Арсен Аветисов – Homo narrare. Narrative Intelligence 3.0: Managing Reality and Influencing People (страница 3)
The first concept is «a person’s attitude to the surrounding reality.» This is expressed in moods, feelings, and actions, forming an emotional and psychological foundation. The second concept is «a set of views on the world,» a cognitive and intellectual framework that reflects an understanding of the surrounding world. When we visualize our understanding of the world, our emotional and psychological attitude to the surrounding reality transitions to the intellectual and cognitive level of a set of views on the world. This means that by influencing how we perceive the world – particularly through the primary channels of sight and hearing – we can alter someone’s views of it.
Information is always essential because it helps build a more complete picture of the world and provides a sense of security. Not long ago, all the senses contributed relatively equally to shaping this picture. The world was more tangible, closely tied to the present moment. People could see, hear, touch, smell, and taste their surroundings. For instance, gold coins were tested by biting them. Items were touched, tried on, or even sniffed before being accepted or bought.
But the world has changed. Today, the primary channels of information are vision and hearing – sometimes only one or the other. The information received through these channels is no longer tied directly to the current moment. It can refer to the past or the future, creating a gap between the information and the immediacy of the events it describes. Watching screens or listening to news reports cannot convey the depth of a landscape, the richness of sounds, the subtleties of taste, the warmth of touch, or the variety of smells. Even with cutting-edge pixel densities and audio clarity, the real sensory dynamics of the world cannot be fully experienced, leaving us with artificially created representations. People now perceive a world based on information provided by others. This is a defining characteristic of today’s process of shaping a person’s attitude to the surrounding reality, which in turn forms the set of views on the world for millions.
Abstract representations created by modern information systems are built on a directive model. There is no live feedback, no chance to touch, smell, or feel, no opportunity to ask questions, gauge reactions, and get immediate answers. Instead, the brain receives digitized and polished images edited by information channels.
The overwhelming flow of information projected onto people creates fragmented attention spans. The speed of switching focus and the fragmented nature of perception depend entirely on the significance of the agenda set by the media. The blending of imaginary and real threats, combined with the lack of adequate feedback, leads to mental disorientation and a constant sense of uncertainty about the world. Without a full sensory picture where one channel complements or confirms another – where beauty aligns with taste – the perception of the world becomes even more fragmented and illusory. The decrease in real-world interaction and changes in lifestyles further intensify this illusion and uncertainty.
The danger of today’s accessible information sources lies in the inability to verify their accuracy in real time. When doubts arise about the reliability of one source, people seek confirmation from another. For example, understanding a speaker’s true meaning based only on their words and tone can be difficult. In such cases, people try to gather additional visual information. If confusion or misunderstanding persists, they might attempt to ask questions. But try asking questions to a television!
In essence, the brain pays little attention to the limitations imposed by civilization and technological progress. To maintain relevance, it focuses on what is immediately available – what can be seen and heard – without the ability to instantly verify the truth of this information. For thousands of years, evolution required humans to rely on all their senses in real time. But as screens became prevalent, life shifted into a realm of images and captions. This shift opens limitless opportunities for persuasion, directing thoughts, and manipulating worldviews.
Mirror Areas and the Trust Hormone
How We Can Be Taught Anything and Convinced of Anything
Marshall Goldsmith
The research of Italian neuroscientist Giacomo Rizzolatti sheds light on how people learn, develop skills, and understand the emotions and feelings of others. His discoveries revealed that certain areas in the brain, called mirror neuron areas, are activated not only when we perform specific actions but also when we watch others doing the same actions. Surprisingly, these areas are even activated when actions are only described. Scientists believe this mechanism evolved to help living beings adapt quickly to their environment and changes within it. These mirror neuron areas also play a role in empathy – the ability to emotionally connect with others – which is important for understanding other people’s moods and predicting their intentions.
Emotions play an important role in attracting and holding attention. Stories told with emotion captivate1 listeners, shape their views about events, and can convince them to accept the storyteller’s perspective. Emotional responses also release cortisol, a hormone that improves focus and enhances mental activity.
For a long time, scientists have trusted the power of numbers, logic, and clear cause-and-effect explanations to persuade others. Statistics, often viewed as undeniable, activate analytical thinking, which tends to create doubt rather than excitement. Stories, on the other hand, rely on emotion – a force that is hard to measure and not always logical – to build trust and persuade. Why does this happen?
Among the many hormones that influence human behavior, oxytocin stands out. Known as the «motherhood hormone,» oxytocin plays an important role in social connections. It increases trust, loyalty, and the ability to recognize familiar faces, which helps build stronger relationships. Oxytocin also calms people, reducing anxiety by signaling to the brain that the person is safe. In animals, oxytocin encourages friendly behavior that strengthens social bonds, and in humans, it works in much the same way.
The traditional roles of men and women in society lasted for thousands of years partly because they were linked to physical differences and hormonal systems. Women’s higher levels of oxytocin make them more social, while men’s lower levels make them more aggressive and cautious. These traits likely helped early humans survive, with women maintaining harmony in the home and men protecting their families. This distinction supported survival: women acted as the keepers of the hearth, filling homes with warmth and calm, while men took on the role of a brutish and wary security service guarding the cave paradise.
Oxytocin also helps people sense the emotions of others. Even a small dose of oxytocin can improve how well someone understands others, leading to better relationships both at home and at work. For example, when men are given oxytocin through a nasal spray, they become better at noticing other people’s feelings, make more eye contact, and show more trust – sometimes even becoming overly trusting. This hormone reduces selfishness and strengthens trust within groups, though it does not necessarily increase distrust of outsiders.
Experiments have shown how powerful oxytocin can be. In one study, men were exposed to oxytocin and then shown images of people while hearing unpleasant news. Despite the negative information, their perception of the people’s attractiveness did not change, and they were more likely to trust the individuals in the images, even sharing personal information with them.
Oxytocin is produced when people feel cared for and trusted. This encourages social interaction and boosts empathy. In fact, to persuade someone, it may be enough to simply inspire their empathy. By modeling emotions effectively, it is possible to motivate others to take specific actions.
Paul Zak, a scientist, explored ways to naturally stimulate the production of oxytocin to encourage cooperative behavior. In one experiment, participants at a charity event watched two videos. One presented facts in a formal and emotionless way, while the other delivered the same information through a dramatic and emotionally engaging story. The viewers of the second video donated significantly more money, proving that emotional storytelling is far more effective in driving action. This ability to evoke empathy and trust often determines whether a panhandler receives money or is ignored. Why do people give money to some beggars and not to others? Because some succeed in evoking sympathy and, as a result, trust in their plight, while others fail to convince. To capture attention, emotion is needed; to inspire belief, empathy is essential. Thus, if you need to persuade someone to do anything – donate money, choose a brand, believe a story, and more – you must evoke sympathy and empathy. To the popular aphorism «No one can be trusted,» one might add, «Not even yourself.»