Our unconscious “System 1” neurological system perceives on the order of a million times as much information as our conscious system, “System 2,” is able to appreciate. That is to say, our attention, the dynamic process by which our brain boosts the signal of some activities over others, is like the beam of a small flashlight in a huge cave. And yet, the majority of the time the aim of that beam is directed by habit and intuition, by the unperceived System 1. Remarkably, we have the ability to refocus the beam of our attention through conscious command. We are able to direct our attention through the positive feedback loop of awareness. Princeton neuroscientist Michael Graziano has proposed a theory of consciousness in which our awareness of our attention creates an attention schema. He proposes that our conscious awareness is information we provide ourselves about our ongoing process of attention. This information creates a positive feedback loop to strengthen or redirect our brain’s attention processes.
ASSIGNMENT:
Throughout this week, bring to mind the awareness of what you are paying attention to. Then purposefully change it. Easy exercises are things like a) paying attention to the sounds you hear in the background, b) remarking on the colors that people are wearing, c) wondering about the source of the accents of those you meet. You can also experiment by “reframing” an event, for example, to make an unpleasant task enjoyable.
- What facts are you considering?
- Are these short-term or long-term facts?
- Can you rearrange or prioritize using a different set of facts?
- Are you faced with a dilemma where good arguments can be made on different sides?
- What role do your likes and dislikes, goals and fears play?
Keep track of your observations as you go along. Are you able to change how you feel by changing what you pay attention to? Is what you pay attention to aligned with your long-term values and goals? Does what you want to do most change when you consider things from a different light?