The brain is a wonderful and complex organ that sometimes needs to be refocused and retrained.

 

The brain is a wonderful and complex organ that sometimes needs to be refocused and retrained.

According to the National Institutes of Health, "The brain is the most complex part of the human body. This three-pound organ is the seat of intelligence, interpreter of the senses, initiator of body movement, and controller of behavior." Yet, the brain is not perfect; it can make mistakes that create misconceptions and increase negative thinking.

 

Neuroscience, clinical trials, and related research on the brain prove that the brain is negatively biased, and as a result, we focus more intensely on negative images and events. Also, we remember negative images and events longer and in greater detail than we remember positive information. Negative thoughts have served to keep our species alive.

 

The brain remains on alert to detect negative emotions, such as fear, sadness, or anger. According to research of Tiffany A. Ito and others (1998), "Negative information weighs more heavily on the brain," and there is a "negative bias" in the way the brain processes the negative information it receives. By focusing more on negativity, the brain warns us of physical or emotional threats.

(c) M.D. Johnson (2015)

 

Yet, as the brain works to keep us aware of danger, it also can over-generalize and cause us to perceive danger where no threat exists. When the brain  over-generalizes about negative experiences, events and images, after one or two experiences, it can make associations that are based on assumptions, rather than truth. It's a natural phenomenon for the brain to provide complete scenarios or pictures from incomplete information. For example, we all can ascertain distinct shapes (such as a lion's face) within cloud formations, or we can mistake an image in the distance for something much more intimidating.  A child running towards us in the distance can resemble a dog running (from a distance) and as a result, the brain might signal a "fight or flight" response--until we realize the image running towards us is a child, not some ferocious animal.

 

Because the brain wants to keep us feeling safe and contented, it can be overly-protective, and if it has been sensitized to negativity early in life (child abuse or any sustained negative childhood experience), it can more easily process negative feelings with incomplete data. Negative thinking has proved essential in the survival of our species but when the brain completes scenarios based on limited information, we make incorrect assessments that support negative thought patterns. 

 

Still, despite a natural inclination toward negative thinking, we have a choice in whether or not to allow our brain's past activity to determine our future behavior. Once we are able to accept our strengths and weaknesses (sensitivity toward negativity), we can begin replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts--every time. With practice and patience, eventually the brain learns to accept new information and adapt accordingly. Eventually it becomes less inclined to complete negatively biased perceptions or images for us to accept.

 

The brain is a wonderful and complex organ, but sometimes it needs to be refocused and retrained. We might not completely understand how or why we process negative thoughts so readily, but it is up to us to change the way our brains respond to negativity. Once negative thoughts are acknowledged, they  must be replaced with positive ones--every time. Eventually, the brain will realize what it needs to offer--positive thoughts, and it is more than willing to change in order to keep us feeling positive as well as safe.

(c) M.D.Johnson, 2015

References:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/know_your_brain.htm

Ito, Tiffany A., J.T. Larsen, N.K. Smith, and J.T. Cacioppo (1998). Negative Information Weighs More Heavily on the Brain: The Negativity Bias in Evaluative Categorizations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75 (4), 887-900. 

  
© M.D.Johnson (2014). All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. 

 

 

Education is in a state of crisis. Teachers teach to the tests and there's so little time left for human interaction.

Education is in a state of crisis. We have testing, so teachers teach to the tests. Some have even altered test scores, and this deprives students of the extra academic assistance they might really need. There is so little time left for human interaction. Parents and community leaders need to demand more from our public, private, and charter schools. A change is going to come, but shouldn't we be guiding the focus of this change?

Education reform is nothing new, and it's also nothing to ignore or delay. Educators are contentious when it comes to curriculum development because there are so many different opinions regarding which aspects of the traditional curriculum to prioritize and which to throw away. Should national experts be consulted or should the local community have a say?

Reasoning, problem-solving and critical thinking should be included as vital parts of any school curriculum, but how, when, and to what extent? Curriculum design determines the future of our society, and this is what education is all about--building strong citizens who will build a stronger society.

It is not in our best interests as a society to allow children to graduate from high school without leadership skills. It is also not in our best interests to have students drop out of schools because of bullying or inability to collaborate with others due to low emotional competence. It is certainly not in our best interests to spend more of our state budgets on prisons (in some states) than we do on education.

Education reform is not something to be ignored unless we want our societal infrastructure to deteriorate one school dropout at a time. It takes emotional competence and leadership skills to create strong leaders.  Our curriculum design needs to reflect this, and it needs to do it now.

The act of "mothering" is an act of love, protection, support, and guidance, and "motherhood" is a title that is earned.

Mother's Day is the time we think about positive relationships between mother and child, but in modern day society, motherhood has changed because the family structure has changed. "Mothering" is a conscious, deliberate act that assures a child's safety, physical nourishment, and emotional growth. "Motherhood" is a title that is earned.

Despite slogans like, "Children should be seen and not heard," children have always needed emotional support.  They have always needed to feel safe, not just in their neighborhoods but also in their ability to express feelings without fear of punishment or rejection. 

 

Along with the need for protection, guidance, and opportunities to learn, children need to know they have some control over shaping their destinies. This requires emotional competence.

 

For children to build emotional competence, they must develop a self-concept, and they must learn to empathize with others. Empathy is empowering because it provides the opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone else.

 

According to the Harvard Business Review, "empathy is one of the toughest and most important competencies to develop."  Building empathy begins early in life and is reinforced over time. Unfortunately, there is no "crash course" that teaches empathy.  It happens one day at a time throughout childhood or with hard work, it happens one day at a time after adulthood.

Mothers provide a safe, supportive home environment and opportunities for their children to explore, experience, and learn. By providing positive examples for their children to follow, mothers teach empathy and self-respect, which enables children to build emotional competence and close any gaps between who they are and who they wish to become. 

 

If the groundwork has been properly laid, children naturally build emotional competence and become who they wish to be. That's when they understand the true meaning of "Mother's Day."