Supertraining

I have to note that it creates a false dichotomy to pit acting based on
knowledge and awareness against acting on instinct.
 
There is a large grey area between the two where modern psychology would
suggest that we live most of our lives.  Clearly we are not creatures of
instinct, acting solely on basic drives, although the debate continues
with regard to what basic drives we might have.  On the other hand most
of what we do is not governed by conscious explicit thought and
awareness - the extent to which we think so is likely a post-hoc sort of
reasoning.  If we truly had to consciously make each decision that
underlies our behavior we would have little time for doing anything.  Of
course, it is this misunderstanding of the role or nature of cognition
that lead Guthrie to suggest that Tolman's notion of cognitive maps and
learning would leave his rats "lost in thought."  
 
It is that ability to intervene in this process that we possess as a
function of explicit cognition.  But that does take some doing -
sustained attention and effort (colloquially known as will power or
self-control), the ability to interrupt the normal flow of activation
and behavior - there is a fair amount of research on self-control that
adopts a muscle analogy to describe both its limited resources and the
ability to increase its strength.  We often talk of creating experiences
that work like "trip wires" on the path to doing the usual).  However,
for some, even a traumatic experience may not be enough (many veterans I
have met in the hospitals smoke through their tracheotomy tube).  We
have to acknowledge that there are many other reasons that people cannot
change.  Many decide to change - many cannot sustain the effort.  For
many this may suggest unrealistic goals, lack of belief that the goals
are worthwhile, lack of self-efficacy, lack of motivation, etc.  We
often cast it as a lack of will power - of course most who cast it that
way have been successful at change and use that as a cudgel on those who
have not been so - "You lack will power" - as if noting that solves
anything.
 
In many ways our information processing, decision-making and behavior
systems function to maintain the status quo - it is their purpose.  It
is unfortunate that we are built to learn from experience and that there
is not some part of those systems that knows what we wish we could do
instead of encoding and codifying what it is we actually do; some part
of the system that could evaluate "good" v. "bad" outcomes.  But those
systems do what they were meant to do - encode context, behaviors and
outcomes (most often immediate outcomes even when those do not
facilitate long-term survival).  And they work as they were built to
work - taking the effort out of our daily processing and allowing many
of our activities to become automated - even if they become outmoded or
unproductive or destructive.
 
Jack Darkes, Ph.D.
Tampa FL


________________________________

        From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of jneimark74
        Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 9:49 AM
        To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
        Subject: [Supertraining] Re: Changing Behaviors
        
        

        I've been following the chain related to the topic of change.
Although my involvement in 
        the fitness/wellness arena has come later in life, I can tell
you from a fundamental 
        perspective that the issues surrounding the ability to change
can be addressed in a very 
        logical fashion...of course, that doesn't mean it is easy to
accomplish. If you look at human 
        behavior from a purely logical view...we are one of the few
species that acts based upon 
        knowledge and understanding (primarily), as opposed to instinct.
Given that we as humans 
        have this unique ability, the first step is true understanding.
For me, like many others, the 
        desire to change can be predicated upon some dramatic experience
(in my case, I was on 
        deaths doorstep). When confronted with the ugly realizations
associated with my health 
        issues a few years back, I decided I had nothing to lose and
everything to gain by 
        attempting to restore "balance" with regards to my health and
wellness. 
        
        For others, who may not have experienced such an event, there
still is the inherent ability 
        to make the choice...
        
        That part is easy. When speaking to groups or individuals about
my story, I frequently ask 
        if they brushed their teeth today? Often met with an odd look,
the answer is "yes". I then 
        ask them why they did? The responses vary, but in general
indicate they did because 
        that's what they do everyday, they are supposed to. Creating
change with regards to 
        exercise, nutrition, etc..is no different. Make the choice and
then you continue because 
        "you are supposed to". Again, that doesn't always make it easy,
but it is the first step. 
        And, if you can get someone to stop for a moment, reflect, be
logical (i.e don't fall prey to 
        our societal views and corporate marketing), then an individual
can begin to make choices 
        and transitions. 
        
        In the case of personal trainers...it is support, involvement,
continual communication, 
        enforcement and modification that will compliment the "shift"
one makes. As far as 
        measurement, that has to be individualized. For some, it will
come easier...and others will 
        struggle. But, the measurement needs to be specific to the
individual and their current 
        goals. Once an accomplishment is made, it is far easier to make
antoher "change". 
        
        Change is a constant. Reminding, and in many cases teaching
people that the power to 
        change/choose is their own is key. It's built into our DNA.
        
        Best,
        
        Josh Neimark
        
        --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:Supertraining%40yahoogroups.com> , "kendaiganoneill"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
        >
        > Keith:
        > 
        > Thanks for the clarification. Now you've got me intrigued
wondering
        > how specifically you'll measure actual behavioral change - and
for how
        > long to determine if the awakening has really stuck and change
        > occurred. In my reckoning, some valuative change, conscious or
not,
        > seems to have to occur - literally, a change of heart (I call
it
        > transvaluative experience). To that end, I would imagine a
before and
        > after questionaire might provide indication of the depth of
        > attitudinal shift, or not! 
        > 
        > best
        > 
        > Ken O'Neill
        > Austin, Texas
        > 
        > 
        > 
        > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED]
<mailto:Supertraining%40yahoogroups.com> , Keith Hobman <kshobman@>
wrote:
        > >
        > 
        > > One point - we aren't interested in measuring vague concepts
of
        > > 'motivation'. My interest is actual behavioural change. So
my measure
        > > is very simple - activity (using the Godin instrument). And
the
        > > problem is defined simply - 75% of the Canadian population
is not
        > > active enough for health benefits.
        > > 
        > 
        > >
        >