Communication Illusion and Brain-Based Solution | Nikolaos Dimitriadis | TEDxUniversityofStrathclyde

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the need to redefine communication beyond information exchange, advocating for a brain-based model that considers human behavior and emotions. They argue that traditional communication models, rooted in outdated views of human nature, often lead to the illusion of understanding without changing behavior. The talk suggests detangling communication from the expectation of shared meaning and focusing on influencing actions. It also touches on the role of technology in enhancing brain-based communication, encouraging a shift towards a more effective and holistic approach to connect with others.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ The main purpose of communication is not just to share meaning or achieve common understanding, but to influence behavior.
• 🧠 We need to adopt a brain-based model of communication that considers the full range of human cognitive processes, not just rational thinking.
• 🌐 The current communication model is outdated and often leads to the illusion of successful communication when actual behavioral change does not occur.
• 👶 Understanding and behavior are not always aligned, as seen in examples of children, teenagers, and adults who understand but do not act according to expectations.
• 🛠️ To improve communication, we should focus on changing behavior rather than just transmitting information or ideas.
• 🔄 The concept of 'homoeconomicus', which assumes rational decision-making, is flawed and does not reflect the complexity of human behavior.
• 🌟 Effective communication should involve sharing emotions, considering habits and biases, and making actions that align with intended behaviors.
• 📱 Technology can play a significant role in enhancing brain-based communication by providing real-time feedback on emotions and behaviors.
• 🌱 A shift in mindset is required to move away from the old communication model, which involves re-education and training for all levels of society.
• 🔧 Practical steps for better communication include dethroning thinking, sharing emotions, considering habits and biases, using the environment, making it easy, abandoning common sense, and speaking with actions.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of communication according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that the main purpose of communication is not just about sharing meaning or achieving common understanding, but rather about influencing behavior.

Why does the speaker argue that we need a brain-based model for communication?

The speaker argues for a brain-based model because traditional models have failed to account for the complex inner workings of the brain, leading to misunderstandings and ineffective communication.

What does the speaker identify as the single most important problem with communication?

The speaker identifies the illusion that communication has taken place as the single most important problem, as stated by Bernard Shaw.

How does the speaker describe the 'tyranny of the current communication model'?

The speaker describes it as a regime that creates more problems than it solves by prioritizing thinking and rationality over other aspects of human nature.

What is 'homoeconomicus' and how does it relate to the old communication model?

'Homoeconomicus' refers to a model of human nature based on 18th-century classical economics, which assumes rational decision-making and optimization of choices. The old communication model is based on this view, focusing on changing thinking and understanding.

Why does the speaker say that thinking does not necessarily drive behavior?

The speaker argues that thinking is not always the precursor to behavior, as behavior can be influenced by emotions, habits, and impulses, which are not always rational.

What examples does the speaker provide to illustrate the gap between understanding and behavior?

The speaker provides examples such as children not sharing toys despite agreeing to do so, teenagers wandering off into dangerous areas despite understanding the risks, and employees not increasing their performance despite agreeing to do so.

What does the speaker suggest as an alternative to focusing solely on thinking in communication?

The speaker suggests considering the whole brain, including emotions, habits, and the physical environment, to create a more holistic and effective communication approach.

How does the speaker propose that technology can help in brain-based communication?

The speaker proposes that technology like smart glasses that decode facial expressions in real-time or brain electrodes transmitting emotions can help improve communication by providing immediate feedback on the effectiveness of our messages.

What are some of the key points the speaker suggests for adopting brain-based communication?

The speaker suggests detthroning thinking, sharing emotions, considering habits and biases, using the environment, making things easy, abandoning common sense, and speaking with actions.

What are the two possible outcomes the speaker hopes for from their speech?

The speaker hopes that either the audience fully understands the concepts discussed but takes no action, or that they don't fully grasp the concepts but start considering behavior as an integral part of the communication process and change their communication behaviors.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ The Purpose and Pitfalls of Communication

The speaker begins by expressing gratitude and enthusiasm for the TED presentations, then poses a fundamental question: why do we communicate? They explore the various forms of communication across different demographics and institutions, emphasizing the need for a new communication model that is brain-based. This model considers the inner workings of the brain during all stages of conversation, not just the dialogue itself. The speaker critiques the current model, suggesting it is outdated and leads to misunderstandings and illusions, as highlighted by Bernard Shaw's quote about the 'illusion that communication has taken place.' The speaker argues for a shift in focus from shared meaning to behavior, suggesting that our current approach targets the thinking part of the brain, which is ineffective.

05:01

🧠 Rethinking Human Nature and Communication

The speaker delves into the historical context of the 'homoeconomicus' model, which posits that humans are rational decision-makers capable of cost-benefit analysis. This model, rooted in 18th-century economics, is deemed inadequate for today's complex world. The speaker advocates for a holistic view of communication that includes not just thinking but also emotions, impulses, and gut feelings. They argue that behavior, not understanding, should be the focus of communication, and that thinking is often an afterthought rather than a precursor to behavior. Examples are provided to illustrate the disconnect between understanding and behavior, such as children's actions contradicting their stated intentions, teenagers ignoring parental advice, employees not meeting performance goals, and consumers not purchasing products they claimed to want.

10:02

🌟 The Illusion of Understanding in Communication

The speaker emphasizes that communication should not be deemed successful solely at the point of information exchange, as this risks the illusion of understanding, which can lead to unmet expectations and failed goals. They argue that behavior must be considered to truly assess the success of communication. The speaker discusses the ongoing 'revolution of the brain,' where new fields like neuromarketing and neuroeconomics are emerging, all of which stress the importance of considering the brain in communication strategies. The speaker provides several points for adopting brain-based communications, including dethroning thinking, sharing emotions, considering habits and biases, using the environment, making processes easy, abandoning common sense, and speaking with actions.

15:04

🛠️ The Future of Brain-Based Communication

In the final paragraph, the speaker calls for a change in mindset and the re-education of various societal roles to adapt to brain-based communication. They envision a future where technology, such as smart glasses that decode facial expressions or brain electrodes that transmit emotions, will enhance our communication abilities. The speaker concludes by posing two potential outcomes of their talk: either the audience understands the concepts but takes no action, or they internalize the message, discuss it, and begin to integrate behavioral considerations into their communication. The speaker expresses a preference for the latter, as it signifies true progress and a collective achievement in communication.

Keywords

💡Communication

Communication is the act of conveying information, ideas, or feelings through speech, signals, writing, or behavior. In the context of the video, it is the central theme where the speaker explores why we communicate and the purpose behind it. The speaker argues that traditional models of communication are outdated and that we should adopt a brain-based model that considers the full range of human behavior and cognitive processes.

💡Brain-based model

A brain-based model refers to an approach that takes into account the structure and function of the brain, particularly how it processes information and influences behavior. The speaker suggests that we need to shift from a model focused solely on rational thinking to one that includes emotional, habitual, and instinctual aspects of human behavior to improve communication effectiveness.

💡Shared meaning

Shared meaning is the concept that communication is successful when all parties involved have a common understanding of the information being exchanged. The speaker challenges this notion by stating that even when shared meaning is achieved, it does not necessarily lead to the desired behavior, thus highlighting the limitations of traditional communication models.

💡Behavior

Behavior refers to the actions and reactions of individuals in response to their environment or stimuli. The speaker emphasizes that communication should be about influencing behavior rather than just exchanging information or achieving understanding. The video argues for a shift in focus from thinking to doing, suggesting that behavior is a more accurate measure of successful communication.

💡Homoeconomicus

Homoeconomicus is a term used to describe the economic model of human behavior that assumes individuals are rational, self-interested, and make decisions based on cost-benefit analysis. The speaker criticizes this model as outdated and argues that it fails to account for the complexity of human behavior, including emotions and instincts, which are crucial for effective communication.

💡Neuropolitics

Neuropolitics is a field that applies principles of neuroscience to political science, aiming to understand how political decisions and behaviors are influenced by brain function. The speaker mentions neuropolitics as one of the emerging fields that consider the brain's role in various aspects of human activity, including communication.

💡Neuromarketing

Neuromarketing is the application of neuroscience to marketing practices, aiming to understand consumer behavior and decision-making processes at a neurological level. The speaker refers to neuromarketing as an example of how understanding the brain can lead to more effective communication strategies in business.

💡Emotions

Emotions are feelings that arise from one's thoughts, experiences, or physiological states. The speaker suggests that sharing emotions can be more effective in communication than sharing concepts or ideas alone, as it can make conversations more memorable and directly influence behavior.

💡Habits

Habits are regular patterns of behavior that are acquired through frequent repetition. The speaker points out that habits are strong and do not change easily, which is why understanding and considering them is crucial for effective communication and behavior change.

💡Biases

Biases are preconceived opinions or preferences that can influence judgment or decision-making. The speaker highlights the importance of being aware of one's own biases and those of others when communicating, as they can affect the way information is processed and behavior is influenced.

💡Common Sense

Common Sense refers to basic, practical judgment or the ability to make sound decisions based on reason and experience. The speaker warns against relying too heavily on common sense in communication, as it can lead to counterproductive outcomes, especially when it is based on the executive part of the brain that may not fully drive behavior.

💡Actions

Actions are things that people do, often in response to thoughts or feelings. The speaker emphasizes the importance of speaking with actions, as the oldest parts of the brain that drive behavior do not understand language. This suggests that demonstrating through actions can be more effective in communication than relying solely on verbal messages.

Highlights

The main purpose of communication is questioned, prompting a reevaluation of why we communicate.

A brain-based model for communication is proposed as an alternative to traditional models.

The illusion of communication is identified as a significant problem, stemming from unmet expectations.

The outdated homoeconomicus model is critiqued for its overemphasis on rational thinking.

Communication is redefined as being more about behavior than shared meaning or understanding.

Examples are given to illustrate the gap between understanding and actual behavior in communication.

The importance of considering the whole brain, not just the thinking part, in communication is emphasized.

The tyranny of the current communication model is discussed, highlighting its inefficiencies.

The role of emotions in driving behavior and the importance of sharing emotions in communication are highlighted.

The influence of habits on behavior and the difficulty of changing them through communication alone are discussed.

The need to be aware of biases in communication and how they affect our thinking is pointed out.

The environment's role in communication and how it interacts with our brain is explored.

The importance of making communication easy and not hindered by complex processes or rules is stressed.

The concept of abandoning common sense in communication to avoid unintended effects is introduced.

Speaking with actions is suggested as a more effective way to communicate with the parts of the brain that drive behavior.

The potential of technology in aiding brain-based communication is discussed, with examples of real-time emotion decoding.

A call to action for re-education and training to adapt to brain-based communication is made.

The speech concludes with a choice for the audience: to understand the concepts or to act on the insights shared about communication.

Transcripts

thank you thank you so much how are you

good did you enjoy the presentations up

to now yeah me too so many amazing

topics in uh Ted speeches up to up to

now all around the world right so many

interesting people trying to reach out

to us share communicate their ideas but

the basic question is and the main

question I want to address with you

today is is what is the main purpose of

communication and by this I simply mean

why do we communicate why do we talk to

each

other why do we send so many messages

through our mobile devices every day why

do parents talk to kids why do teachers

talk to students institutions do it as

well why do governments talk to their

citizens and why do uh companies talk to

their employees Brands to their

customers

the whole point is that we are in a

crossroad and in this Crossroad we have

to make a choice for 20 years now I'm

trying to find the answers to these

questions what I found up to now is that

if we are to consider Communication in

its true form we have to change the

model that we are

using and the new model we need to adopt

is a brain based model

by this I mean that we need to take the

inner workings of our brain into account

when we before during and after

conversation not only what happens

during the conversation that's not the

whole story now we didn't know this for

a very long time but I have to say no

more no more look at the world around

you do you like what you see do you

think that the current communication

model works if it worked it would be a

much better place so we need to go to

this change and we have a choice to make

and the choice is the following either

we will start understanding the brain

better and adapt this new style of

communication that will make us more

effective and efficient in what we're

trying to say or we will continue using

the old Communications model and

continue having the

misunderstandings confusions and

illusions that we have been doing up to

now I can summarize best the problems of

this old communication model by a very

interesting statement by Bernard Shaw

Bernard Shaw said that the single most

important problem with communication is

the illusion that he has taken place I

will leave a little bit this to syn

in he didn't say one problem of

communication he didn't say the fifth

problem of communication he said the

single most important problem of

communication is the illusion that it

has taken place in my experience I

understood that this illusion comes from

the moment of our expectation about our

Communications so the key question for

me is when we communicate what do we

expect if we expect to achieve shared

meaning common understanding agreement

in some comments Concepts that we

discuss about then we will have a

problem and we will have the illusion

that Bernard show was talking about but

if communication is not about shared

meaning or common understanding then

what is it

about this is a very simple question but

the answer has changed my life and I

hope it will change yours we currently

live in a

tyranny the tyranny of the current

Communications model it's a regime and

as with every regime it creates more

problems than the one that it solves

what is this tyring of the community

communication model we have singled out

one specific part of our brain the

thinking rational more executive part of

our brain and having at the top of the

priority in our communication list so

when we communicate we actually Target

the thinking of the person we talk to

should be this the case and you see

parents teachers managers governments

when they talk to their counterparts

they try to change their thinking they

try to share some meaning or to achieve

some understanding but does this work

well it doesn't work because it is based

on an now outdated model of human nature

this old communication model it's

actually based in a view of human nature

which we now call homoeconomicus

homoeconomicus is based on 18th century

classical economics thinking in a very

simple world with very limited

information very limited choices very

limited understanding about the brain

and an overconfidence I would say about

rational thinking and hard science we

developed a model of human decision

which says the following every human

being is capable or should be capable in

taking the right decision by m making a

cost benefit analysis and optimize the

choices that we

make if we are not performing this

rational thinking and optimizing our

decision making then we are kind of

stupid

and we have to modernize the human being

to put it into the small box of

rationality and thinking now the hom

economicus model was always

scientifically wrong but maybe it

fitted a simple a simpler world than the

one that we live

today but if you compare our world today

with a world of 300 years ago you will

see that it's completely different so we

did to change the models and this change

of models asks us to move from the top

of priority in our communication list

understanding and replace it with

behavior we need to start looking at

Communication in a more holistic way and

not just thinking because at the end of

the day as human beings we have gut

feelings we have emotions we have

impulses and of course we have thinking

but singling out thinking it's a very I

would say even lazy approach to

understanding human nature so we need to

take make a much more holistic

inclusive and I would say effective way

of communication so communication is

about behavior and it's not about

understanding this was very shocking

when I I realized the simple truth but

it changeed everything but you might ask

me come on Nikos what are you talking

about doesn't that thinking comes first

so you have to think

something decide and then behave

shouldn't it work like that of course it

could go like that if you were a

homoeconomicus any homoeconomicus

here maybe a professor of economics in

the back I see you know raising his

hands so that's the whole point thinking

is not necessary for a behavior actually

thinking is many times an afterthought

and the behavior comes first and I will

give you I will share with you some

examples of in order to to illustrate

better what I'm trying to say

how many of you have

kids few so kids at around three and a

half to four years old they understand

they have the ability to understand

socializing and the importance of social

relations so you talk to your kid and

you say are you going to share this toy

with your friends when they come home

yes of course I'm going to share my

toy um do you like when other kids do

not share the the toys with you no I

don't like that at all so you want to be

friends with our GID so you will share

your toys yes of course I will share my

toys and then these friends come at home

your kid doesn't share the toy and the

war you know

erupts um also a

teenager talking to his parents he fully

shares the worries of his parents

concerning a trip abroad school trip

abroad he understands that he should not

wander off in dangerous

areas sure enough when they when he

visits this place abroad and with a

little bit of peer pressure he wander

off to this dangerous but to his mind

very intriguing places employees a

manager comes to your department says

come on guys this week this month we

have to give 110% of our performance

this is very important for our bottom

line this is very important for our

department let's do it everybody says

let's do it agree shakes hands nod and

then the month comes and nobody or very

few people increase their their behavior

their performance and last but not least

in an area of expertise have been

dealing for for a long time you invite

customers in a focus group I don't know

if you ever participated in any Focus

Group so you invite consumers in a focus

group and and you demonstrate a new

product and consumers fully understand

and fully grasp fully grasp the the the

new features of this product compared

with the old one they're actually

enthusiastic they say yeah if this

product hits the mar Market I will go

and buy it and then when the product

hits the market nobody buys it and it

flops so you see understanding and

behavior that two different things so

parents managers marketeers in these

cases that example they all agreed

understood each other shared meaning

they had common understanding but was

this the whole story when they went out

in their real life then chaos erupted

and of course the actual Behavior took

place which was not the intended

Behavior so is it job well done for

these people when we discuss and analyze

and we're in a room and we have to agree

if we have this kind of interaction even

with a very transparent Direct sophistic

ated feedback mechanisms can we be

satisfied that we achieved communication

without taking into account Behavior

afterwards well I think not because

communication cannot be considered as

successful at the point of information

exchange if you consider successful in

the moment in the moment of information

exchange we are running the risk of what

Bernard Shaw said having the illusion

that we succeeded with our communication

and leaving the room very

happy okay so if it is not about

information exchange it's about behaving

accordingly and I believe that this is

what Bernard Shaw tried to say the

illusion of communication is the

illusion of understanding however

Behavior has to be taken into account

and this illusion is causing a lot of

pain both personally and

collectively how many crying kids and

disappointed parents how how many unmet

organizational goals how many broken

hearts and broken relationships how many

wasted advertising campaigns and

products that hit the market and flop

all these all these symptoms are

actually symptoms of the old

Communications model which caus us to

waste a lot of energy a lot of time and

a lot of money okay so we are changing

this we're actually living in a

revolution of the brain where of course

it's a work in progress daily we learn

more about the brain but maybe you have

heard some of these new terms like

neurom Market marketing and my my

friends and colleagues in sales brain us

a pioneering Mark marketing neurom

marketing agency they have they have

worked with 100,000 Executives around

the world or new leadership and my my my

very good friend and colleague Dr

Alexander pyos we are actually

coauthoring at the moment a book on

applied Neuroscience for leaders very

exciting topics neuropolitics

neuroeconomics neuro education neuro

design as I said there is a lot of work

in progress here but all these people

Prof professionals dealing with this we

all have something in common the fact

that we cannot ignore the brain when we

design our our activities or our

Communications because thinking does not

drive

behavior in the bottom line thinking

does not drive Behavior we cannot single

out the specific part of the brain what

we call the executive part of the brain

the the frontal lob in on the Neo cortex

that does just one job the thinking the

analysis and consider this as the

highest purpose of communication

okay

thinking is important I would say it's

even

necessary okay but alone cannot do

anything so how to I would like to give

you some few um uh points that uh I hope

that they will help you help you to come

up to speed with brain-based

Communications first of all we have to

Dethrone thinking we have to change our

mindset on concerning Communications and

start considering the whole approach

which is of course including Behavior

second we have to share emotions when

you are you are discussing with somebody

instead of thinking of sharing a

concept of transmitting an idea why

don't you think of transmitting an

emotion first of all it will make the

conversation more more memorable and

second it will drive Behavior faster

third consider people's habits you might

agree something with someone but habits

are very strong and they don't change so

easily fourth consider your biases both

your your own biases and the B with the

people that you talk to your thinking is

not as clear as as we would like it to

be we have all these shortcuts like

stereotypes that influence our thinking

we have to be aware of this we have to

scan and use the environment our brain

has involved over millions of years to

interact with the natural environment

and the physical environment around us

when we communicate do we consider this

pH physical environment and how it

interplays with our

communication six we have to make it

easy we might give a very clear

direction to somebody to do something

something but then maybe our procedures

our rules our processes might be making

actually very difficult might be putting

barriers for them to do what we have

mutually intended to do seven we have to

abandon Common Sense many times when we

create messages in a common sense way

these messages have exactly the opposite

effect than the one that we have

initially wanted to do so be very

careful of com because which part of the

of the brain creates Common

Sense okay the executive part and eight

we have to speak with actions the oldest

part of the brain the one that sit below

the neocortex are actually the ones that

drive behavior and guess what these

parts of the brain cannot speak because

the language skills of the brain is on

our neocortex on our new brain so we

might be do a lot of talking but the

real parts of the brain that drive

Behavior cannot understand any anything

from this talking so better to speak

with action so what's

next I believe that we have to do two

things first of all to change the

mindset we need urgently to re-educate

retrain from parents to teachers

University professors people that run

businesses institutions organizations in

order to get rid of this tyranny of the

old model second I think that technology

will help us to become better in

brain-based Communications imagine that

you're wearing smart glasses that have

the ability to decode in real time the

facial expression of the people you talk

with and then show you what are their

feelings are what are their emotions are

of course they have to wear the

same even more scary imagine that you're

in one part of the world with some

electrodes on your brain transmitting

raw emotions to your loved ones in

another part of the

planet or images okay all these are not

science fiction they're happening

now if I had to choose two possible

outcomes from my speech today the first

you fully understood what I talked about

your your rational part of the brain is

very happy and has a clister clear view

of all the concepts that were involved

but you did nothing about it or second

you didn't give much thought of what I

talked today but tomorrow you may be

talked about this with your friends

search a little bit about the topic

change the way that you post information

online at most most

importantly you started considering

Behavior as a integral part of the

communication process then of course I

would choose the latter because only

then we have achieved something and we

have achieved This Together only then we

communicate thank you so much