According to George S. Everly, Jr., Ph.D. the author of The Resilient Child, the most essential lesson a parent can teach a child is the ability to cope with stress and adversity. "This is known as resilience, which can be thought of as the ability to be resistant to stress (a kind of immunity), as well as the ability to rebound from adversity. It also may be the critical difference between happiness and regret, success or failure." (p.8)
If a parent can school a child in resilience, then when adversity comes his way when he is no longer living at home, and he doesn't need a parent in order to deal with it, then the parent will know that she has been successful. One of the best things one can do as a parent, beyond unconditionally loving and accepting a child for who he is, and providing the basic necessities of life such as nutritional food and safe shelter, is to strive to make the role as parent obsolete.
In order to meet the objective of building resilience in a child, we must allow children, teach children, to develop the inner strength that makes all things possible. A powerful set of actions, beliefs and codes is vital. Together, these form the core strength of personal character.
Everly describes seven essential lessons for building resilience in a child and calls these lessons the ABC's of creating and supporting inner strength. A stands for Actions, B for Beliefs and C, of course, stands for Codes.
The first four lessons discuss actions. Lesson #1 calls for the building of strong relationships with friends and mentors. Lesson #2 calls for the courage to make difficult decisions. Lesson #3 teaches responsibility: the child must own his own actions. The fourth lesson discusses self-investment: the best way for the child to help others and himself is to stay healthy. I would add that actions towards supporting health require willpower/self-control/self-discipline - a key element in the formula required for leading a successful life.
Everly goes on to write that actions need support from beliefs. Lesson #5 is learned or natural optimism. Learn to think on the bright side and to use the power of the self-fulfilling prophecy. Lesson #6 covers the development of faith: the belief in something greater than yourself.
Finally, Everly discusses the code and writes that it is "an overarching set of principles or rules that ultimately serves to guide all of a person's actions." (p.10) Follow a moral compass and strive to have integrity.
Everly believes that these lessons can help children develop the inner strength of character needed to create the resiliency required to face the challenges in life. What a gift to give to our children: to have resilience regardless of the events they may encounter in their lives.
D.
The Resilient Child: Seven Essential Lessons for your Child's Happiness and Success, George S. Everly, Jr., Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Public Health Preparedness, Loyola College in Maryland, and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Sloane Brown, DiaMedica Publishing, 2009.
About Me
- Deborah K. Hanula
- Deborah K. Hanula has a year of Journalism training from Humber College, a Political Science degree from the University of Waterloo, and a Law degree from the University of British Columbia. In addition, she has Diplomas in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Child Psychology, and Psychotherapy and Counselling as well as a Family Life Educator and Coach Certificate and Certificates in Reflexology, Assertiveness Training, and Mindfulness Meditation. She is the author of five cookbooks, primarily concerned with gluten-free and dairy-free diets, although one pertains to chocolate. As an adult, in the past she worked primarily as a lawyer, but also as a university and college lecturer, a tutor, editor, writer, counsellor, researcher and piano teacher. She enjoys a multi-faceted approach when it comes to life, work and study, in order to keep things fresh and interesting. Check out her new book: A Murder of Crows & Other Poems (2023).
Friday, September 21, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Menopause Memory Pause
According to many doctors, women imagine many of their reported symptoms of menopause, or doctors connect the symptoms to something other than menopause. Women have never been viewed as the most credible of the sexes by doctors. New research, however, is beginning to support one of the claims of so many menopausal women: difficulties with memory and concentration. A new study in the Journal Menopause shows that the mental fog reported by many menopausal women is valid. Researchers gave a battery of cognitive tests to seventy-five menopausal women and also asked them how menopause affected their thinking. "Nearly half of them reported serious forgetfulness in the study, and the women who described the most problems with concentration and memory also scored worse on the cognitive tests." (1) The researchers hope that these findings will spur on additional research directed at finding treatments.
For me, a good night's sleep - rare these days - makes a huge difference in my thinking and memory skills as well as with my outlook on life. For many women it becomes more difficult to fall asleep, to stay asleep, and to enter stages 3 and 4 of deep sleep. Fluctuating, unbalanced hormones lie at the root of this type of insomnia during this stage of life.
D.
(1) Scientific American Mind, July/August 2012, "The Mental Pause of Menopause", Carrie Arnold, p. 11.
For me, a good night's sleep - rare these days - makes a huge difference in my thinking and memory skills as well as with my outlook on life. For many women it becomes more difficult to fall asleep, to stay asleep, and to enter stages 3 and 4 of deep sleep. Fluctuating, unbalanced hormones lie at the root of this type of insomnia during this stage of life.
D.
(1) Scientific American Mind, July/August 2012, "The Mental Pause of Menopause", Carrie Arnold, p. 11.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
A Changeable Brain
I am currently re-reading Norman Doidge's book, "The Brain That Changes Itself". The book deals primarily with how the brain can be rewired in order to deal with various types of mental conditions.
There are two key laws of neuroplasticity which are highlighted in the book. (Neuroplasticity is the term used to indicate that the brain retains plasticity, or in other words, the ability to be rewired.) We retain the ability to make some changes to how our brains operate throughout most of our lives in order to cure or mitigate many agonizing conditions.
The first law or principle is the finding that "neurons that fire together wire together" and the second is the finding that "neurons that fire apart wire apart".
To illustrate these principles, I will refer to the anxiety condition of "obsessive compulsive disorder" (OCD). By doing something else - something pleasurable - instead of performing the compulsion, individuals suffering from OCD form a new circuit that is gradually reinforced in place of the compulsion. And, by not acting on the compulsion in the first place, the link between the compulsion and the idea that it will ease anxiety is weakened. Weakening the link is crucial because while acting on a compulsion eases anxiety in the short term, it worsens the condition of OCD in the long term. As individuals apply themselves, this 'manual gear shift' becomes more automatic. The episodes become shorter and less frequent and although relapses occur, especially during times of high stress, regaining control comes about more quickly.
D.
The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge, M.D., Penguin Books 2007, p. 174.
There are two key laws of neuroplasticity which are highlighted in the book. (Neuroplasticity is the term used to indicate that the brain retains plasticity, or in other words, the ability to be rewired.) We retain the ability to make some changes to how our brains operate throughout most of our lives in order to cure or mitigate many agonizing conditions.
The first law or principle is the finding that "neurons that fire together wire together" and the second is the finding that "neurons that fire apart wire apart".
To illustrate these principles, I will refer to the anxiety condition of "obsessive compulsive disorder" (OCD). By doing something else - something pleasurable - instead of performing the compulsion, individuals suffering from OCD form a new circuit that is gradually reinforced in place of the compulsion. And, by not acting on the compulsion in the first place, the link between the compulsion and the idea that it will ease anxiety is weakened. Weakening the link is crucial because while acting on a compulsion eases anxiety in the short term, it worsens the condition of OCD in the long term. As individuals apply themselves, this 'manual gear shift' becomes more automatic. The episodes become shorter and less frequent and although relapses occur, especially during times of high stress, regaining control comes about more quickly.
D.
The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge, M.D., Penguin Books 2007, p. 174.
The Fluidity of Female Sexuality
Attention heterosexual men: I don't want to cause you to be overly leery, but, it turns out that there's no guarantee that the significant heterosexual woman in your life will not, at some point, desire a female partner. So-called 'straight' women are aroused by both male and female erotica: by images of men and women having sex, by men having sex with men, and by women having sex with women. They are enticed by the faces and bodies of both sexes.
"Straight women may be particularly ambidextrous in their attractions, but gay women seem to share some of the female inclination to ambiguity."(1) Two studies carried out in the 1990's indicated that about 80 percent of gay women have had sex with a man while just over half of gay men have had sex with a woman.
In my personal life, I don't know of any cases where a woman has gone from partnering with a man, to then partnering with a woman, and then back to a man. In my experience, the woman leaves the man for another woman and then stays with that woman or continues on to have additional relationships with other women. One high-profile case, however, indicates more fluidity. Lou Diamond Philips' wife, Julie Cypher, left him to pursue a relationship with Melissa Etheridge then years later split with Etheridge to marry a man.
A 2003 study found that behavioural plasticity isn't exclusive to the area of sexuality: female identity appears to be more malleable in general. Over the course of a single week, women reported conflicting traits far more often than men did. Individual women reported that they were submissive and argumentative, compliant and forceful. If their conceptions of their true selves can be so fluid, then it is not much of a stretch to consider that their sexualities may also be more fluid and responsive to outside stimuli - whatever that stimuli might be.
Female sexual fluidity has coursed through most sexuality studies that have been carried out since 1940, beginning with the landmark studies by Alfred Kinsey. Like most other traits, the degree of fluidity most assuredly varies along a continuum. Being somewhat attracted to both sexes seems to be built into the mating psychology of females.
D.
(1) Psychology Today, July/August 2012, "Flex Appeal", Katherine Schreiber, p. 36.
"Straight women may be particularly ambidextrous in their attractions, but gay women seem to share some of the female inclination to ambiguity."(1) Two studies carried out in the 1990's indicated that about 80 percent of gay women have had sex with a man while just over half of gay men have had sex with a woman.
In my personal life, I don't know of any cases where a woman has gone from partnering with a man, to then partnering with a woman, and then back to a man. In my experience, the woman leaves the man for another woman and then stays with that woman or continues on to have additional relationships with other women. One high-profile case, however, indicates more fluidity. Lou Diamond Philips' wife, Julie Cypher, left him to pursue a relationship with Melissa Etheridge then years later split with Etheridge to marry a man.
A 2003 study found that behavioural plasticity isn't exclusive to the area of sexuality: female identity appears to be more malleable in general. Over the course of a single week, women reported conflicting traits far more often than men did. Individual women reported that they were submissive and argumentative, compliant and forceful. If their conceptions of their true selves can be so fluid, then it is not much of a stretch to consider that their sexualities may also be more fluid and responsive to outside stimuli - whatever that stimuli might be.
Female sexual fluidity has coursed through most sexuality studies that have been carried out since 1940, beginning with the landmark studies by Alfred Kinsey. Like most other traits, the degree of fluidity most assuredly varies along a continuum. Being somewhat attracted to both sexes seems to be built into the mating psychology of females.
D.
(1) Psychology Today, July/August 2012, "Flex Appeal", Katherine Schreiber, p. 36.
Monday, July 16, 2012
An Early Warning Sign (Alzheimer's Disease)
A slow or uneven gait in older individuals may be early signs of Alzheimer's Disease according to three recent studies.
According to research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Vancouver, pace, rhythm and the size of steps taken in older persons changed with the onset of neurological illness. Observing gait is a good way to determine who may need further neurological evaluation, potentially leading to earlier diagnosis and earlier intervention. Since individuals with Alzheimer's are also more likely to suffer falls than are healthy, older individuals, simply watching for signs of a slow or uneven gait could help them get the early, appropriate care required to prevent injury, disability and possibly premature death.
A study completed at the Basel Mobility Center in Switzerland of approximately 1,100 people with an average age of 77 indicated that those with Alzheimer's disease walked more slowly and with a more irregular pattern of steps as they suffered cognitive decline. Even those with what could be considered mild cognitive impairment walked with less vigor and more variability than did elderly individuals without cognitive impairment.
Another study carried out at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, which looked at the walking stride of approximately 1,200 people over the age of 49, found that the rhythm of a person's stride is associated with the speed at which the brain processes information as well as with the regulation of behaviour - some of the executive functions of the brain - but not with memory.
A study at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota found that individuals who had slower steps and smaller strides had larger declines in thinking, memory and executive function processing. The study indicated that the motor changes were happening prior to the memory changes, but both have been recognized to be part of the disease spectrum of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.
In total, the studies looked at 4,000 individuals.
Most older adults walk more slowly as they age. It is important to determine what underlying physical conditions may be present, such as conditions of pain, joint degeneration or bone disease in order to recognize how much gait, stride and rhythm may be affected by physical conditions and how much may be affected by cognitive decline.
D.
"Changes in Gait May Signal Alzheimer's", July 16, 2012, http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/
According to research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Vancouver, pace, rhythm and the size of steps taken in older persons changed with the onset of neurological illness. Observing gait is a good way to determine who may need further neurological evaluation, potentially leading to earlier diagnosis and earlier intervention. Since individuals with Alzheimer's are also more likely to suffer falls than are healthy, older individuals, simply watching for signs of a slow or uneven gait could help them get the early, appropriate care required to prevent injury, disability and possibly premature death.
A study completed at the Basel Mobility Center in Switzerland of approximately 1,100 people with an average age of 77 indicated that those with Alzheimer's disease walked more slowly and with a more irregular pattern of steps as they suffered cognitive decline. Even those with what could be considered mild cognitive impairment walked with less vigor and more variability than did elderly individuals without cognitive impairment.
Another study carried out at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, which looked at the walking stride of approximately 1,200 people over the age of 49, found that the rhythm of a person's stride is associated with the speed at which the brain processes information as well as with the regulation of behaviour - some of the executive functions of the brain - but not with memory.
A study at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota found that individuals who had slower steps and smaller strides had larger declines in thinking, memory and executive function processing. The study indicated that the motor changes were happening prior to the memory changes, but both have been recognized to be part of the disease spectrum of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.
In total, the studies looked at 4,000 individuals.
Most older adults walk more slowly as they age. It is important to determine what underlying physical conditions may be present, such as conditions of pain, joint degeneration or bone disease in order to recognize how much gait, stride and rhythm may be affected by physical conditions and how much may be affected by cognitive decline.
D.
"Changes in Gait May Signal Alzheimer's", July 16, 2012, http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The Brain Gain from Green Tea
It has been a long-held belief that the flavonoids in green tea protect the brain from dementia. What remained unknown, however, was whether the process of digestion rendered those compounds inactive and, therefore, of no value.
Researchers at Newcastle University have found that digestion renders green tea more protective: the digested flavonoids prevent accumulated toxins from attacking and destroying brain cells. Digestion also boosts the ability of these compounds to slow tumour growth.
D.
Psychology Today, September/October 2011, "The Real Tea Party", Rebecca Searles, p. 46.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Psychoactive Substance: Caffeine Revisited
It seems that research continues to unearth more and more information about caffeine. Caffeine, which is found in substantial amounts in coffee and to a lesser degree in tea and dark chocolate, appears to have positive benefits beyond those which may initially spring to mind. More and more neuroprotective effects of the world's most popular psychoactive substance are indicated in a survey of new studies which should be of interest to our aging population.
Caffeine belongs to a family of central nervous system stimulants known as methylxanthines. Caffeine stimulates us, making us more focused and alert, by blocking adenosine. This prevents the brain from detecting exhaustion. Additionally, it causes a stream of adrenaline to be released which also makes us more alert. Caffeine can also enhance physical endurance by inhibiting the perception of pain in muscles and by diminishing a sense of muscle fatigue by blocking the adenosine receptors on sensory nerve endings.
Several metabolites of caffeine - paraxanthine, theobromine, theophylline - have been indicated to assist persons suffering from Parkinson's disease. The chemicals protect against the loss of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, in the region of the brain called the stratium. This, in turn, reverses the impaired motor control which is one of the hallmark symptoms of the disease. These chemicals also keep dopamine-producing neurons from deteriorating.
Regular daily consumption of at least three cups of coffee has been found to prevent cognitive decline in seniors. It also appears to preserve - perhaps even restore - working memory in those suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. It does this by inhibiting the production of beta-amyloid protein. This protein can accumulate in the brain, forming plaques that theoretically give rise to brain degeneration.
There is also some evidence that drinking five or more cups of tea and coffee per day can help to prevent the development of glioma, a type of tumor that arises in the supportive tissue of the brain. Further research indicates that a mere half cup of tea or coffee per day reduces the risk by 34 percent. The exact mechanism of how this actually works has not been determined.
Caffeine boosts mood in most people. Consuming caffeine beyond one's tolerance level, however, can cause angry outbursts, agitation, increased blood pressure, tachycardia and insomnia.
D.
This article has been adapted from Psychology Today, March/April 2011, "The Case for Caffeine", Katherine Schreiber, p. 46.
Caffeine belongs to a family of central nervous system stimulants known as methylxanthines. Caffeine stimulates us, making us more focused and alert, by blocking adenosine. This prevents the brain from detecting exhaustion. Additionally, it causes a stream of adrenaline to be released which also makes us more alert. Caffeine can also enhance physical endurance by inhibiting the perception of pain in muscles and by diminishing a sense of muscle fatigue by blocking the adenosine receptors on sensory nerve endings.
Several metabolites of caffeine - paraxanthine, theobromine, theophylline - have been indicated to assist persons suffering from Parkinson's disease. The chemicals protect against the loss of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, in the region of the brain called the stratium. This, in turn, reverses the impaired motor control which is one of the hallmark symptoms of the disease. These chemicals also keep dopamine-producing neurons from deteriorating.
Regular daily consumption of at least three cups of coffee has been found to prevent cognitive decline in seniors. It also appears to preserve - perhaps even restore - working memory in those suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. It does this by inhibiting the production of beta-amyloid protein. This protein can accumulate in the brain, forming plaques that theoretically give rise to brain degeneration.
There is also some evidence that drinking five or more cups of tea and coffee per day can help to prevent the development of glioma, a type of tumor that arises in the supportive tissue of the brain. Further research indicates that a mere half cup of tea or coffee per day reduces the risk by 34 percent. The exact mechanism of how this actually works has not been determined.
Caffeine boosts mood in most people. Consuming caffeine beyond one's tolerance level, however, can cause angry outbursts, agitation, increased blood pressure, tachycardia and insomnia.
D.
This article has been adapted from Psychology Today, March/April 2011, "The Case for Caffeine", Katherine Schreiber, p. 46.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
New Thoughts on Creativity
According to some new studies outlined in the recent issue of Psychology Today, you may want to ditch your old ideas as to what fuels creativity and consider one or more of the techniques outlined below.
1. If you are usually a morning person, try creating at night when you are sleepy. Creativity requires non-specific thinking. When your tired brain wanders, it can make random connections. This may kick-start new ideas.
2. Good time management practices may improve creativity. Setting aside specific creative time each day reduces stress and allows for space where ideas can flourish.
3. Embracing conflict can lead to novel thinking so don't shy away from it. Recognize the potential in making sense in contradictions, butting heads, and thinking outside the box.
4. Background noise can enhance creativity, but too much noise can be distracting because it impairs the ability to process information. Abstract thinking requires about the volume you would find in a coffee shop.
Psychology Today, May/June 2012, "Four Secrets of Creativity", p.9.
1. If you are usually a morning person, try creating at night when you are sleepy. Creativity requires non-specific thinking. When your tired brain wanders, it can make random connections. This may kick-start new ideas.
2. Good time management practices may improve creativity. Setting aside specific creative time each day reduces stress and allows for space where ideas can flourish.
3. Embracing conflict can lead to novel thinking so don't shy away from it. Recognize the potential in making sense in contradictions, butting heads, and thinking outside the box.
4. Background noise can enhance creativity, but too much noise can be distracting because it impairs the ability to process information. Abstract thinking requires about the volume you would find in a coffee shop.
Psychology Today, May/June 2012, "Four Secrets of Creativity", p.9.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
The Attraction Paradox
A strong trait that initially attracts you to a mate can often become, to you, your mate's most annoying feature. According to an article in the January/February 2012 edition of Scientific American Mind, repeated exposure, disillusionment and the day to day contact in a long-term relationship go a long way toward making each other's traits more annoying than the quirks of other people. "Learning to reclassify annoying behaviors, increasing awareness of one's own flaws and sharing new experiences can help turn those peccadilloes back into perks." (1)
Extreme traits in individuals tend to be valued and awarded. For instance, strong independence in a person can be highly valued in today's society. Turn this trait around though, and after some time has passed in a relationship, the partner who is 'too independent' may leave his mate feeling quite unneeded. That can spell death for a relationship.
Other so-called positive qualities can also be viewed from the opposite end of the spectrum so they become highly irksome:
- People who are nice and agreeable can later be seen as weak-willed and passive;
- People who are strong-willed can later appear stubborn and unreasonable;
- Extraverted, lively people can later be seen as non-stop performers who always have to be the center of attention;
- The caring suitor, who listens well and responds to your every need can later be seen as clingy and needy;
- An exciting risk taker can come across over time as an irresponsible parent;
- A physically attractive partner can later be viewed as 'high-maintenance';
- Laid back can later be seen as lazy; and
- The driven, high-achieving partner can later be seen as a workaholic. (2)
D.
(1) and (2), Scientific American Mind, January/February 2012, "The Partnership Paradox", J. Palca and F. Lichtman, p. 61.
Extreme traits in individuals tend to be valued and awarded. For instance, strong independence in a person can be highly valued in today's society. Turn this trait around though, and after some time has passed in a relationship, the partner who is 'too independent' may leave his mate feeling quite unneeded. That can spell death for a relationship.
Other so-called positive qualities can also be viewed from the opposite end of the spectrum so they become highly irksome:
- People who are nice and agreeable can later be seen as weak-willed and passive;
- People who are strong-willed can later appear stubborn and unreasonable;
- Extraverted, lively people can later be seen as non-stop performers who always have to be the center of attention;
- The caring suitor, who listens well and responds to your every need can later be seen as clingy and needy;
- An exciting risk taker can come across over time as an irresponsible parent;
- A physically attractive partner can later be viewed as 'high-maintenance';
- Laid back can later be seen as lazy; and
- The driven, high-achieving partner can later be seen as a workaholic. (2)
D.
(1) and (2), Scientific American Mind, January/February 2012, "The Partnership Paradox", J. Palca and F. Lichtman, p. 61.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Berries Can Help Prevent Cognitive Decline
According to a recent study published in the "Annals of Neurology", cognitive aging - the ability to think, to reason, to remember - is delayed by up to 2.5 years in seniors who eat greater amounts of berries. Adding more berries to the diet may counteract the inflammation which contributes to cognitive decline.
Harvard scientists looked at information gleaned from the Nurses Health Study which began in 1976. It was found that women over the age of 70, who consumed a higher intake of berries, had a delay in cognitive aging by as much as 2.5 years.
Harvard scientists looked at information gleaned from the Nurses Health Study which began in 1976. It was found that women over the age of 70, who consumed a higher intake of berries, had a delay in cognitive aging by as much as 2.5 years.
"Reduced cognitive aging was also associated with a higher total consumption of flavonoids and anthocyanidins (chemical compounds that give fruits and vegetables their pigment - some of the most colorful and deeply colored fruits and vegetables are the richest in anthocyanidins)."(1)
In addition to berries, look to black and red grapes, cranberries, red cabbage, beets, red onion, purple potatoes and eggplant.
D.
(1) "Berries Keep Aging Minds Sharp", Sylvia Booth Hubbard, April 25, 2012, www.newsmaxhealth.com
D.
(1) "Berries Keep Aging Minds Sharp", Sylvia Booth Hubbard, April 25, 2012, www.newsmaxhealth.com
The Caffeine Ritual
The morning caffeine ritual (in the form of tea or coffee) is never something that I have been a part of, but countless others have been and still are. It is a normal part of daily life around the world that billions of consumers enjoy. It's calming. It helps to order the day.
The British have turned their afternoon tea ritual into quite the pageant of pomp and luxury. In certain locations in London, afternoon tea is served amid marble pillars and huge floral displays, in delicate cups made with the finest bone china. Finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, and fruit tarts are served along with traditional teas such as Earl Grey and English Breakfast.
In Japan, the tea ritual has grown to transcend the tea itself. The elegant tea ceremony matters as much, if not more than, the tea itself as kimonos glide across the floor, the wearers pouring tea into hand-molded earth-tone cups.
In southern India, junior monks deliver kettles of butter tea (black tea with milk, butter, and salt added) to more senior monks as a way of fueling early morning hours of prayer and spiritual debate.
Americans and Canadians sit in casual places like Starbucks sipping their javas while reading their newspapers as others grab coffees to take on the run to offices, meetings, or gyms. A flood of new, upscale coffee shops (which also sell tea) has turned the cheap cup of coffee, refills free, into a three to four dollar beverage brewed and blended to one's personal taste by a personal barista. Howard Schultz, the man who invented Starbucks, turned a single espresso bar in a corner of a coffee company into a Fortune 500 company over the period of two decades. (Earlier, Schultz had visited Milan where he fell in love with the ambience of the great Italian institution, the espresso bar. Not only did he observe that the Italian coffee experience was about fine coffee, he also gleaned that it was about conversation and community, and he wanted to bring that whole concept to Seattle, Washington.)
The average person living in Finland, where coffee consumption per capita is the highest in the world, ingests an estimated 145 grams of caffeine a year. (1)
Much of the research investigating the health effects of caffeine indicates benefits for human health at moderate levels of consumption (about 300 mg caffeine per day which is about 2 medium-sized cups of brewed coffee). Caffeine can help to "relieve pain, thwart migraine headaches, reduce asthma symptoms, and elevate mood. As a mental stimulant, it increases alertness, cognition, and reaction speed; because it combats fatigue, it improves performance on vigilance tasks like driving, flying, solving simple math problems, and data entry." (2)
Caffeine is rarely abused (although at least one student committed suicide by ingesting 150 caffeine pills and more and more incidents of mixing caffeine-laden energy drinks like Red Bull with alcohol leading to negative health consquences are coming to light). For most people, once they reach the jittery stage, they stop ingesting the caffeine which caused the jitters in the first place. The point at which people reach the jittery stage varies greatly among individuals. "Some people seem to be genetically more susceptible to caffeine's effects and may have increased anxiety after consuming even small amounts. In a minority of people, doses of 300 milligrams or more may prompt an increase in tension, anxiety, even panic attacks, which may account for why studies show that nervous people generally have lower caffeine consumption." (3)
Some coffee users find that even a day without caffeine causes headaches, irritability, a lack of energy, and sleepiness. Withdrawal symptoms, however, usually dissipate within a few days. The desire to avoid withdrawal may explain why billions around the world continue to consume the beverage. In fact, any improvement in mood or performance after consuming caffeine could simply be relief from withdrawal symptoms. According to Derk-Jan Dijk, a physiologist at the University of Surrey's sleep research centre, "it may be that we are all on one of those endless cycles (in which) you take caffeine, and you are more alert. Then, the next morning, the effect has worn off and you need more of the drug to restore the alertness. But maybe we could step off the cycle. For those of us who work during the day, we might do just as well without caffeine." (4)
D.
(1) National Geographic, January 2005, "Caffeine", T. R. Reid, p.20.
(2) National Geographic, January 2005, pp. 26 - 27.
(3) Ibid., p. 27.
(4) Ibid., p. 29.
The British have turned their afternoon tea ritual into quite the pageant of pomp and luxury. In certain locations in London, afternoon tea is served amid marble pillars and huge floral displays, in delicate cups made with the finest bone china. Finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, and fruit tarts are served along with traditional teas such as Earl Grey and English Breakfast.
In Japan, the tea ritual has grown to transcend the tea itself. The elegant tea ceremony matters as much, if not more than, the tea itself as kimonos glide across the floor, the wearers pouring tea into hand-molded earth-tone cups.
In southern India, junior monks deliver kettles of butter tea (black tea with milk, butter, and salt added) to more senior monks as a way of fueling early morning hours of prayer and spiritual debate.
Americans and Canadians sit in casual places like Starbucks sipping their javas while reading their newspapers as others grab coffees to take on the run to offices, meetings, or gyms. A flood of new, upscale coffee shops (which also sell tea) has turned the cheap cup of coffee, refills free, into a three to four dollar beverage brewed and blended to one's personal taste by a personal barista. Howard Schultz, the man who invented Starbucks, turned a single espresso bar in a corner of a coffee company into a Fortune 500 company over the period of two decades. (Earlier, Schultz had visited Milan where he fell in love with the ambience of the great Italian institution, the espresso bar. Not only did he observe that the Italian coffee experience was about fine coffee, he also gleaned that it was about conversation and community, and he wanted to bring that whole concept to Seattle, Washington.)
The average person living in Finland, where coffee consumption per capita is the highest in the world, ingests an estimated 145 grams of caffeine a year. (1)
Much of the research investigating the health effects of caffeine indicates benefits for human health at moderate levels of consumption (about 300 mg caffeine per day which is about 2 medium-sized cups of brewed coffee). Caffeine can help to "relieve pain, thwart migraine headaches, reduce asthma symptoms, and elevate mood. As a mental stimulant, it increases alertness, cognition, and reaction speed; because it combats fatigue, it improves performance on vigilance tasks like driving, flying, solving simple math problems, and data entry." (2)
Caffeine is rarely abused (although at least one student committed suicide by ingesting 150 caffeine pills and more and more incidents of mixing caffeine-laden energy drinks like Red Bull with alcohol leading to negative health consquences are coming to light). For most people, once they reach the jittery stage, they stop ingesting the caffeine which caused the jitters in the first place. The point at which people reach the jittery stage varies greatly among individuals. "Some people seem to be genetically more susceptible to caffeine's effects and may have increased anxiety after consuming even small amounts. In a minority of people, doses of 300 milligrams or more may prompt an increase in tension, anxiety, even panic attacks, which may account for why studies show that nervous people generally have lower caffeine consumption." (3)
Some coffee users find that even a day without caffeine causes headaches, irritability, a lack of energy, and sleepiness. Withdrawal symptoms, however, usually dissipate within a few days. The desire to avoid withdrawal may explain why billions around the world continue to consume the beverage. In fact, any improvement in mood or performance after consuming caffeine could simply be relief from withdrawal symptoms. According to Derk-Jan Dijk, a physiologist at the University of Surrey's sleep research centre, "it may be that we are all on one of those endless cycles (in which) you take caffeine, and you are more alert. Then, the next morning, the effect has worn off and you need more of the drug to restore the alertness. But maybe we could step off the cycle. For those of us who work during the day, we might do just as well without caffeine." (4)
D.
(1) National Geographic, January 2005, "Caffeine", T. R. Reid, p.20.
(2) National Geographic, January 2005, pp. 26 - 27.
(3) Ibid., p. 27.
(4) Ibid., p. 29.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Notes on Mindfulness
People tend to spend much of their time trying to quell negative thoughts or emotions. This can take a lot of energy - energy which would be better utlized elsewhere in life - energy to do something positive. Practising mindfulness does not involve the avoidance of negative emotions and emotional distress in general. Rather, thoughts and feelings of negativity are experienced and then accepted by cultivating the ability to look at the thoughts/emotions in a detached fashion, in a non-judgmental way. They are then experienced as less unpleasant and less threatening. This in turn leads to a better ability to withstand distress without needing to resort to psychological defenses or maladaptive coping strategies in order to decrease the intensity of the emotions.
Thoughts and feelings are not assumed to be valid or permanent - they are seen as subjective and transient. This type of decentered detachment has been shown to be assoiciated with a lowered risk of depressive relapse.
D.
Adapted from "Mindfulness Matters", www.mindfulness-matters.org/what -is-mindfulness/
Thoughts and feelings are not assumed to be valid or permanent - they are seen as subjective and transient. This type of decentered detachment has been shown to be assoiciated with a lowered risk of depressive relapse.
D.
Adapted from "Mindfulness Matters", www.mindfulness-matters.org/what -is-mindfulness/
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Happiness is Free
According to psychologist, Dr. Robert Holden, director of "The Happiness Project" (England) we all have what can be termed, 'a happiness contract'. What this means is that we've all completed - in the back of our minds - a happiness contract in which we've predetermined how much happiness is possible AND how much is too good to be true. This type of contract contains a central clause which states that happiness must be deserved. Happiness needn't be deserved, earned, given, or bestowed upon you. It is free and is a natural component of your true self.
It is quite difficult to know what makes you happy if you don't know yourself well. According to Dr. Holden, once you begin to know who you truly are, you can begin to cultivate true happiness. Focusing internally on your authenticity, rather than externally on achievements or other people, is key.
D.
Adapted from "Find True Happiness", Stephanie Mitchell, Oprah.com, August 18, 2009.
It is quite difficult to know what makes you happy if you don't know yourself well. According to Dr. Holden, once you begin to know who you truly are, you can begin to cultivate true happiness. Focusing internally on your authenticity, rather than externally on achievements or other people, is key.
D.
Adapted from "Find True Happiness", Stephanie Mitchell, Oprah.com, August 18, 2009.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Depressogenic Assumptions
According to Aaron T. Beck, one of the developing 'fathers' of Cognitive Therapy, certain assumptions/beliefs can predispose a person to depression and sadness. Some of these are:
- in order to be happy, I have to be successful in whatever I undertake;
- to be happy, I must be accepted by all people at all times;
- if I make a mistake, it means that I am inept;
- I can't live without you (usually a spouse or romantic partner);
- if someone disagrees with me, it means he/she doesn't like me;
- my value as a person depends on what others think of me.
Wow, that's a huge load to carry around in life. If you have been depressed for a long time, it may mean that you hold to these assumptions and the negative conclusions that arise from them with great tenacity. Your belief in them may come to you quite automatically, quite readily. You may not examine or doubt these views. These views may have become a significant part of your identity - as much a part of your identity as whether you are male or female. The certainty with which you hold these 'core' beliefs usually corresponds with the intensity of the depression.
It is important to note that these assumptions are LEARNED assumptions and at one time or another may have been articulated to you by others or were your interpretation of experiences that you had in the past, often during your childhood and teen years. They may be due to messaging from significant people in your life: attitudes or opinions of teachers, siblings, peers, parents, or others. Family 'rules' are usually factors in the construction of these assumptions: "be nice to people, or people won't like you and it means you are not a nice, lovable person if they like you but you don't like them back." "You are a bad person and so are unworthy or undeserving of love." (This messaging is how some children end up suffering sexual abuse committed by friends or relatives of their primary family. This is also how some children grow into explosive, angry teens or adults: they have been taught to always be nice to others, rather than taught healthy assertiveness in order to protect themselves both physically and psychologically during childhood and beyond.)
During cognitive therapy, a client and therapist work together to uncover these types of strongly and deeply held core assumptions. The client must, however, take the lead during this exploration. It is erroneous and detrimental to the client for the therapist to suggest what a client's core assumptions/beliefs are. The therapist can guide the client in the exploration and uncovering of these beliefs, and help to examine and dissect these beliefs, replacing them with healthier, more positive self-affirming ones.
D.
From Cognitive Therapy of Depression, A. T. Beck, A. J. Rush, B. F. Shaw, & G. Emery, Guildford Press, New York, 1979, pp. 244 - 247.
- in order to be happy, I have to be successful in whatever I undertake;
- to be happy, I must be accepted by all people at all times;
- if I make a mistake, it means that I am inept;
- I can't live without you (usually a spouse or romantic partner);
- if someone disagrees with me, it means he/she doesn't like me;
- my value as a person depends on what others think of me.
Wow, that's a huge load to carry around in life. If you have been depressed for a long time, it may mean that you hold to these assumptions and the negative conclusions that arise from them with great tenacity. Your belief in them may come to you quite automatically, quite readily. You may not examine or doubt these views. These views may have become a significant part of your identity - as much a part of your identity as whether you are male or female. The certainty with which you hold these 'core' beliefs usually corresponds with the intensity of the depression.
It is important to note that these assumptions are LEARNED assumptions and at one time or another may have been articulated to you by others or were your interpretation of experiences that you had in the past, often during your childhood and teen years. They may be due to messaging from significant people in your life: attitudes or opinions of teachers, siblings, peers, parents, or others. Family 'rules' are usually factors in the construction of these assumptions: "be nice to people, or people won't like you and it means you are not a nice, lovable person if they like you but you don't like them back." "You are a bad person and so are unworthy or undeserving of love." (This messaging is how some children end up suffering sexual abuse committed by friends or relatives of their primary family. This is also how some children grow into explosive, angry teens or adults: they have been taught to always be nice to others, rather than taught healthy assertiveness in order to protect themselves both physically and psychologically during childhood and beyond.)
During cognitive therapy, a client and therapist work together to uncover these types of strongly and deeply held core assumptions. The client must, however, take the lead during this exploration. It is erroneous and detrimental to the client for the therapist to suggest what a client's core assumptions/beliefs are. The therapist can guide the client in the exploration and uncovering of these beliefs, and help to examine and dissect these beliefs, replacing them with healthier, more positive self-affirming ones.
D.
From Cognitive Therapy of Depression, A. T. Beck, A. J. Rush, B. F. Shaw, & G. Emery, Guildford Press, New York, 1979, pp. 244 - 247.
Choices For Contentment
Question of the day: what is needed in order to create an enduring kind of contentment that no one can take away from you? How do you create a contentment (or, if you prefer, a happiness or inner peace) that is so established in your core self that external events cannot take it away?
According to wisdom guru, Deepak Chopra, certain choices made along the road of life can determine whether your contentment ebbs and flows with the times, or whether it becomes an inner rock which buoys you as external events attempt to disquiet or disturb you.
According to Chopra, consider undertaking the following:
- meditate , which can open up deeper levels of the mind
- take actions that benefit others
- nurture social relationships that support intimacy and bonding
- find inspiration through reading the world’s scriptures and poetry
- find enjoyment in natural beauty
- have a vision of personal fulfillment that you follow each day
- aim for inner fulfillment rather than external fulfillment
- find ways to reduce stress
- take time for peaceful reflection
- learn to love your own company, cultivate the self as a state of being
- eschew anger and violence in all its forms, gross and subtle
- resolve conflicts, both inner and outer, rather than letting them build up
- pay one’s debt to the past, which means healing old hurts and grievances
- step away from group think and second-hand opinions
- give up a belief in enemies and us-versus-them thinking
- cultivate kindness and compassion
- be generous of spirit and learn to give
- see yourself as part of a larger humanity, and humanity itself as an expression of the divine, despite the flaws.
To this I would add a mantra: conduct yourself with grace, kindness and dignity. Some see kindness as a weakness; don’t buy into that.
It’s a long list which does, indeed, require a shift in perspective. Everything you once thought and believed you will now have to see through a new lense and in a new light: something to strive for, to work towards, and something which I believe is attainable.
As you will likely have noticed, some of the points noted above do overlap. For instance, being generous of spirit and learning to give can be equated with taking actions that benefit others. A way to reduce stress could be through peaceful reflection and that could occur while finding enjoyment in natural beauty while cultivating inner fulfillment. I do not mean to be flippant, just to argue that the points are not so separate as to induce exhaustion or a feeling of being overwhelmed while trying to achieve them: that would, indeed, defeat the purpose. And, the overall purpose is to walk the path of vidya, which can be richly defined as “the way to reach the truth” which actually means “knowledge” in Sanskrit. Take what you will from the previous sentence - accept it, or throw it away, it doesn’t really matter - because the true goal is inner peace – contentment – happiness which can only benefit you and others.
D.
D.
(This article was adapted from “Why Choice Is the Way to Happiness” by Deepak Chopra, oprah.com, April 14, 2010.)
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Sincere Apology
Seems that a sincere apology is crucial to our mental and physical health. Research has shown that receiving a genuine apology has a positive physical effect on the body of the receiver: the heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, and breathing becomes more regular. Apology also has a positive emotional effect on the receiver: he can move beyond anger as he avoids staying focused on something that happened in the past; it paves the way for him to forgive; he no longer perceives the wrongdoer as a personal threat; and he will feel understood and acknowledged.
When someone provides an apology to us, instead of seeing that person through a screen of anger and bitterness, we see him/her as a fallible, vulnerable human being - a human just like us. This moves us towards empathy and compassion - both of which are positive results - provided the apology is sincere and not simply a manipulation. As well, it loses effect if it simply paves the way for repetition of the same misdeeds
or mistakes in the future.
Sincere apologies also benefit the so-called 'wrongdoer'. Making a sincere apology can rid us of esteem-robbing self-reproach and guilt. Otherwise, the guilt and remorse we may feel when we've wronged or hurt another person may eat away at us until we makes ourselves ill, both physically and emotionally.
When we develop the courage to admit that we did something wrong, we can develop a deep sense of self-respect. This helps us to remain emotionally connected to those we have hurt. If we know we have wronged someone, we may distance ourselves, both emotionally and physically, causing intimacy to suffer. Sincere apology can also act as a deterrent against committing future acts which hurt the other person.
D.
Psychology Today, July/August 2002, "Making Amends", Beverly Engel, pp. 40 - 42.
When someone provides an apology to us, instead of seeing that person through a screen of anger and bitterness, we see him/her as a fallible, vulnerable human being - a human just like us. This moves us towards empathy and compassion - both of which are positive results - provided the apology is sincere and not simply a manipulation. As well, it loses effect if it simply paves the way for repetition of the same misdeeds
or mistakes in the future.
Sincere apologies also benefit the so-called 'wrongdoer'. Making a sincere apology can rid us of esteem-robbing self-reproach and guilt. Otherwise, the guilt and remorse we may feel when we've wronged or hurt another person may eat away at us until we makes ourselves ill, both physically and emotionally.
When we develop the courage to admit that we did something wrong, we can develop a deep sense of self-respect. This helps us to remain emotionally connected to those we have hurt. If we know we have wronged someone, we may distance ourselves, both emotionally and physically, causing intimacy to suffer. Sincere apology can also act as a deterrent against committing future acts which hurt the other person.
D.
Psychology Today, July/August 2002, "Making Amends", Beverly Engel, pp. 40 - 42.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Amyloid Plaques of Alzheimer's Disease
A recent study which utilized brain imaging scans suggests the following: that people who have remained mentally active throughout their lives develop fewer beta amyloid plaques. This new study is not about the brain's response to amyloid (which the older studies dealt with), but rather, it is about the actual accumulation of amyloid. Beta amyloid is the protein that many scientists believe causes Alzheimer's disease. It is this protein that is found in the plaques of the brains of people who suffer from Alzheimer's.
According to Dr. William Jagust of the University of California at Berkely, this is a brand new finding. This recent study was spearheaded by Dr. Jagust whose report appears in the most recent edition of the Archives of Neurology.
The study, however, has two important weaknesses, though one of its strengths lies in the fact that brain imaging was utilized. The weaknesses are: it was a small group that was studied and the study relied on the memory of the participants' mental activity from age 6 and after.
With respect to the brain imaging that was used in the study, the compound used to visualize areas of the brain is known as PiB (Pittsburgh Compound B) which works with PET (positron emission tomography) scans to show the beta amyloid deposits. PiB sticks to the deposits so they can be visualized by investigators.
The study itself looked at the brains of 65 healthy, cognitively intact people aged 60 and above. These participants were asked myriad questions with respect to how mentally active they had been during different periods of their lives, beginning at age 6.
The questions covered topics like emails, game playing, newspaper reading, library outings, and letter writing. Their memories and thinking skills were assessed and PET scans were conducted in order to locate any amyloid deposits in the brain. The researchers then compared the brain scans with those of 10 patients with Alzheimer's and 11 healthy people in their 20's.
The investigation revealed that people who had been the most mentally active throughout their lives had the least amount of beta amyloid deposit than the others who had been less mentally active.
Furthermore, according to Susan Landau, another researcher from Berkeley who worked on the study, the data suggested that a whole lifetime of mental activity has a bigger effect than does mental activity just in older age. Amyloid probably starts accumulating many years before symptoms appear, so by the time memory problems start, there is little that can be done.
D.
This article was based on the following: "Brain Exercises Prevent Alzheimer's Proteins", January 24, 2012, Newsmax Health, a publication of Reuters, found at www.newsmaxhealth.com
According to Dr. William Jagust of the University of California at Berkely, this is a brand new finding. This recent study was spearheaded by Dr. Jagust whose report appears in the most recent edition of the Archives of Neurology.
The study, however, has two important weaknesses, though one of its strengths lies in the fact that brain imaging was utilized. The weaknesses are: it was a small group that was studied and the study relied on the memory of the participants' mental activity from age 6 and after.
With respect to the brain imaging that was used in the study, the compound used to visualize areas of the brain is known as PiB (Pittsburgh Compound B) which works with PET (positron emission tomography) scans to show the beta amyloid deposits. PiB sticks to the deposits so they can be visualized by investigators.
The study itself looked at the brains of 65 healthy, cognitively intact people aged 60 and above. These participants were asked myriad questions with respect to how mentally active they had been during different periods of their lives, beginning at age 6.
The questions covered topics like emails, game playing, newspaper reading, library outings, and letter writing. Their memories and thinking skills were assessed and PET scans were conducted in order to locate any amyloid deposits in the brain. The researchers then compared the brain scans with those of 10 patients with Alzheimer's and 11 healthy people in their 20's.
The investigation revealed that people who had been the most mentally active throughout their lives had the least amount of beta amyloid deposit than the others who had been less mentally active.
Furthermore, according to Susan Landau, another researcher from Berkeley who worked on the study, the data suggested that a whole lifetime of mental activity has a bigger effect than does mental activity just in older age. Amyloid probably starts accumulating many years before symptoms appear, so by the time memory problems start, there is little that can be done.
D.
This article was based on the following: "Brain Exercises Prevent Alzheimer's Proteins", January 24, 2012, Newsmax Health, a publication of Reuters, found at www.newsmaxhealth.com
Monday, January 23, 2012
Signs of Deception
Contrary to popular beliefs promulgated by television police dramas, there are no sure 'tells' that a person is trying to deceive you. A lack of eye contact, facial tics, swallowing hard, hesitations in speaking, a quavering voice or vague descriptive answers can all be signs of lying - but they can also be signs of anxiety, nervousness, or simply be personal quirks, cultural differences, or deviations from the normal population. For example, a person who buries her head in her hands, takes a deep breath before speaking, then hesitates while closing her eyes for a split second is just as apt to be disclosing a painful truth as she is to be stating a falsehood.
Unless trained, most people wouldn't even recognize signs of deceit, nor would they necessarily know how to correctly interpret them even if they did notice them. Successful determinations of deception depend on successfully decoding shades of emotion. According to Dr. Paul Ekman, an eminent psychologist and researcher who has studied deception for over 30 years: "You have to be able to read an emotion that a person is aware of, recognize emotions that a person is experiencing that he or she is unaware of, and recognize emotions that people are aware of but don't want you to know." (1) The most reliable signals of deception pertain to the cognitive effort and emotion that surround the lie itself. Deception pertaining to emotion is the most difficult for most people - trained or untrained - to discern.
Tiny flashes of expression (termed 'microexpressions') which show on an individual's face for only the briefest amount of time - less than a mere second - are key. Things like fear, or anger, or perhaps a compressed smile may flash across a face revealing much more than the person himself realizes that he is revealing. One example which quickly comes to mind, is of a young woman being asked whether or not she took fifty dollars from an envelope. Her eyes do a pretty good job at conveying sincerity when she denies having taken the money, but her microexpression of a very brief pout gives away her lie because it does not fit with her other facial expressions, nor does it fit with the words she is speaking. Additionally, while speaking, changes in word usage, word flow, tone, or voice pitch may signal the extra cognitive power that is required to lie.
Accurate signal reading is only the first step in decoding lies. Why an emotion is in play is the next piece of the puzzle. In other words, what motivates this person in this moment?
A baseline reading allows an interviewer to distinguish between a personal quirk and a 'tell' or 'hotspot'. Some people are naturally jittery, agitated, or move around a lot even when relaxed. Others are not. Hot spots show up as contradictions in behaviour or demeanour: a gesture (like the graze of a hand against the forehead), or the shaking of the head from side to side indicating 'no' when stating how much they like/love someone (a technique well-used in the world of soap opera characters), can be revealing as can the type and direction of a gaze. Hotspots don't necessarily signal deception per se, but rather they may simply suggest that there is more to the matter than first meets the eye. If you call out ' a lie' you could very well be wrong, but a hotspot is never wrong if it is simply used to notice that a person's account of a situation or event is not consistent with how he or she normally displays information. Training in the differences between cultures is essential here.
A shrewd interviewer foments hotspots - he doesn't just look for them. One highly trained FBI investigator found a fugitive hiding in his mother's closet after he questioned the mother several times with respect to her son's whereabouts. Each time the mother was asked if the son was in the home, her hand went to, and lingered on, the suprasternal notch just below the neck as she stated that she did not know where he was. Research had previously shown this to be a protective gesture that indicates discomfort, especially in women. (In men, stroking of the neck is the more likely gesture.) The mother's consistent denials were to no avail: a search of the house was launched and her son was found hiding in a bedroom closet.
While microexpressions, gestures and gazes are all critical cues to discomfort (and possible deception), words also play a key role. Verbal signals that important facts may have been omitted include qualifying words like 'sometimes' and 'most of the time' and words that provide opportunities to omit facts such as 'so' and 'while'.
The speed-reading of multiple incoming messages - words, gestures, gaze, microexpressions - add up to expert intuition. The more that recognizing the basics becomes automatic, the more room the questioner has left for evaluation and the higher the success rate in the detection of deception.
Good 'lie detectors' can often be found working as therapists, writers, lawyers and, of course, as law enforcement officers. Many of these people have inborn talents like visual acuity, pattern recognition and emotional sensitivity. They also have the motivation to read people. One study has found that children raised in adverse circumstances have more highly tuned radar for detecting lies than do those raised in stable environments.
D.
(1) and (2) Psychology Today, "Secrets of Special Agents", Kaja Perina, p. 61 and p. 63.
Unless trained, most people wouldn't even recognize signs of deceit, nor would they necessarily know how to correctly interpret them even if they did notice them. Successful determinations of deception depend on successfully decoding shades of emotion. According to Dr. Paul Ekman, an eminent psychologist and researcher who has studied deception for over 30 years: "You have to be able to read an emotion that a person is aware of, recognize emotions that a person is experiencing that he or she is unaware of, and recognize emotions that people are aware of but don't want you to know." (1) The most reliable signals of deception pertain to the cognitive effort and emotion that surround the lie itself. Deception pertaining to emotion is the most difficult for most people - trained or untrained - to discern.
Tiny flashes of expression (termed 'microexpressions') which show on an individual's face for only the briefest amount of time - less than a mere second - are key. Things like fear, or anger, or perhaps a compressed smile may flash across a face revealing much more than the person himself realizes that he is revealing. One example which quickly comes to mind, is of a young woman being asked whether or not she took fifty dollars from an envelope. Her eyes do a pretty good job at conveying sincerity when she denies having taken the money, but her microexpression of a very brief pout gives away her lie because it does not fit with her other facial expressions, nor does it fit with the words she is speaking. Additionally, while speaking, changes in word usage, word flow, tone, or voice pitch may signal the extra cognitive power that is required to lie.
Accurate signal reading is only the first step in decoding lies. Why an emotion is in play is the next piece of the puzzle. In other words, what motivates this person in this moment?
Establishing rapport with a person puts that person at ease, and asking innocuous questions provides a baseline against which the answers to more probing questions can be measured. It is possible to obtain a baseline simply by observing a person. In addition to facial expressions (both macro and micro), body language is an essential piece of the puzzle. "Gestures are often deployed in moments of stress, making them all the more critical to grasp, because stressful reactions are worthy of further exploration." (2)
A baseline reading allows an interviewer to distinguish between a personal quirk and a 'tell' or 'hotspot'. Some people are naturally jittery, agitated, or move around a lot even when relaxed. Others are not. Hot spots show up as contradictions in behaviour or demeanour: a gesture (like the graze of a hand against the forehead), or the shaking of the head from side to side indicating 'no' when stating how much they like/love someone (a technique well-used in the world of soap opera characters), can be revealing as can the type and direction of a gaze. Hotspots don't necessarily signal deception per se, but rather they may simply suggest that there is more to the matter than first meets the eye. If you call out ' a lie' you could very well be wrong, but a hotspot is never wrong if it is simply used to notice that a person's account of a situation or event is not consistent with how he or she normally displays information. Training in the differences between cultures is essential here.
A shrewd interviewer foments hotspots - he doesn't just look for them. One highly trained FBI investigator found a fugitive hiding in his mother's closet after he questioned the mother several times with respect to her son's whereabouts. Each time the mother was asked if the son was in the home, her hand went to, and lingered on, the suprasternal notch just below the neck as she stated that she did not know where he was. Research had previously shown this to be a protective gesture that indicates discomfort, especially in women. (In men, stroking of the neck is the more likely gesture.) The mother's consistent denials were to no avail: a search of the house was launched and her son was found hiding in a bedroom closet.
While microexpressions, gestures and gazes are all critical cues to discomfort (and possible deception), words also play a key role. Verbal signals that important facts may have been omitted include qualifying words like 'sometimes' and 'most of the time' and words that provide opportunities to omit facts such as 'so' and 'while'.
The speed-reading of multiple incoming messages - words, gestures, gaze, microexpressions - add up to expert intuition. The more that recognizing the basics becomes automatic, the more room the questioner has left for evaluation and the higher the success rate in the detection of deception.
Good 'lie detectors' can often be found working as therapists, writers, lawyers and, of course, as law enforcement officers. Many of these people have inborn talents like visual acuity, pattern recognition and emotional sensitivity. They also have the motivation to read people. One study has found that children raised in adverse circumstances have more highly tuned radar for detecting lies than do those raised in stable environments.
D.
(1) and (2) Psychology Today, "Secrets of Special Agents", Kaja Perina, p. 61 and p. 63.
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