Back
Front Back Front
(Superior)
(Inferior)
(Posterior) (Posterior)
Our research suggests that each of the four simple styles has a sensory part in the back of the brain and an associated internal world in the front.
Mercy strategy, for example, has an inner world of emotional memories. It is this internal world that determines the emotionally appropriate way of reacting to the external world of experiences—it appears to contain the core mental „furniture‟ of the Mercy room. Take away this part of the brain
A I could „get technical‟ and refer to brain locations such as FEF, IPL, SMA, or STS. I would manage to impress some people but I would also lose my audience. I know what it is like to be snowed under by neurological terminology. I learned about the brain simply by going to the medical library and starting to read. Occasionally a researcher would slip up and actually define one of his terms. Two hundred tomes and about one thousand esoteric papers later, I have acquired some knowledge about the subject. However, I have found that the useful information in a paper is often contained in the little asides which a researcher throws in just „by the way.‟ So, I decided to gather all my „little asides‟ into a book and only add technical detail where necessary.
and a person will act inappropriately, doing things such as going to the bathroom in public places without feeling shame. Of course, some people act inappropriately without the benefit of a lobotomy. In their case, the behavior is not the result of missing brain hardware, but rather of inadequate mental software. The influence of the internal world can also be reduced through the help of drugs and alcohol. To misquote an old saying,
“I can either have a bottle in front of me, or a frontal lobotomy.”A
The composite styles, in contrast, do not seem to be associated primarily with the cortex of the brain. I have mentioned that the three composite styles form a mental loop which drives thought and action. A loop, just as we have described, exists in what is called the subcortex of the human brain. This is the region that can be seen when the brain is opened up and the cortex removed, which is why it is called subcortical.B Memories are not stored in the subcortex. Instead, the subcortical brain takes the information from the cortex in each hemisphere, processes it in a region called the basal ganglia and then sends it back to the cortex through another brain center called the thalamus. I suggest (final reminder: This is original with me) that this is the loop which is used in visual and verbal imagination, with verbal imagination occurring in the subcortex of the left hemisphere, and visual imagination happening in the subcortex of the right hemisphere.C In other words, what we call imagination is actually the operation of the three composite styles, and the way in which we react to imagination and the control which we have over imagination depends upon which mental room is conscious.
The four simple styles are located in the cortex of the brain.
A The medical history of the frontal lobotomy is a real horror story. In its most popular form, the surgeon stuck an ice pick behind the eye of the patient, pushed the blade into the front of the brain, and stirred. This procedure was carried out in the doctor‟s office under local anesthetic.
Thousands of humans were mentally murdered this way in order to further the careers of a few aspiring physicians.
B Many terms in neurology are equally inspired. The substantia nigra, for example, is simply Latin for the black substance. The term which I like best is the substantia innominata, Latin for the unnamed substance.
C Some of the latest papers on the basal ganglia describe exactly this concept of a loop of imagination and even mention the distinction between Exhorter and Contributor type processing.
This does not mean that the composite styles do not use the cortex at all. It appears that each of the three composite styles is also associated with a certain region of the cortex. However, the simple styles use predominantly cortical processing and the composite styles focus upon subcortical thought.
Each is divided into an internal world and an automatic part.
The three composite styles are located in subcortical regions.
They form a loop which travels from the cortex back to the cortex.
Evidence from neurology also supports the idea that this subcortical loop drives imagination and action. For example, if the place in the brain called the SMA (the primary location where this loop re-enters the cortex) is damaged, then a person will experience a very peculiar form of paralysis.
He can still talk and act, but he has no desire to do so. He can respond intelligently if he is forced to, but otherwise he reacts like the proverbial couch potato—pure thought and all eyes.
How to Make Friends with a Theory
I have suggested that learning a theory is like getting to know a friend.
So, how far have we come? By now, I have introduced you to my model of thought, and I have told you something about „him.‟ At this point in the relationship we need to answer the following questions: “Do I like this person? Do I want to spend time with him? Is he the type of individual whom I find interesting?”
Some people are great at creating first impressions, but the more we get to know them, the less we want to be around them. Others may not appear so brilliant at first, but they wear well; over time, we find that they turn into faithful friends. I suggest that theories are much the same. Some ideas seem really exciting at first, but they have no depth. Other systems of thought may take a while to understand, but they then survive the test of time.
Most of us have close friends. However, not all of us have learned to make „friends‟ with a theory; we have not acquired the art of appreciating a general understanding. Therefore, I would like to mention a few aspects of a quality relationship with a theory.
First, having a friend means that you will be seeing the same face over and over again. I have mentioned that this book uses one general theory to explain many different aspects of human thought and personality. This means that you will be seeing the same basic concepts repeated page after page—wherever you turn, the same „person‟ will keep showing his „face.‟
In fact, if there is a simple model which describes all of human thought, then once you know it, you will find that the same words and concepts occur endlessly, everywhere.
How can I handle reading about the same ideas for the next several hundred pages? Well, how does a couple survive marriage? I suggest that the same answer applies to both situations. Initially there is the excitement of novelty—doing things together for the first time, or experiencing the thrill of grasping a mental concept. However, if the relationship is to
survive, then excitement must grow into love. Long-term friendship is fed by the satisfaction of accomplishment, the pleasure of relationship, and the joy of discovering new aspects in one‟s partner.
The person who reads this book purely for the novelty of encountering new and exciting concepts will probably end up becoming bored: “You keep saying the same things over and over again, you force me to think logically, and you don‟t tell enough stories.” On the other hand, the individual who is searching for the pleasure and satisfaction of a unified theory will find that each repetition simply adds another facet of grandeur to the gem of understanding.
Therefore, I suggest that this book should not be treated as an intellectual challenge to be overcome, or as a psychological bandage to place on an emotional sore. Rather, it should be seen as a work of elegance to be enjoyed and appreciated, and as a guide which can help to bring meaning to life. If there really is a general theory which can explain human behavior, then as long as I continue to behave as a human, this understanding will be with me, mentally „looking over my shoulder.‟
Let me illustrate this point with a personal analogy. I enjoy playing violin in a string quartet. For a long time, my greatest thrill came from sight reading a new piece of music at the edge of my technical ability. The challenge of finding the right notes, coupled with the possibility of musical disaster, produced a feeling of excitement. Once I had played a piece for several times, though, it tended to lose its appeal and became just another set of notes on paper. Over time, however, I gained the ability to appreciate music: I was not only challenged when I tackled new works, but I could also find elegance, beauty and harmony in perfecting and expressing existing ones.
Secondly, building a quality relationship takes time and effort. I cannot walk up to a person on the street at random and expect instant companionship. I have to earn the right to become someone‟s friend. The same applies to a general theory. In order to gain understanding, I must first lay a proper foundation. Just as learning mathematics starts by memorizing the times tables, so an understanding of the mind must begin with an explanation of the basic components of thought. I will try to make it as interesting and as readable as possible. The rest is up to you.
Third, if learning about an ordinary everyday theory could be compared to forming a platonic friendship, then I suggest that studying about cognitive styles is somewhat more like dating. Normally, when I understand some theory or make friends with some person, I have the benefit of emotional distance. Whenever I need a break from the relationship, I can retreat to my own personal world. However, if I fall in love with someone, then that individual becomes part of my personal world, and very difficult to get out of my thoughts. I suggest that a theory of
human personality behaves in similar ways. Once it begins to explain my personal world, then it also follows me around wherever I go.
Analyzing the mind requires a combination of head and heart.
The method of study involves the head and rational thinking.
The object of study includes the heart and personal feelings.
It probably sounds strange to compare a theory of the mind with
„falling in love.‟ The scientist may well look at this statement and conclude that a discussion about „love‟ must of necessity abandon logic and head down the garden path of mystical musings. On the other hand, the individual who is searching for love is equally positive that he will not find the answer to his quest within the sterile hallways of rational research.
However, this is precisely what we will attempt to do—combine the emotions of the heart with the rational thinking of the head.
I suggest that music provides a good example of subjective feeling combined with objective analysis. On the one hand, this topic can be studied from a physics textbook where mathematical formulae are used to describe resonant frequencies, string tensions, and harmonic ratios. On the other hand, the musician may learn about the topic by „feeling‟ the chords and allowing his gut instincts to guide his fingers. Put the two together and you come to the conclusion that the musician is really „feeling‟ a set of mathematical equations and that the physicist is actually analyzing an aspect of subjective emotion.A
This concept is so important that I will say it one more time: Why do I compare studying a theory of the mind with forming a friendship? Because, when it comes to emotional topics such as „falling in love,‟ our natural tendency is to throw logic out of the window and to follow the dictates of our heart. Similarly, I have found that the biggest obstacle to understanding the mind is subjective feelings. Therefore, one of the recurring themes in this book is that of cooperation between head and heart.
A Word from your Tour Guide
Suppose that I decide to visit a foreign land. I can prepare for my trip by purchasing a map and a tour guide. By looking at the map I can see what is where, and how to travel from here to there. While the map shows me the various cities, towns, and roads, it does not tell me which places are worth visiting. This is where the tour guide becomes useful. By combining advice from the tour guide with information on the map, I can figure out what I want to see and where these various sites are located.
A It is amazing how often you find people with mathematical ability who also play a musical instrument. This suggests that there really is a fundamental relationship between the two.
Of course, I could always board a plane to some unknown destination, rent a car and start driving at random. It would work if I landed in a civilized location. Charging blindly into some wild untamed jungle, however, could be quite dangerous.
I suggest that the journey through life is no different. In order to have the best trip, we should start by programming the mental „rooms‟ which contain the maps and the tour guides. Therefore, we will start our analysis of the mind by looking at Perceiver strategy, which contains the mental maps, and Mercy thought, which has the touring tips of the guide book. We will ask, “How can I construct a mental map which can guide me through life?”
But that takes work, you say. Isn‟t it easier to tune in to the „travel channel‟? If I have some big brother to watch over me, then he can save me from the ferocious tigers and the poisonous snakes lurking about in the jungle. True, big brother may save us from the dangers of life, but who will save us from big brother? If you like the idea of going through life as an emotional „babe in the woods‟ under some impersonal big brother, then I suggest that you read no further. On the other hand, if you want to plan your own journey, and learn about jungle survival, then follow me as I describe the path which I discovered in my own search for a map of human existence.
Mercy Strategy
We will begin our study of human thought by looking at Mercy strategy.
Remember that our description refers both to the type of thinking which is conscious in the Mercy person, and to a mode of thought which is present, under the surface, in all of the other cognitive styles. I should remind you as well that not all of the personality traits of the Mercy person are the result of Mercy thought. Many characteristics come from the other six rooms operating subconsciously within the mind of the Mercy person. In this section we will only examine traits which are the result of conscious thought. As we discuss the other cognitive styles and gain an understanding of the rest of the mind and how it operates, our picture of the Mercy person will become much more complete.
Mercy Thinking
As we can see in the diagram of mental symmetry, the Mercy person is associative, concrete and emotion-oriented. This means that Mercy thought lives within a network of experiences, each with an emotional label.
Wherever the Mercy person goes, he is always being reminded of other experiences, and with each of these memories is a related emotion.A The feelings associated with these linked memories color the emotional atmosphere of present experience.
Let me give you an example. One Mercy girlB was looking at displays in store windows when she happened to glance upon a certain doll.
Immediately she felt bad. When she got home she realized the source of this feeling. As a child she had been in a school play, and had worn a costume like the dress on that doll. Her dress had ripped during the performance, and she had felt terribly embarrassed. Seeing that doll
A To avoid convoluted language, I will follow normal English rules of grammar and use „he‟ for both male and female. My observation actually suggests that there might be more female Mercy persons than male Mercy individuals.
B I have suggested that males tend to emphasize abstract thought, whereas females concentrate on concrete thinking. This means that Mercy traits are usually more pronounced in the female Mercy person, while the male Mercy person generally places more of an emphasis upon subconscious Teacher and Perceiver thought. The „furniture‟ of thought may vary, but both male and female Mercy persons still „live‟ in the same mental room of Mercy strategy.
reminded Mercy thought of the experience with the school play, and brought back all the feelings associated with that event.
It is this ability to relate the present to the emotional past which allows the Mercy person to empathize with others or show „mercy‟ to them. When the Mercy observes other people, he is reminded of how he felt when he was in similar situations. The Mercy is the person who will see the dog trying to scratch a hard-to- reach spot and find himself reaching in sympathy with the animal. When we identify with a hero in sports, with an actor in a movie, or with some object of religious worship, it is because our Mercy part is relating emotionally to the focus of attention.
The Mercy person, who is conscious in Mercy mode, is the best at sensing nonverbal communication. Inside his head, he „sees‟ subtle clues in the environment triggering emotional memories. Therefore he notices the atmosphere of a restaurant, for instance, and is constantly reading meaning into the facial expressions of others.
I have mentioned that Mercy thought uses associative processing. I suggest that associative thinking works with connections and labels. The diagram below shows three memories, A, B and C, each represented by a dot. The arrows which point up or down show the labels associated with these three memories, and the lines between the dots show how they are connected. With Mercy processing, the memories are concrete experiences and the labels describe emotion.A
Experience A is a new experience.
It reminds Mercy thought of memories B and C.
B feels fairly good. C feels very bad.
Experience A ends up feeling fairly bad.
A is stored with this emotional label.
A now helps evaluate other experiences.
A Perceiver strategy is also associative. We will see that with Perceiver thought, the memories are abstract facts and the labels measure confidence.
However, the type of thinking in both cases is associative.
C
A B
Let us use this diagram to explain the example of the girl with the dress.
Any experience which comes in to Mercy strategy will form a memory.
Therefore, the situation of seeing the dress in the window created the memory „A.‟ This new memory reminded Mercy thought of two other memories: „B,‟ and „C.‟ „B‟ was the composite memory of previous window shopping. This memory had a positive emotional label—it felt fairly good. If „B‟ were the only memory to be triggered, then „A,‟ the new experience of seeing the doll in the window, would have also received a good label. However, „A‟ also managed to connect with the old memory of
„C,‟ the embarrassing situation from childhood, which was labeled with a very strong negative feeling. The result was that the intense negative emotion of „C‟ overwhelmed the lesser positive feeling of „B.‟ Therefore,
„A,‟ the new memory of seeing the doll in the window, unexpectedly acquired a bad emotion.
Take this example, multiply it millions of times, and you have Mercy processing. Everywhere the Mercy person goes, he is being reminded of emotional experiences—he is associating to memories of experiences which have emotional labels. This means that the way he feels about the present is largely determined by how he feels about his past.A
Because past experiences have such a large effect upon present emotion, the Mercy person will often try to use the past to influence how he feels about the present. The environment will be arranged in such a way as to remind Mercy strategy of memories which have good emotions. Of course, we all do this to some extent, but for the Mercy person, this is conscious thought. This is where he lives.
Christmas time at my home provides a good example. My mother is a Mercy person. She has fond memories of celebrating Christmas as a child. So whenever we have Christmas, my father must go through exactly the same routine that my mother‟s father carried out when she was little:
We all go outside and stand in a row from youngest to oldest. Dad comes out and says in Low German: “Children, it‟s Christmas!” Then we file into the room with the Christmas tree, singing „Silent Night‟ in German. Finally, we all sit down and father reads the Christmas story. Repeating this ritual
A How does the Mercy person get away from his past? We will see later that when memories are reconnected, they can become a vision of the future.