OK, so thanks to Oprah “The Secret” is out. Every time we turn around we hear something about the law of attraction or how the energy produced by our thoughts actually creates matter, and therefore our experiences. But is it true, and if so, what has current research in human cognitive processes found regarding this? Well, guess what? Through current scientific research the theory does seem to have proof to show that it is true and that you can actually change your circumstances and experiences simply by changing your thoughts, which in turn change your attitudes and behavior.
The roots to discovering this lies in the study of quantum physics (matter, or objects,relies on an observing consciousness to activate potential), but also the early stages of cognitive psychological theory, and thanks to modern technological advances in cognitive neuroscience , this theory can be looked at even deeper from a scientific perspective. Cognitive psychology dates back to the early 1950’s and proposes that the human brain works much in the same way that a modern day computer works, and this is a way of thinking and reasoning about mental processes, envisioning them as software running on the computer that is the brain. This theory views cognitive processes in the forms of input (a stimulus), representation (assigning meaning and organizing that stimulus), computation or processing (encoding that information into memory and thoughts), and outputs (behaviors or results). World renowned Yale Professor, Dr. R.J. Sternberg (2006), puts it in even simpler terms by citing “cognitive psychology is the study of how people perceive, learn, remember and think about information” and that “the brain is considered to be an active, dynamic organizer of behavior” (p. 9).
So how does understanding the function of the brain, the cognitive processes within it and the behaviors / experiences of people relate? They relate because each of us experience our own reality based on our own cognitive function, and our reality is how we experience the world we live in. In other words, our thought processes create our reality, which in turn create behaviors (choices) that influence the outcomes of our lives. This means that you have the power to influence and control much of what you experience based simply on how you think about it.
Much of our lives are spent processing immeasurable amounts of information that we are not even aware of. This information is encoded into various locations within our memory banks, and current research has shown that the amount of attention and significance that we assign to a piece of information actually determines how deeply it is placed within our log-term memory and consciousness. These negative or positive emotions can become ingrained so deeply that our responses to them become unconscious and automatic, and much of the time we are not aware that it is even happening,and is why we must take great care in paying attention to our thoughts and the emotions they are creating in us (Clore & Otoney, 1999). Particularly important are positive emotions because current research has “shown that mild positive affect, of the sort that most people can experience every day, improves creative problem solving, facilitates recall of neutral and positive material, and systematically changes strategies used in decision-making tasks” (Ashby, 1999, p.1).
The way we think about our experiences and the thoughts we have do seem to affect the chemical structures within the brain as well, and produce results specific to their nature. Clark, Beck, and Brown (1989 as found in Carver) found that “depression levels related uniquely to negative thoughts of loss and failure to attain rewards, whereas anxiety levels related uniquely to thoughts of harm and danger (threat)” (p.1). While on the other hand, positive thoughts have the opposite affect, and more important is that the research has found that the basic emotions we experience are in direct relation to the thoughts we have and the structure those thoughts build neural correlates (connections) within our cognitive brain structures (Izard, 1992).
The main preface here is that your thoughts do change your brain structures, create your reality, and in turn your attitudes and behavior, and over prolonged time frames, your character and destiny. They also affect the way you deal with your circumstances and the decisions you make regarding them. If you continually think negatively about your circumstances, your brain chemistry and cognitive structures will be altered and you will experience the negative results of this (attitude, behavior and outcomes). More important is the long lasting affects that can be experienced, such as depression, relationship problems and other mental disorders. When going through a challenging time, it is so important to keep a positive outlook and make sure that your thoughts are on the positive side. If not, we will find that our brains begin to become overloaded with negative thoughts and emotions, and as a result we may begin to experience mood swings, emotional regulation difficulties, and serious judgment and reasoning errors, which can have even more negative affects than the original problem we were experiencing (Deveney & Pizzagalli, 2008). The first and most important way to stay positive and centered is to maintain a grateful perspective. No matter how hard the times may be we are going through, there is always something that we can and are grateful for, but we tend to forget or lose sight of them under pressure. One way to do this is to write down 3 things you wish weren’t happening in your life right now. Then write down 3 things that you wish you could do right now. Keep a journal of each day’s entries. Before you know it, your answers will probably be more positive than you realize and you can gauge your own success. Also, every day list those things that you are grateful for (friends, family, results etc.) and read them each day. This simple exercise will help you stay focused on the important and positive things and steer your focus away from the negative.
Next, pay close attention to the thoughts going through your head and challenge them. We all have those negative tapes looping around in our brains, but if you listen carefully, you can stop yourself, challenge them and replace them with new and positive tapes. As you continue to replace them and experience positive emotions, you will begin to retrain your brain and reinforce the new positive thought process. If you practice this process, you will experience great freedom from the chains of negative thoughts and begin to experience new and positive change as a result.
References
1. Ashby, F. G., Isen, A. M., & Turken, A. U. (1999). A neurophysiological theory of positive affect and its influence on cognition. Psychological Review, 106, 529550
2. Carver, C. S. (2001). Affect and the functional bases of behavior: On the dimensional structure of affective experience. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 5, 345356.
3 . Clore, G.L., Ortony, A. (1999). Cognitive Neuroscience of Emotion. pp 241-61. New York City: Oxford Press
4. CM Deveney, C.M., Pizzagalli, D.A.(2008). The cognitive consequences of emotion regulation: An ERP investigtion. Psychophysiology, 45(3), 435-444
5. Izard, C. (1992). Basic emotions, relations among emotions, and emotion-cognition relations. Psychological Review, 99, 561564
6. Sternberg, R. J. (2006). Cognitive psychology (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
