Let’s Get Emotional
For many, emotion and reason are seen as antonyms, usually used in proportion to each other when making decisions. But this view of emotion and decision making isn’t supported by science, or so I found out in my class at USC. As part of the Entrepreneurial Mindset- Taking the Leap, I was introduced to the neuroscience behind gratitude and it’s affect on decision making.
The Genius
Dr. Glen Fox, a neuroscientist at USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute recently spoke in my class about his research in brain imaging to show how gratitude works in the brain. When addressing the issue of emotion being dismissed as illogical or irrational, he questioned “Why has a system that has evolved over millions of years, be useless?”
The Science Behind It
As it turns out, your brain can’t actually make a decision without emotion. “When you receive information, you feel first. Then mix your reason and emotion to make the correct decision.” If you were to rid yourself of all emotion, you would spend forever trying to quantify the unquantifiable. All of this is due to the Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex. This area of the brain is responsible for understanding reward and binding emotion to bodily states. From his studies, Dr. Glen Fox found that lesions to this area caused patients to be unable to make accurate decisions. They lost all connection between emotion and logic when making decisions and were unable to pick a course of action. Instead, they would make infinite lists of pros and cons, unable to decipher the most accurate choice.
Narrow Down the Options
Emotion is vital to decision making because it allows people to choose between two seemingly similar courses of action. Instead of dismissing the trait during meetings, choose to embrace it. Understand it’s importance and try to learn to decipher what emotions are extraneous to your particular situation.
As a business major, I’m sure that my explanation doesn’t come close to Dr. Fox’s. Watch the full version of his talk below!
This post was written as part of the #Service series, which is tied toLinkedIn’s student editorial calendar. Follow the stories here or write your own. #StudentVoices
A.I. Writer, researcher and curator - full-time Newsletter publication manager.
8 年This is highly relevant, since once AI chat-bots or voice VPAs become pervasive and congruent to human preferences, the emotional customer experience will be utterly transformed in every service, business, public space, retail store imaginable. In the home, in the work calendar - like an emotional intermediary between us and the world - the fact that we call them "chat bots" is quite unfortunate. \Even for the amounts of education, companionship they could provide. It sure beats a fake anonymous world of social media de-engagement. Natalie, imagine a chat bot that uses gratitude, self-esteem building, thankfulness, altruism and is programmed to be kind. Kinder than 80% of the human we meet, would that not be transformative?
Director, AAM Test Range Development & Special Projects @ MassAutonomy | Helicopter, Airplane & Seaplane Pilot, FAA Safety Rep.
8 年Want emotion come to my Monday morning sales meetings.....
Discounter Fragrance&Cosmetic
8 年Inspiring...Enjoy reading my latests cartooned post on my profile "Dear Customer". Be welcome to follow me or join my network.