Becoming Aware of Your Mental Frameworks to Improve Decision-Making
Damásio’s Theory of Somatic Markers – Part II
In Part One, we explored the emotional side of decision-making and the theory of somatic markers. In summary, Damásio’s hypothesis illustrates how decision-making is guided by associative learning. During the formation of these markers, your brain builds schematic images and prototypes of situations, linking emotions, perceptions, cognition, and physiological reactions. To put it simply, it’s like storing all relevant information of past experiences on “index cards” in internal “drawers” of your brain (e.g., a black dog that bit you, a park, the sounds you heard, your fear, and a fast heartbeat) with a specific label (e.g., big, black barking dog in a park is bad). By linking past experiences to bodily signals and emotions, your brain creates somatic markers. If you encounter a similar situation (a park, a black dog that barks) your brain will compare and say: “We have to act fast! Create fear and a fast heartbeat!” So, fear and the heartbeat serve as somatic markers which enable you to react before thinking about it. These markers are designed to help simplify choices by reducing cognitive load and thereby enabling quicker decision-making. This can be especially helpful in dangerous, complex or uncertain situations. However, like most biological mechanisms, it also has its disadvantages. Sometimes, you may create sensory images and somatic markers in situations that did not turn out well. In these cases, the markers may prevent you from making rational, productive decisions, leaving you unable to act in ways that promote growth and well-being [3].
What is meant to aid you in highly dangerous situations can hinder you from achieving the best results in other scenarios. Imagine situations that demand decisions crucial for your career or personal development; for instance, deciding whether to give a public speech or to take on a major project. These moments call for decisions that allow you to improve and grow. Unfortunately, cues in these situations might trigger unhelpful somatic markers from past experiences. The good news is that just as sensory images and somatic markers form through repeated experiences, they can also be reshaped by consciously modifying how situations are interpreted and experienced. It takes time, effort and conscious awareness, but wouldn’t it be great to replace counterproductive or harmful contents in your “drawer” with more constructive somatic markers? There is a way out of this [2].
Acknowledging What is in Your “Drawers”
Think about situations that seem particularly difficult for you. Let’s assume that you are asked to give a public speech. Before letting fear, sweaty hands, and a racing heartbeat dictate your decision…let’s pause and reflect! If you want to change your sensory images and reactions to such situations, you need to understand what you are dealing with. Step one is becoming conscious of what normally guides your decisions in these scenarios. When you think about the specific situation (e.g. giving a speech), a reactivation of sensory images and somatic markers can be carried out in two ways:
- The “Body-Loop”: You directly experience bodily sensations and emotions in response to the thought or situation.
- The “As-If-Body-Loop”: Your brain simulates emotional and physiological states as if you were experiencing the situation, allowing you to think ahead while conserving energy. This mechanism can happen unconsciously or consciously and is a powerful tool for understanding what’s stored in your “drawer” labeled “public speeches.
Step 1: Evaluation of Your “Index Cards” and Reflection on Related Somatic Markers
Take inventory of the situation you’re currently facing (e.g., deciding whether to give a speech). Think of this process as sorting through your mental “drawers.” From time to time, it’s essential to review what you’ve stored and decide if some contents should be updated or discarded. The general suggestion to be aware of yourself, your situation and your reactions is the first step to gain a deeper understanding of where you are and where you came from. Most of the time we have stored memories of past situations and their related components in our mind, but those images are very blurry, as we are not conscious of them. Psychiatrist and author Carl Gustav Jung once said: “The psychological rules says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate!” [5]. In this sense it will help you to understand and to be aware of what guides you.
There are several techniques you can use to assess what Damasio calls a “previously learned factual-emotional set.” You can apply these methods individually or in combination [4].
Thought Journaling: Visualize yourself giving a speech. Imagine the audience the setting, and the atmosphere. Write down what comes to mind. This can help you identify thoughts and beliefs, emotions, physiological reactions and cues which trigger the negative somatic reaction. For example: You might notice thoughts like, “I’m going to embarrass myself,” accompanied by sweaty palms and a racing heartbeat. It might be triggered by certain cues (e.g. a crowded room). Journaling helps uncover these thoughts and sensory cues triggering unhelpful somatic markers. Often, this process reveals that some of these stored images are unnecessary or even absurd, allowing you to begin reshaping them. And therefore, improve your decision-making skill.
ABC Model: This is a technique developed by psychotherapist Albert Ellis to gain awareness of previous situations and the way you stored them in your memory. It is similar to journaling but with a specific approach. Analyze a situation by breaking it into Antecedent (what happened in previous situations), Beliefs (your interpretation), and Consequences (emotional and behavioral responses). For Example: An antecedent might be a failed presentation. Your belief might be, “I’m a terrible speaker,” and the consequence might be fear and an unhealthy stress reaction. There are good chances you will avoid similar situations. The first step is to acknowledge it and then take notes. It will be the basis for change [1].
Body Scan: Envision yourself giving a speech. Focus your attention on different parts of your body, noticing sensations, tension, or relaxation. Notice your heartbeat, your breathing patterns or if your hands are getting sweaty. Write it down! This technique builds awareness of physiological states tied to somatic markers, helping you pinpoint areas of tension that may need addressing.
Mindful Awareness: Imagine the speech scenario and focus on the emotion it evokes. Note any feelings that arise, even subtle or ambiguous ones. Mindfulness allows you to observe your emotional reactions without judgment, helping you better understand the emotional content of your somatic markers.
By now, you should have a clearer collection of thoughts, beliefs, cues, emotions, and physiological responses. This gives you a detailed blueprint of what happens when you encounter a situation (real or imagined) where you must decide whether to give a speech. Based on this collection, your initial reaction might be to avoid the speech entirely. But with awareness and the techniques outlined here, you can begin addressing the challenges and rewriting your somatic markers to enable healthier, more productive decisions. In the next part of this article series, we will explore how to actively reshape these markers and build constructive patterns to support your growth.
References
[1] Ellis, A. (1991). The revised ABC’s of rational-emotive therapy (RET). Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 9(3), 139–172.
[2] Bob Dylan. (1967). All Along the Watchtower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jff6pZJvrWk
[3] Damasio, A. R. (1994). Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain. New York: Avon Books.
[4] Damasio A. R. (1996). The somatic marker hypothesis and the possible functions of the prefrontal cortex. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 351(1346), 1413–1420. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1996.0125
[5] Jung, C. G. 1. (1979). Aion: researches into the phenomenology of the self. 1st Princeton/Bollingen paperback print. Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press.