deep breath in any situation never hurts.
Right dear
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