Understanding Our Divided Mind: Part 2

In our last blog post, we discussed the four divisions of our mind that play into our various states of internal conflict, taking a deeper look at the mind and body division and the left and right division. In the second part of this series, we will take a look at the second two divisions: New vs Old and Controlled vs Automatic. 

Division Three: New vs Old 

The earliest brains had three basic parts: the hindbrain, the midbrain, and the forebrain, each responsible for simple behaviors. As mammals evolved and began to undertake more complex tasks, the brain expanded out the front, building on the forebrain more than any other part. This included the development of the primitive limbic system, which is made up of the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, and the amygdala, which are each specialized in coordinating basic drives and motivations, memory, and emotional learning and responding, respectively. The forebrain continued to grow as mammals continued to evolve, and for humans, the result is the modern brain, which is capable of making new associations, complex thinking and decision making. 

The growth of the new frontal cortex may appear to be a valid explanation behind the chasm between our rational thoughts, from the new system, and our emotional impulses, leftover from our primitive system. Surely enough, there have been cases found where a person with damage to their frontal cortex, the part of the “new” brain that suppresses impulsive behavior, exhibits more aggressive, sexual behavior. However, this is not quite the entire picture. Further research on the brain has demonstrated that the rational, new part of our brain plays a significant role in our emotional capacity. As it turns out, it is the synergetic workings between reasoning and emotion that explain the sophisticated intelligence of humans.

Division Four: Controlled Vs. Automatic 

Psychologists have uncovered that there are two tracks of processing occurring in our brain: controlled processes and automatic processes. Automatic processes are the thoughts and actions that happen in the brain without effort or awareness. Many automatic processes can occur simultaneously at one time. Contrarily, controlled processes require effort and awareness and can only handle one task at a time. 

The automatic system has evolved to prompt quick and immediate action in response to pleasure or pain. This is biologically advantageous to help us seek food, reproduce, and avoid threats. The automatic system is constantly searching for hits of dopamine, the chemical that makes us feel good, and can help explain our temptations. However, we are not completely at the will of our automatic response to our environment because of our controlled system. Controlled thinking allows humans to consider future events and goals, suppressing the impulsive triggers from immediate stimulus and make decisions accordingly. 

Again, we see that it is a collaboration between the two types of thinking that explain our everyday experiences. A common metaphor used to understand the division of our brain is the elephant and the rider. In this metaphor, the elephant is our automatic system, including our gut feelings, emotional responses, and intuition, and the rider atop of the elephant is our controlled system, holding the reins through logic and rationale. The rider can use reasoning and foresight to help guide the elephant in decision making, but ultimately, the elephant cannot be completely controlled. In understanding the limitations of the rider, we can appreciate the unique intelligence that the elephant can bring to the table and, instead of fighting against it, help the rider to work with it.  

*Source: The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Heidt, Chapter 1 

If you’d like to continue the conversation about your brain and how it affects your daily functioning, Dr. Gordon at Pathways NA specializes in understanding cognitive makeup and how it relates to our everyday experiences. Call today at 732-930-2242 to set up an appointment!