The Power of Mindsets: How Psychology Shapes Health and Healing
The great philosopher and psychologist William James said more than 100 years ago: “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his or her life by altering his or her attitude.” James was referring to the power of thought and mindset, and he was merely scratching the surface on an idea that psychology and science has proven true in ways he could not have imagined.
If you need proof of the power of mindsets, consider one of science’s most reliable phenomena: the placebo effect. This remarkable demonstration of expectation shows how the belief in healing can activate real, measurable healing processes in the body.
Psychologist and Harvard professor Dr. Ellen Langer’s life-long work revolves around this very topic, specifically the concepts of mindfulness and mindlessness, emphasizing their profound impact on human behavior, health, and well-being. Her latest book, The Mindful Body, shows, through her research, the game-changing power of the mind-body connection for our overall health.
Career of innovation in science and psychology
Dr. Langer is best known for her pioneering work in the areas of mindfulness, the psychology of possibility, and the illusion of control. Her work has influenced countless students and researchers, including Alia Crum of Stanford University and Adam Grant at the Wharton School. In her latest book, she explores our understanding of the power of mindset in shaping our health, well-being, and even our physiological state.
Dr. Langer offers a wealth of insights about how our thoughts, expectations and imaginations have a direct impact on our health. Our mindsets are the lenses through which we perceive, organize, and interpret our environment and situations. A key takeaway: Watch the thoughts you let take up residence in your mind. Our subjective mindset can alter objective reality.
Pay attention to your thoughts (like a scientist)
Langer has defined mindfulness as “the simple act of noticing new things.” Mindlessness, on the contrary, is a state of being on autopilot, not paying attention or noticing things, following norms blindly. She argues mindfulness can shape our lives in profound ways, and our perceptions can be empowering and motivating, or fear-based and immobilizing. Our mindset has a direct connection to our mental and physical health.
As she explains: “Everything we are certain about; we need to rethink. Those certainties keep us sealed in unlived lives, they keep us mindless, because when you are certain, you don’t pay any attention.”
Langer’s work underscores the profound influence of mindset and perceptions on various aspects of human health and behavior. She’s argued that much of our suffering, both mental and physical, stems from the mindless decisions and behaviors we engage in without questioning societal norms or our own beliefs. No matter what you are going through, you can choose how you perceive and react, and that has a direct impact on your health and body.
Her work, criticism, and response
Her work challenges fundamental beliefs regarding the connection between body and mind, possibly even calling into question our understanding of objective reality. It also redefines the boundaries we associate with the placebo effect. Through decades of experimental studies, she demonstrates that mindlessness, a state of acting on autopilot and being unaware of one’s surroundings, leads to mistakes, missed opportunities, and stress. While mindfulness and empowering mindsets can increase positive mental and physical health.
One of her notable experiments, the “counterclockwise study,” revealed that elderly individuals who were encouraged to live in an environment resembling their past, youthful years showed marked improvements in physical strength, posture, perception, and even eyesight, underscoring the mind-body connection. Langer’s research matters significantly as it elucidates the transformative power of perception and awareness in improving health, learning, and longevity, offering valuable insights and practical applications for enhancing individual and societal well-being.
Her critics, however, say her experiments are not up to scientific standards, use small sample sizes, and can’t be replicated, rendering them unreliable. When asked about her critics during a Hidden Brain podcast episode: “Most of my experiments are on possibility. If I were able to take a monkey and have that monkey say, ‘Shankar, is there a chance you’ll have me on Hidden Brain?’ Even if no other monkey spoke this way, it would still lead to our need to vastly revise our theories of possibility and language and so on.”
The science of what’s possible
The human mind is one of the most complex and unexplored frontiers in science and philosophy. While there have been significant advancements in our understanding of the mind, there is still a lot more to discover and comprehend. We are merely scratching the surface.
Dr. Langer’s work has illuminated the possibility and science behind the mind-body connection, discovering that mindsets and beliefs can shape our physical health in astonishing ways. Considering that the placebo is one of the most important tools in clinical research, her work warrants continued exploration. It highlights the intricate connection between mind and body, emphasizing the crucial role psychological factors play in healing and well-being.
