Back in the early sixties, behavioral researchers conducted a series of experiments that should privide you with a real explaination for your own behaviour, and the behaviour of the people around you.
Think this through, because that reserach has far reaching implications.
Here's what they did...
They put a large school of mackarel in a tank. They then put their natural predator in the tank, a barracuda.
They let the barracuda happily enjoy mackarel smorgasbord for a couple of weeks, and then they introduced a glass barrier into the centre of the tank. For a couple of days, this didn't effect the barracuda at all. There were plenty of mackarel on his side of the glass.
However, as the fish stocks started to run out, the barracuda would start to attack the mackarel on the other side of the glass.
Smack. Ramming into glass hurts. So each time the barracuda tried to eat a mackarel, he got a large dose of negative re-inforcement, and each subsequent time, his enthusiasm diminished. Eventually, and if I recall, it was after 30 such attempts, he lost interest.
The researchers then removed the glass from the tank, and the barracuda was once again surrounded by mackarel smorgasbord. He starved to death.
That barracuda had been so negatively conditioned to failure, that he gave up. He 'knew' he would fail, and that there were negative consequences of trying to eat mackarel.
The researchers then correlated that observation to humans, and estimated that while it took the mackarel 30 attempts to negatively condition himself, it will only take a human two or three negative experiences.
These experiences shape your life, your reactions, your confidence, and your chances of success at whatever it is you do.
Here's an example. If you're in a relationship, and it ends with your partner running off with someone else, it might distress you, but it's unlikely to effect your behaviour in your next relationship. However, if your next partner does the same, from now on, you'll subconsciously enter every subsequent relationship with a dual expectation, that a) it will fail, and b) your partner will be unfaithful and run off with someone else. That expectation will manifest itself in the way you relate to your partner, a self fulfilling pattern that will further entrench your now solidly ingrained attitude.
4 comments:
so tru so tru, what a thought provoking post. humans give up so early in the peace which is such a shame. perhaps if people were lobotomised (rendering them more like a barracuda and therefore, basic and simple) they'd be more inclined to let go of the pre-conditioned thoughts. hmm.
Poor fishies.
I hate to think this is true, but it probably is. Which may well explain why there are so very many bitter and angry people out there. Sigh, depressing really.
My understanding is that the brain is a survival organ first of all. It works by attempting to predict the future to avoid death, basically. The only way it can predict the future, is based on the past. This works well for survival, not so well for happiness and fulfillment.
Interesting you should post this, because a lot of Landmark Education's distinctions and tools have to do with seeing where decisions that we made in the past are getting in our way in the present (and future), and once seen, we can get beyond them and create something new.
Very effective, and not like anything else out there, for the most part.
This was indeed a thought provoking post.thankyou.
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