The Crazy Tricks of Thinking: Why We Lose the Battle of the Mind

To cope with the mind effectively, we must get to know it first. Why are humans equipped with such complex machinery at all? The answer to this question should be sought in the evolution of mankind. It is true that the mind has always been supposed to solve problems, beginning with the basic ones such as avoiding predators, staying warm, or finding a mate. However, the first humans’ living conditions weren’t particularly favorable, so our ancestors simply had to be thrifty while using the scarce resources available to them, and that included their mental resources. The energy saving habit has remained in our genes, hence contemporary psychology labels the human being as a cognitive miser. When faced with a task, we typically involve our mental power only partially, saving the rest for a rainy day. Unfortunately, this leads to numerous decision making errors, especially with problems which require increased mental effort.

Daniel Kahneman, winner of the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, divided the function of the mind into two systems: System 1 for taking fast decisions, and System 2 for more deliberate ones. Although the latter results in well-thought-out actions, it’s more energy consuming than the former. No wonder that, according to Kahneman’s theory, humans rely on System 1 in their daily life. Don’t think that’s true for you? Then solve this quick riddle: You paid 1.10 dollars for a pencil and eraser set. The pencil cost one dollar more than the eraser. How much did the eraser cost?

System 1 erroneously suggests that the answer is 10 cents. If you switch to System 2, you will finally discern that the correct solution is 5 cents.

How the Mind Cheats You

Kahneman’s theory seems to imply that we cannot completely trust our own thinking because it may entail considerable errors – and I don’t mean solving quick riddles here. Serious beliefs about yourself are the primary area affected by the imperfection of the mind. The cognitive-behavioral approach in psychotherapy assumes that the human mind functions like a spiral. Its popular diagram is also referred to as the Hot Cross Bun model and consists of several elements:

1. thoughts,
2. emotions,
3. the body (bodily reactions),
4. behavior.

All the ingredients of the bun affect and reinforce one another. To see how it works, let’s analyze the case of B.—a person suffering from social phobia who must give a speech to their colleagues at work.

Source: own work based on Psychoterapia poznawczo-behawioralna. Teoria i praktyka.

The cognitive-behavioral approach states that the spiral begins with thoughts. In this particular case, it was probably “Everyone’s looking at me” that set the vicious circle in motion. The resulting emotional response was anxiety, and the body reacted by speaking in a quivering voice. B. believed this made them “look stupid,” so they started avoiding eye contact. The mind interpreted that behavior as a symptom of lacking in self-confidence. Consequently, with anxiety intensified, new negative thoughts followed, and the whole cycle was repeated.

Why does this happen?

The spiral is activated when the mind cuts corners and turns on System 1. The mind then fills with errors known as cognitive distortions, and the resulting irrational thinking keeps the Hot Bun rolling. Let’s take a closer look at the cognitive distortions which mislead B.:

• overgeneralization, as in “Everyone’s looking at me.” Seemingly just an innocent statement of the fact, this thought actually generalizes the situation. B. doesn’t know who exactly is looking at them; many of the people sitting in the audience might simply be reading the PowerPoint presentation displayed behind B.’s back. Still, overgeneralization makes B. focus on themselves and not on the task;
• all or nothing, as in “I’m a hopeless speaker.” This pattern is a clear example of the cognitive miser’s desire to simplify the world: the mind suggests that reality is black and white. Consequently, a good performance means you’re perfect, while a failure makes you hopeless;
• reading the others’ thoughts, as in “They think I’m stupid.” It’s nonverbal behavior that most often triggers the mind to try and guess what others are thinking. In a stressful situation, we quickly assume that our version of events is the only true account. In fact, other people’s behavior can be caused by a number of reasons we’re not even aware of.

When the Mind Gets It Right

So when does the mind understand a situation correctly? How do I know that I’m right in my thinking? After all, we often struggle to put words or thoughts into action even if our reason seems to comprehend the problematic stuff. Some people won’t approach a spider although they know many sensible arguments which indicate that most spiders are harmless. The cause lies in the difference between cognitive and emotional comprehension. Cognitive comprehension means acquisition of knowledge on the intellectual level (“The spider’s venom is harmless to people”). Emotional comprehension in turn is much harder, especially because we cannot express it with words. On the contrary, it must be accompanied by experience to be remembered. Thus, anyone with arachnophobia should try to approach a spider gradually and then touch the creature or hold it for a while. This will let them experience what they already comprehend on the cognitive level: that the spider is no threat.

Nonetheless, an emotional change is hard to achieve without cognitive comprehension. Knowledge is like a key to the emotional lock—together they open the door to wisdom.

Coping With the Tricky Mind

To use the mind effectively, we need to reach it through cognitive comprehension. Treating thoughts as ordinary opinions and confronting them with facts proves very helpful in the process. Take B., who believed they were a “hopeless speaker.” Perhaps some events from their past can deny such a viewpoint? For instance, B. most likely had to undergo a job interview, where they presented themselves sufficiently well to be employed. That’s right: sometimes one example is enough to undermine the credibility of persistent thoughts and make you healthily detached from their negative message. The recalled facts need to be acquired and then repeated in as many situations as possible. When the mind realizes that the new thoughts depict reality more accurately, it will ultimately reach emotional comprehension.

The human mind is a crowded highway, with innumerate thoughts bombing along its lanes every day. In this particular respect, it’s nowhere near a miser. No wonder that we find both positive and negative thoughts in this mental swarm. The practice of mindfulness recommends accepting the fact that there will always be some thoughts we don’t like, and that we don’t have to identify with them. So next time round, just calm yourself down by saying, “I have this idea which says that…,” and don’t be quick to worry. Remember that thoughts come and go, as another Nobel Prize winner Wisława Szymborska aptly observed in her poem “Nothing Twice”:

“Why do we treat the fleeting day
with so much needless fear and sorrow?
It’s in its nature not to stay:
Today is always gone tomorrow.”