The effectiveness of psychological skills is variable and particularly dependent upon biological state. This recognition is important in order to optimally integrate these skills.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.
In the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, the psychological skills and body-based practices which are needed in order to develop the necessary strategies and tactics have been described throughout this article series. As has been discussed throughout past articles, the utilization of specific skills and their effectiveness is dependent upon our biological state at the time. In part, this explains why the skills which are most effective at a given time can vary both over time as well as between individuals.
The psychological skills discussed throughout this article series are comprised of a wide ranging category. The commonality is that each of these skills requires underlying cognitive and executive functioning in order to be effective. These skills include self-talk, confidence, increasing our degree of calm, optimism, positive outlook, redirection of our attention and focus, and growth mindset. While each of these skills are important and necessary in order to optimize our pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, it is also important to understand the limitations associated with this important category of skills.
As mentioned above, the benefit and effectiveness of the psychological skills is dependent upon our biological state. This is on account of each of these skills requiring high degrees of cognitive and executive functioning in order to implement the skills and effectively utilize them. On account of the neurophysiological shifts that occur in response to biological state shifts into protective and defensive states, the associated reduction in cognitive and executive function results in decreased effectiveness of these psychological skills.
The basis for this reduced effectiveness of psychological skills is the result of the influence of both the salience network and the connections within the central autonomic network. The combined impact of shifts across both of these networks results in an increased negativity bias, as well as increased attention applied to threats and risks along the internal, external, and relational pathways. In addition, our cognitive functioning is reduced as is our decision making, degree of ability to consider alternate explanations and options, regulation of emotions and autonomic processing is altered, and there is a decreased ability to act with compassion and empathy.
While the impact and benefit of the psychological skills is biological state dependent, there is no question that they are highly effective and powerful when we are within anchored and grounded states. As a result of the natural attributes which emerge from such states, our psychological skills are able to be expressed to the degree we have previously trained them. Ultimately, these skills will be of limited benefit if we have not spent the time training the specific attributes, including those noted above. When we have trained these skills, they are particularly effective in maintaining anchored and grounded states, as well as having an important impact on reducing the likelihood of shifts towards protective and defensive states.
For the reasons discussed above, once we have shifted into protective and defensive states, the positive impact of psychological skills will be reduced. Within the anchored and grounded states, however, these skills can be effectively utilized when trained to help maintain our biology within anchored and grounded states. If, however, we have limited development of psychological skills our cognitive functions will continue and they will likely be less refined. As a result, many of the psychological skills when not developed can easily lead to shifts into protective and defensive states on account of the spontaneous processes which may occur.
To better understand this concept, an example can be informative. If we consider our self-talk, when we have trained and developed the skill, we can have better effect in maintaining a more positive and constructive inner dialogue. If we have not trained our self-talk capabilities, this does not mean that we will not have an inner dialogue. Rather, we will have less influence and control over the existing inner dialogue. As a result, due to the natural tendencies related to the salience network and the associations within the central autonomic network, if we begin to experience cues of risk, threat, or uncertainty it is often the case that we will experience a more negative or detrimental self-talk dialogue, which then leads to shift into protective and defensive states. This provides an example of how untrained psychological attributes can lead towards biological state shifts away from anchored and grounded states. A similar process can readily occur with respect to each psychological attributes and skills.
Psychological skills have a highly limited impact in promoting shifts from protective and defensive states towards anchored and grounded states. This is on account of the neurophysiological changes discussed above. In situations in which an attempt is made to utilize psychological skills to shift from protective and defensive states back towards anchored and grounded states, it may often be the case that the degree of protective and defensive states deepens in nature. This is on account of two main factors. The first is that we will not be able to effectively utilize our psychological skills for the reasons discussed above. Expanding upon the example of self-talk noted above, the negativity bias which will inherently emerge may inadvertently lead to further cues of uncertainty, risk, and threat, thereby leading to further deepening of protective and defensive states. In addition to this effect, if we rely on psychological skills within protective and defensive states, and there is no anticipated shift towards anchored and grounded states there may be a violation of what we expect the impact of these skills to be. This creates further cues of uncertainty, thereby potentially deepening protective and defensive states.
It is important to note that, even if we have developed highly practiced and effective psychological skills, there will be a reduced benefit to the implementation of these skills if they are used within protective and defensive states. Moreover, the effect of utilization of psychological skills when we have shifted into protective and defensive states will occur irrespective of the strength of these skills. This emphasizes the importance of developing complementary body-based practices that can be utilized when we are in protective and defensive states.
The above understanding regarding the variability in effectiveness of psychological skills is important. The underlying mechanism, in particular through the shifts within the salience network and associations of the central autonomic network, explain this process. It is important to note that the overall proficiency of our psychological skills does not change in response to shifts into protective and defensive states. Rather, the change in the biological state alters the biological capacity to utilize these skills in an effective way. This emphasizes how our skills do not change in strength or capability over time, but are highly state dependent.
In order to effectively utilize psychological skills, it is important to train and develop them in advance of their use. In addition, it is important to develop the ability to identify our underlying biological state so that we can utilize the correct skills in the correct situation. For the reasons described above, this is highly dependent upon identifying the correct biological state so that we can utilize the appropriate skills given that state. It is worth emphasizing that the strength of development of our skills does not determine their effectiveness when we are in a state which does not support their ideal use. For example, even if we have developed exceptionally strong psychological skills, they will be of limited effectiveness when we are within protective and defensive states.
In order to optimally leverage our biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance it becomes essential to not only develop and train the psychological and body-based skills, but also the ability to identify our biological state. This becomes important so that we can then utilize the appropriate skills. In essence, the strength of our ability to recognize biological state allows for effective check-ins to identify our current state and then select the appropriate skills under that circumstance.
To learn more, including about biologically complementary coaching for healthcare professionals and others in high demand domains, please visit www.darindavidson.com.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.