By Malek Mneimne, M.A.
Over the course of our lives, we learn about the physical properties of stimuli around us. From an early age, we learn about object boundaries, or which edges and corners belong together and form an object. We learn to categorize similar looking stimuli on the basis of physical properties. We learn to recognize an object from different angles as the same object. We learn that stimuli don’t disappear just because they are no longer in view. We learn to infer three visual dimensions from two. We learn to recognize faces and voices, symbols and words. We learn the names of objects. We learn how to navigate safely through our environments.
Not only do we learn about the physical properties of the world around us, but we also assign emotional values to stimuli within and around us. We learn which stimuli will likely predict pleasure and which will likely predict pain. Because we’ve evolved to survive and reproduce, generally we attend to and approach stimuli that we’ve associated with pleasure and attend to and avoid those that we’ve associated with pain (or distress). We assign these emotional meanings and values on the basis of our own experiences and the experiences of others (including culture and religion), consciously and unconsciously. Sometimes, this kind of learning takes awhile, whereas other times, it is rapid and takes only one or two experiences. Often times, as in the case of Little Albert, we generalize what we’ve learned about one stimulus to other physically similar stimuli. After a while, when in a familiar place, our tendencies to approach and to avoid stimuli become largely automatic and unconscious; we have already assigned emotional values to stimuli in that context, which have been reinforced and shaped over time by experience, and need not expend additional mental resources on interpretation. Instead, we retrieve the reinforced meanings and values from memory and approach or avoid accordingly.
Like evolution, learning shapes our reactions to the world around us, usually (but not always) promoting survival and reproduction. We now know that learning also shapes our brain’s structure and activity and affects the expression of our genes. Sometimes, however, because we are fallible human beings and not machines, our reactions to the world do not necessarily promote survival and/or reproduction; that is, they are irrational. Sometimes, we over-generalize from one painful or distressing stimulus or place to most, if not all, others in the same category, then avoid the entire category altogether, physically (i.e., behaviorally) and/or mentally, or respond to each member of the category in the same irrational way, even though no extremely awful danger exists.
Psychological distress has been linked to irrationality and avoidance. Given that our irrational interpretations and avoidance of stimuli have been reinforced throughout the course of our lives and are ingrained in brain structure, brain function, and genes, is it reasonable to think that we can alleviate distress and attain some degree of pleasure or happiness? Simply put, the answer is yes! Numerous studies have shown that psychotherapy not only alleviates distress and improves quality of life, but also changes the brain and expression of genes, in some cases more effectively than psychiatric treatment.
Even with this knowledge, the alleviation of distress and attainment of happiness is not always simple. As suggested by Dr. Ellis, changing irrational thinking is a process that requires clarification of emotional values that we’ve assigned to stimuli or places over time, the creation of alternative, less extreme and absolute values, followed by continued practice and repetition of those values, especially while in the context of those stimuli. Just like learning a new skill, it is through continued practice and repetition of rational thinking and responding that irrational thoughts and behaviors can cease to be automatic and rational thoughts and behaviors can become automatic instead. It is through continued practice and repetition of rational thinking and responding that we can change our brains and genes. It is through continued practice and repetition of rational thinking and responding that we can alleviate distress and attain a little more happiness in our lives.