Post on 29-Dec-2015
Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, Ed.DMary Helen Immordino-Yang, Ed.D
• University of Southern California
• Neuroscientist– learning – creativity – culture – morality
• Role of Emotion in Cognition
Two Brain SystemsTwo Brain SystemsMutually ExclusiveMutually Exclusive
Default Mode (DM) or Default Mode (DM) or Intrinsic NetworkIntrinsic Network
aka “Looking In”aka “Looking In”
Extrinsic NetworkExtrinsic Network
aka “Looking Out”aka “Looking Out” Daydreaming/Rest Reflection Off-line consolidation Meditation Abstract Moral Social
Emotions Thinking about
ONESELF
External Attention Goal Directed Concentration on a
task Social Media Concrete, Physical
World
A Better BrainA Better Brain• Efficiency with which Brain toggles between
DMDM and outward attention• Strength of connectivity between DMDM
regions during “Rest”
– Stronger DMDM connectivity (cross-talk) correlated with Higher IQ
– Posses better cognitive abilities for making connections between disparate pieces of information
• Default ModeDefault Mode NetworkNetwork Discovered 2001
• Subjects scanned with no task to perform
• Thinking about oneself/emotions
• Bi-neural setup– Concentration &
Daydreaming exclusive activities
Brain System
PAIN-based emotions
REWARD-based emotions
Social Emotions
About other
People’s
Minds
Intrinsic or Default Default ModeMode Network
Looking In
Compassion for Social Pain
Admiration for Virtue
Primary
Emotions About other
People’s
Bodies
ExtrinsicExtrinsic Network
Looking Out
Compassion for Physical Pain
Admiration for Skill
Posteromedial Cortices (PMC) of the Parietal Lobe (pink) IntrospectiveAdmiration for Virtue & Compassion for Social Pain (AV/CSP, blue → green)
Admiration for Skill & Compassion for Physical Pain (AS/CPP, orange → yellow).
Immordino-Yang M H et al. PNAS 2009;106:8021-8026
©2009 by National Academy of Sciences
Reflective Pause Activates Reflective Pause Activates DM DM Moral EmotionsMoral Emotions
• Pauses are a behavioral manifestation of DMDM neural activity
• The more a subject reflectively paused– The more cognitively abstract & complex
answers– The more DMDM activity they showed in the
scanner when recalling moral emotions– The stronger over DMDM activity was during rest
Emotions InterruptedEmotions Interrupted
• The DMDM is the pathway through which the brain processes social, moral emotionssocial, moral emotions
• However, DMDM is only active when “Looking In”• Highly vulnerable to disruption from
environmental distraction—such as:– Educational goals that consistently impose high
attention demands– Overuse of Social Media
• Result Young brains stuck in the Concrete!
Can Too Much Texting Make Can Too Much Texting Make Teens Shallow?Teens Shallow?
• Paul Trapnell, PhD, of the University of Winnipeg
• Study: Young People Who Text Frequently Focus on Wealth, Image; Less on Moral, Spiritual Goals
• 2,300 college students• Ages 18 to 22.• Texting Data collected 2007 – 2011• (Not clear if texting causes the shallows or if Shallows just text more)
• High Levels of Texting were:High Levels of Texting were:
PositivelyPositively correlated with NegativelyNegatively correlated with
Out group prejudice Materialism
Indigenous groups’ rights Moral reflectiveness Motivation to promote
social equality Perceived importance of
living with integrity
The Flight From Conversation
Photographs by Peter DaSilva and Byron Smith, for The New York TimesBy TURKLEPublished: April 21, 2012
The Flight From ConversationThe Flight From Conversation
The New York Times
April 21, 2012
Cultivate “Looking In”Cultivate “Looking In”
• Healthy Psychological development requires opportunities and skills for “Looking InLooking In”
• Frame learning environments to teach & practice internal, self-directed processing– HS students who journaled before a test
about their beliefs about their test performance scored significantly higher
Marc Brackett, Ph.DMarc Brackett, Ph.D
• Yale University• Research Scientist • Developer of The
RULERRULER Approach to Social and Emotional Learning
• Marc Brackett TEDxTalk
The RULER ApproachThe RULER Approach• Building Emotionally
Literate Schools– Recognizing
emotions – Understanding the
causes– Labeling them– Expressing them
appropriately– Regulating them
Meta-momentsMeta-moments
• Meta-Moments and The RULER Approach• Elementary children taught to take Meta-Meta-
moments:moments:– Disengage from distracting circumstances– Reflectively evaluate feelings– Decide on a plan of action
• Significantly improve emotional well-being, self-confidence, and academic achievement.
Stronger Stronger DMDM = Stronger Learner = Stronger Learner
• Optimal attention & concentration depends upon adequate DMDM activation
• The quality of cognition during “Looking Out” is directly related to the quality and efficiency of “Looking In.”
• The skills for reflection during lapses in The skills for reflection during lapses in outward attention & the time to safely outward attention & the time to safely indulge in mind-wanderingindulge in mind-wandering– Are Critical for healthy development & optimal
learning
The Marshmallow TestThe Marshmallow Test
• The Marshmallow Test – YouTube
• Distraction/Avoidance strategy worked relatively well at resisting
• But children who imagined future possibilities (constructive internal constructive internal reflectionreflection)—ie: how good the 2nd marshmallow would taste, delayed delayed the longest!the longest!
Let the Children PlayLet the Children Play
• Inadequate opportunity for children to play & adolescents to reflect quietly and daydream may have negative consequences—– for social-emotional well-being – for Optimal concentration and attention to
tasks.
How we get this RightHow we get this Right
• ALP
• Community Day
• Independent Studies
• Community Service
• And many other ways . . .
• Dr. Zoran JosipovicDr. Zoran Josipovic • Research Scientist at NYU• Studies DMDM in meditating Monks• Monks who activate both networks =
harmonious oneness
WisdomWisdom
• Reason + Compassion• Dalai Lama Reflects on Co
mpassion• Skilled learner uses these
two networks appropriately• Moves between them with
ease• Brain toggle skills include:
– Gaze aversion– Pause, slowed speech– Closed eyes
Bibliogoraphy
• BBC News - Brains of Buddhist monks scanned in meditation study
• Rest is Not Idleness
• Can Too Much Texting Make Teens Shallow?
• Neural correlates of admiration and compassion
The Insula = GutThe Insula = Gut
• “Thinking” with your gut• Compassion for Compassion for
Physical PainPhysical Pain felt fast• Other emotions take
longer to process here• Reflection might be
needed to even “Know” what you feel.
AV = Admiration of Virtue/ CSP = Compassion for Social Pain AS = Admiration of Skill/ CPP = Compassion for Physical Pain
Immordino-Yang M H et al. PNAS 2009;106:8021-8026
©2009 by National Academy of Sciences