Learning About the Mind of Others - Essay Example

Reading Others Minds

Information

TED Talk: How we read each other's minds, Rebecca Saxe

URL link: https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/8-ted-talks-that-will-help-you-understand-the-human-mind.html

Introduction

Psychology is presented in many spheres of life. Virtually every activity that is undertaken by human beings connotes some aspect of psychology. Without their knowledge, human beings exhibit some aspects of psychology through which they interact with each other. The manifestation of psychological aspects can be found in the information we read, the books we read, the TV shows we watch, the TED talks we watch, and listening. One area that is highly discussed is the human brain, especially the cognitive part of the mind. It is said that guessing what others may be thinking is quite a challenging task. As a way of decoding this mystery, various psychologists have directed their attention to some practical strategies that one may apply to decipher what others may be thinking. By applying the psychological tips, one is placed in a scenario where they can effectively read others' minds. It all starts by believing that this is possible and then narrowing down to its practical application. One needs to understand the entire brain system and learn how it works. From this, it will be possible to decode what others may be thinking in their minds. The TED talk and the related research highlight some of the tips that may be applied in reading other minds.

Description

The TED talk, How We Read Each Other’s Minds, features Rebecca Saxe presented in Oxford England in July 2009. The presenter indicates that it is always hard to predict what others are thinking of. There is always a problem with deciphering what others are thinking, whether they be learners or spouses when they are interacting with each other. Rebecca indicates that most people do not have an issue in knowing what others have minds. However, the most challenging aspect of psychology is learning what others are thinking of and what they want. This makes it hard to change other's beliefs since their interior working is invisible and becomes hard to decode(Mansueto Ventures, 2017). She illustrates this by a diagrammatic representation of a woman holding a kid unto her hands and a man jumping over a cliff. From the two pictures, she indicates that it is hard to reveal what each of the two individuals might be thinking. She indicates that the machine that human beings use to get what others are thinking is the brain. The brain is a component of cells that are identical to those found in other animals such as monkeys, mice, and even sea slugs. However, the difference sets in human beings since they are endowed with intellect.

As a way of appreciating what is in other minds, the presents take the audience through three distinct areas related to psychology. She elaborates on the brain region's aspect that thinks of others, the process of brain development, and the causal role of the brain. Rebecca indicates that in the human brain, there is a special region known as RTPJ, located near the right ear, whose role is thinking about other people’s thoughts. Adults have better developed RTPJ compared to the children. Ideally, this places adults in a better position to think about what others may be thinking in comparison to children. In the late development of the brain, Rebecca illustrates this using three kids aged 5, 3, and 7 years. From the video illustration, it is apparent that the 5 and 7 years old have developed the ability to recognize what others may be thinking. However, for the three years old, his brain is not so much developed, and therefore he thinks less of others than those in advanced stages of life.

In adults, the RTPJ region of the brain is fully specialized to think what is in others' minds, whereas, in children aged 5-8 years, the region is still in its initial stages. This develops as one approaches the adolescent stage where their cognitive system is much advanced. However, adults have different capabilities for thinking about others. This explains the difference in moral judgment exhibited by adults in different ways. In a causal role, people express different opinions on how people should be judged depending on their moral judgment. This shows how RTPJS works differently in different adults.

Related Research

Similarly, additional research has been done on how an individual can read others' minds. The article, How to Read Minds elaborates on science and psychology behind the individual’s ability to read the mind of others. The article indicates that whereas mind reading is challenging, it becomes interesting since an individual becomes acquainted with it. Several tricks can be used in giving the illusion as to the aspect of reading the mind of others. However, the natural mind readers do not have to apply these tricks (Rebel Magic, 2015). Natural mind readers focus their attention on others' facial expressions and body language to infer what others may be thinking.

For beginners, they are advised to start internalizing the skill of reading other minds by opening their spirits. This helps them to clear their minds and ready to get a clear insight into what others may be thinking. Additionally, beginners are advised to take a moment to observe what others are doing keenly. During the observation, the focus should be on their hair, body language, eye, body posture, and other details, which may help understand what others are thinking. Other tips that bear relevance in learning what others are thinking are emotional intelligence and appreciating the emotions. These skills go a long way in opening the cognitive ability to learn the mind of others.

Furthermore, the article, How To Read Minds, gives a six-step approach to developing sensory awareness that will assist in learning the minds of others. The article opens by indicating that, in most instances, human beings use their cognitive awareness in understanding the situations that surround them. With this cognitive awareness, it is possible to learn the thoughts in the minds of others in general. Additionally, people apply sensory awareness, which enables them to respond to what they observe within their surroundings. By appreciating one's sensory awareness, human beings will be placed in a better position to understand others' minds in a rational way.

The six steps that the article recommends in building one's sensory awareness are vital in enabling the process of learning what is in the minds of other people (Reynolds, 2018). Firstly, one should be quiet, both inside and out, so that they can clear their sensory channels. Secondly, they should listen to their heart as a way of capturing all the details. Thirdly, one needs to question the feelings they have as part of emotional reflection. Fourthly, one should test their instincts since it creates room for understanding the feelings of others. Fifthly, one should resist the temptation of criticizing themselves as this leads to the feeling of being disconnected. Lastly, one should end graciously since it will give a chance of evaluating whether the other five steps bear any relevance.

Discussion

Learning about the mind of others is an area that needs critical appreciation. Any person who is desirous of amassing the skills must see beyond the obvious. He or she must have the requisite skills, which will enable them to read others' minds. The Ted Talk was amazing in how it discussed the variance in cognitive skills among adults. I liked that the presenter managed to bring out the brain part that is concerned with thinking about others' minds. The research articles have managed to bring out the various practical steps useful in learning what is in the minds of others. However, it is my opinion that the articles would have given practical scenarios of the steps they are discussing. Essentially, with practical examples, the audience would be placed in a better position to appreciate how they can comfortably learn the mind of others. Cumulatively both the Ted talk and the related research give insight into how we can easily learn what is in the minds of others. This is quite interesting to me since I learned it in the semester.