Continuing with the "Emotional Brain" from my previous post, Cordelia Fine explains that researchers cannot tell the physiological difference between when a person is either excited, afraid or angry.

She gives us this formula: Emotion = Arousal + Emotional Thought.

So when a person hits a 100 to 1 shot at the race track, or discovers his brand new car has been vandalized, or runs into an old flame who tells him she is available, that person has the same physiological reaction. The racing heart and the increased breathing are no different. What is different are the person's emotional thoughts.

This can cause some rather strange results. Cordelia points out a study in which a group of young men were told to do some strenuous exercise and then watch an erotic film. Some of the men watched the film immediately after exercising; others after a brief rest and still others after an extended break. The men who watched the film after only a brief rest reported the film was much more stimulating than the other two groups.

Researchers theorized that the men who had watched immediately after exercising attributed their racing hearts and accelerated breathing to the exercise. Those who had an extended rest had time for their heart rates and breathing to return to normal prior to watching the film. But those with just a brief rest actually confused the physical arousal from the exercise with their thoughts about the film.

As I read this chapter from Cordelia's book A Mind of its Own, I couldn't help but think of Abraham Lincoln and the letter he wrote to General Meade after the battle of Gettysburg. The defeated Confederate Army had retreated, but when they reached the Potomac River, they had to stop and wait for the river, swollen from the rains, to subside before they could cross. Demoralized and their supplies depleted, the Army of Northern Virginia could have been routed had Meade pressed them. But instead he hesitated and Lee escaped. Lincoln was furious with Meade for what he thought was an opportunity to crush Lee’s Army and end the war immediately. He wrote Meade a letter dated July 14, 1863 in which he severely chastised Meade for his inaction. But President Lincoln never sent the letter. It was found in his office after his death. Lincoln ultimately found the General who could get the job done.

Decision-Making Best Practice #3 (similar to #2): Learn from Lincoln. Avoid making important decisions when you are upset or angry. High emotions can only confuse or cloud your decision-making.

Labels: cordelia fine, emotions