Mind Craft - Recognizing The Embodied Mind

Having an answer to the question, Where is my mind? opens up a whole series of possibilities for me in relation to being a student studying for a masters in psychotherapy. Being unsure of a definitive answer lead me to some serious consideration of Putnam et al’s. (2016) article on “optimising learning in college” and some personal reflection in terms of metacognition, which brings me a step closer to creating an answer that I can work with (Putnam et al., 2016). A key component surprised me at first but having given it some reflection I’ve discovered again that there are no surprises to how humans learn once we investigate deeply enough. This component being embodied learning, more specifically, non-cognitive physical activity in the form of repetitive practice and the learning effects this can have on cognitive functionality. That said, it is fascinating how Putnam et al (2016) have debunked cramming and aired pleasantly on the side of continuous and gradual learning. Claiming that this organic learning both fosters real learning and reduces stress, while maximising results and clandestinely challenging hitherto beliefs that college is merely a memory test. The spaced practice method is inextricably linked to time management, while at the same time attacking the fabled martyrdom of cramming the night before exams. Consequently, this explication will overlap into these other sections of the article but will draw (Merleau-Ponty, 1996)from them only to reinforce my belief in the spaced practice methodology.

A recurring yet peculiar theme is just how many of these cognitive tips come from non-cognitive function - steady practice over time equating to a rather corporeal type learning - is this metacognition? In the mid seventeenth century, Descartes (1595-1660) believed that minds and bodies could and often do exist independently of each other (Descartes, 2013). How would he feel if he were faced with some modern evidence which all but proves the inseparability of mind and body? Twentieth century’s Merleau-Ponty’s Seminal work The Phenomenology of Perception (Merleau-Ponty, 2012) mounted a serious attack on Descartes dichotomy, and modern psychology, it seems, has ended the dispute (Merleau-Ponty, 1996). Merleau-Ponty proposed that the mind and body are so intertwined that the body perceives with more than eyes. He calls this embodied perception, which included a type of bodily empathy based on sensory perceptions. Freud (1894) wrote extensively on ‘conversion disorders’. Having treated patients who manifested neurological symptoms such as paralysis, blindness and numbness yet could find no medical or neurological explanation. He concluded that some psychological and or emotional trauma could convert into physical symptoms (Freud, 1894). Thus, where is my mind? My mind is, where it always was, inextricably connected to my body.

I am currently in my final, (ha as if there’s ever a final year), year at college and so I am in a unique position to comment on this particular piece: optimizing learning in college, as I have tried the torturous cramming, (thinking as a freshman that I knew it all), and after some really dark and difficult days eventually stumbled/settled on to attempting to learn in bitesize chunks, in other words: spaced practice. How much easier, (less stressful perhaps as college cannot be easy), might my college life may have been had I adopted this methodology earlier. Though whether I would have trusted the process is another matter. As Putnam points out, keeping right on top of each and every major aspect of every lecture for all modules is nigh on impossible (Putnam et al., 2016). One may realistically only ever really do their best (not to assert that those poor souls cramming and attempting to remember every word uttered by every lecturer, aren’t doing their best because they are). Sometimes the best thing to do is to go slow and steady, especially over difficult terrain. While traversing difficult terrain, one can get caught up in the fallacy of college being ‘nothing but a memory test’. I tend to disagree with such hypotheses, if students can allocate adequate time to their studies, naturally they will remember many of their chosen concepts, this will only serve them well going forward with their potential academic and professional careers.

Lengthy, painful nights were largely spent “highlighting and poring over notes” and feedback on grades which were below my expectations considering the effort and time I had given to my preparations. Something had to change. I decided against quitting thankfully and decided I would continue to give my best but in a way less taxing on my overall well-being. Having suffered through semester one with the cramming, relentless highlighting and literally attaching post its to post its – I asserted that cramming is mindless torture, highlights are best suited to sports shows and, well, I still use post its but very sparingly. Opting for a weekly timetable in addition to my existing college, childcaring and part-time work, I divided whatever time I had available and found some I was unaware was available, into study/college work slots. Simultaneously, I ensured that no matter how busy or hectic things got, I would always be in bed at a reasonable time. In an act of further fine tuning, I would divide the allocated time slots into smaller sections depending on what was most urgent in respect to the following days modules or deadlines. Admittedly, at first, I wasn’t overly optimistic of this new strategy but concluded it was the safest thing to do for my sanity and was in any case better than quitting college altogether. It became impressed upon me that the whole process, (perhaps life itself), was rather like a jigsaw, there are many components, and they all need to knit together to complete the whole, while no one piece is more important than another. I also discovered at this time that food, water and exercise are just as mighty as pens, in terms of attaining a healthy balance of college life. Consequently, it became clear to me that I am a twenty-four-hour student/person – even if I only study a few hours per day, it is of paramount importance what I do with each and every hour of a given day. In this uber-athletic context, one is compelled to think of college education as a marathon and not a sprint. [1]

Retrospectively, I have come to realise that my study strategies, ergo, all students study strategies are consequential to their specific historical home/family/community life. By which I mean, each individual’s disposition could be attributed to Bourdieu’s (1977) habitus theory (Bourdieu, 1977). Bourdieu’s habitus theory loosely breaks down as the physical and metaphysical embodiment of culture capital. Physical, cognitive and pre-cognitive influences surround us from the day we are born, if not pre-birth, and continue to shape us internally and externally our whole lives. Per Bourdieu, the impact is so great that they govern our very social standings by the fact that humans will usually only ever feel comfortable in certain domains due to their inner understandings, or lack thereof, of themselves and their thought processes. In this sense, one could argue that Bourdieu had overlapped into metacognition. Thus, where is my mind? My mind is in the hands of my society.[2]

As mentioned, as is obvious, (though I am inclined to think things are never obvious until we see them), spaced practice/continued gradual let’s-just-do-our-best, as a study strategy is inextricably linked to time management (Putnam et al., 2016). The first rule about time management of course being twinned with that of diets by their formulaic similarities: don’t talk about my diet! Thus, the average student waves off foolish talk of time management – “what is this time you speak of?” Critically, and evidently not obvious, is that whether its admitted or not, each and every one of us on the planet is in possession of both a diet and a time management system. What’s most revealing about both these phenomena is that both of these have an incredible impact on our lives and will really hinder our academic progress and lives in general if neglected. Put simply, we all have time management systems and diets, what is relevant is how effectively we engage with them.

While in my early college years/my freshman year, I was one of those students who was willing to let my time management go with the flow. Six cramming weeks later I was going to bed some nights actually promising myself I was quitting college in the morning, just so I could relieve my “I’m not doing enough” anxiety and get some sleep. It wasn’t too long after this that I’d begun my version of the spaced practice strategy, but in addition, I availed of some other helpful tools. I never got much, or at least on its own I may not have become the academic success I am today, from ‘do less of what you don’t need, do more of what you do need’ maxim. I needed more. There seems to be an eternal argument as to whether students benefit from music or not. However, I swear by ABBA: always break between activities. When I find I’m going through a particularly difficult patch, I find great pleasure in giving myself a KISS: keep it simple sport. And when I’m preparing to launch an academic offensive or maturely approach a recognised problem, I try to adopt my triple A approach. For there is no issue which can be effectively dealt with unless I’m Aware of it; next I must Accept it as an issue; finally, and in follow up to AA, it is up to me to Address said issue. Notwithstanding, these on their own or even as an effective trio will only serve to facilitate an existing spaced practice - gradual learning system and I must make clear I’m not holding them up as stand-alone success guaranteed formulae.

Taken all around, a strong argument can be made that tertiary education is not so much a one size fits all regime, but rather it is a process of trial, error and sometimes surrender. Surrender in this context serves as paradoxical victory; to try is to endeavour, to endeavour is to dare greatly;

“It is not the critic who counts. It is not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled. Credit belongs to the man who really was in the arena, his face marred by dust, sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs to come up short and short again, because there is no effort without shortcoming. It is the man who actually strives to do the deeds, who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself on a worthy cause, who at best, knows in the end the triumph of achievement. And who at worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” (Roosevelt, 1910)

In this sense, surrender is an acceptance of one’s genuine efforts to succeed and how these efforts will almost always produce failings. Surrender as an acceptance that we are doing our best, yet will endeavour to accept the outcome of our efforts, be they positive or not. On these foundations, spaced practice ought to gain much needed traction, given it may feel alien to students at first. One must trust ones metacognition[3] if you are to begin to trust a new learning process. As a result of this, contra to Putnam et al, floundering is an integral part of the process. Thus, where is my mind? My mind is wherever I decide to put it.

This post has reviewed Putnam’s take on optimising learning in college, it has focused on my understanding of its central theme and elaborated most specifically reflected on my own development regarding learning to learn.

Author

Post by Mark Mc Caffrey, 4th year Masters in Psychotherapy student in DCU mark.mccaffrey5@mail.dcu.ie

References

Bourdieu, P. (1977). Structures and the habitus.

Descartes, R. (2013). Meditations on first philosophy. Broadview Press.

Freud, S. (1894). The neuropsychosis of defence. Reprinted (1953–1974) in the Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud (trans. and ed. Strachey, J.) vol 3. London: Hogarth Press.

Merleau-Ponty, M. (1996). Phenomenology of perception. Motilal Banarsidass Publishe.

Putnam, A. L., Sungkhasettee, V. W., & Roediger III, H. L. (2016). Optimizing learning in college: Tips from cognitive psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(5), 652–660.

Roosevelt, T. (2012). Introduction: While Daring Greatly. In In the Words of Theodore Roosevelt (pp. 1–38). Cornell University Press.

Footnotes [1] I had around this time attended an athletic workshop and an invaluable takeaway was this 24 hour athlete analogy which was intended to imbue in the athlete that the sporting (in my case exam or assignment) competition event was not the only important time. [2] Society consisting of all social institutions especially family. [3] Metacognition – understanding and awareness of one’s own thought processes.