Brains On Purpose™

Using the arts in conflict resolution: Some more pieces of the puzzle?

As regular readers know, I explore the use in dispute resolution of playing and making music, drawing, and other activities that access parts of our brains and minds not typically reached through usual conversation and negotiation. Whether these neural regions facilitate resolution has been researched a little (see, for example, studies here) and supported often anecdotally.

A new book will likely provide some helpful information about the arts and the brain. I relish the thought of devouring such a book. The Neural Imagination: Aesthetic and Neuroscientific Approaches to the Arts was reviewed in a press release from the News Center of University of Buffalo.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- In a groundbreaking new book, "The Neural Imagination" (2009, University of Texas Press), Irving Massey, PhD, explores the relevance of neuroscience to the study of the arts.

Subtitled "Aesthetic and Neuroscientific Approaches to the Arts," the book is concerned with the emergence and significance of neuroaesthetics, an alliance born of the recent and rapid convergence of art and technology.

"I undertook to write the book," the author says, "to allay fears in artists and audiences alike that brain science, in its ability to cite parts of the brain excited by dissonance, for instance, or to describe novelty in terms of neural trauma, may 'explain away' the arts."

Massey is professor emeritus of English and comparative literature and adjunct emeritus professor of French at the University at Buffalo, and the author of 10 noted books and scores of articles and reviews, in which he has often employed brain science to explore the work of specific artists.

"I am interested in how certain features of art are clarified by neuroscientific inquiry," he says, citing research that explores neural electrical activity that carries codes through which we experience our environment, and identifies the very neurons that respond to beauty as such.

This book's novel contribution to our understanding of esthetic experiences at the neurological level, however, lies in its combination of scientific and humanistic approaches and the author's full understanding of how each augments the other.

Massey explores the minds of such artists as Ravel, whose brain lesions helped to localize constituent elements of artistic production, and Stravinsky, whose use of dramatically unfamiliar asymmetries, polytonalities and primitive polyrhythms in "Rite of Spring" may have -- it has been speculated – over-stimulated listeners' neurons, provoking schizophrenic symptoms and the infamous riots that met its initial performance.

In these pages, too, appear Rousseau, Schubert (and his trout), England's greatest living travel writer (Paddy Fermor), Gerard Manley Hopkins' inscapes, Visconti and Fellini, Shakespeare, Proust and countless other visual, literary and musical artists whose work and/or neurological enhancements or detriments have contributed richly to our understanding of how neuroaesthetic processes operate.

But Massey is not interested only in the fascinating aspects of

Conflict resolution through artistry: Music, painting, and shadow puppets

Seems in Indonesia, many imaginative dispute resolution and peacemaking approaches are used. From "Healing conflicts through artistic endeavor" (Jakarta Post):

Harmony among individuals, tribes, peoples, religions, living things and the environment is believed to be delivered through daily awareness of life as a part of nature. When delivered with awareness of harmony and peace, various artistic endeavors, such as dance, painting, storytelling, music and architecture can be used effectively to provide both ambiance and structure for peacebuilding.

In Indonesia, wayang (shadow puppet) performances have been used to deliver messages of conflict prevention, reconciliation and healing, as information is likely to be accepted better through visual and auditory senses.

Traditional musical instruments, such as angklung, kolintang and gamelan don't require specific skills other than good teamwork with other musical players. The keyword is awareness of others' existence and working together.

Other traditional and modern artistic endeavors, including high-tech ones, can be used to to deliver inspiration, compassion and peace messages without making them sound corny.

Does this excerpt give you any ideas? Expand your notions of dispute resolution? Lift you out of any boxes?

Thinking in novel ways about methods of resolving disputes has been an approach I have been advocating for many a year. I have posted about adopting creative practice several times in the past.

Some posts about incorporating new methods into dispute resolution:

• iPods in mediation? More on the power of music
• The brain dancer: How about a little movement in your mediation? Just a little?
• And the quest goes on: Still looking for mediation music
• Are you leaving these conflict resolvers and problem solvers out of your toolkit? If so, why?
• Images can help you paint a bright resolution to conflict

Another gift from the Internet

Speaking of music and mediation which I was last post, you may watch the entire Notes & Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus at the 2009 World Science Festival by clicking here. More videos from the Festival here.

iPods in mediation? More on the power of music

In my ongoing research into the use of music in mediation (see past posts here), I am frequently reminded of the power of music to shift our moods and thoughts, and change our behaviors. It is because of that power that I believe music could be a helpful mediation tool.

This year I learned that solders use motivational music. Jonathan Pieslak has written about that use in Sound Targets: American Soldiers and Music in the Iraq War. From the recent article "How the iPod became a tool of war" (Guardian):

What's interesting about the work is not so much which bands soldiers are drawn to, but the extraordinary terms they use to describe the power the music has over them. Some talk about tracks turning them into monsters, making them inhuman so they can do inhuman acts.

... The psychological effect the music has, and highly stressful situations, make for a powerful mix.

There's some fascinating psychology and ethics in this, but also questions for neuroscientists. How does the combination of the group, a stressful situation, and very specific tracks, or types of music, combine to produce such a powerful motivational, even transformative effect?

What does this tell us about people listening to this kind of music in their daily lives as civilians?

At the Guardian, you can hear some of Pieslak's tapes and listen to an interview of him. At idealawg, you can read more about Pieslak's work.

As I have mentioned before, the use of music in mediation is tricky because a piece of music may have different effects on different people. Its effect is not universal. Read the quote from neuroscientist Dr. Robert Zatorre about this matter in a previous post Use music in mediation? Still no answer since one note, tone, or tune does not fit all. A very compelling question with an elusive answer. But there is an answer, one I am determined to find.

New documentary on music and the brain is available for viewing until July 7

Click for more information on "Musical Minds," the documentary.

And the quest goes on: Still looking for mediation music

I am going to figure out how to use music in mediation. (Past posts on music and conflict resolution.) Why am I tenaciously hunting down the right music to use with people in disputes?

Take a look at this documentary "The Musical Brain." You will see how music affects us and our brains in so many dynamic and often moving ways. (And you will get to learn what music does to Sting's brain.)

For those of you interested in this topic, here's some research somewhat related to my quest. (All are PDF.)

"The Influence of Group Singing on Trust and Cooperation" (Listening to music increased trust and cooperation.)

"Music Hath Charms . . . And Can Influence Helpfulness" (US students agreed to take over another person’s work more readily, if they listened to “soothing” music.)

"The Effects of Music on Helping Behavior: A Field Study" (Users of a US university gym agreed to distribute leaflets for a sporting charity more readily if they listened to uplifting music during work-out.)

"Synchrony and Cooperation" (Suggests that "cultural practices involving synchrony (e.g., music, dance, and marching)" increases the willingness to cooperate in social dilemma games.)

Note (added June 1, 2009): On a related use, I see that physicians are employing music as medicine. From "Music as medicine: Docs use tunes as treatment" (msnbc.com):

From Massachusetts General to the Mayo Clinic, patients are hearing the first strains of a harmonious movement — the infusion and inclusion of music in the treatment of ailments, from brain disorders to cancer. This goes beyond the psychological smile favorite songs can induce.

Doctors are increasingly studying — and employing — the physiological dance music does with the body's neurons

Use music in mediation? Still no answer since one note, tone, or tune does not fit all

Because of the effects it can have on the mind and the brain, I would like to use music in mediation. (See one of my earlier posts on this quest.) So I have been trying to find out if there is music that is universally calming, invigorating, inspiring, you get the idea, or if the effect is so individual that use of music in a mediation or negotiation would be risky. Today I have some more pieces to the puzzle but no definitive answer yet.

I am happy to say that I just heard from a neuroscientist who said she has given a presentation on this topic. She is traveling this week but will get back to me with more information. I also have heard from many other helpful people, some of whom have referred me on to others.

Neuroscientist Dr. Robert Zatorre was kind enough to write (quoted with permission):

It is certainly true that music can have calming effects, just as it can have arousing effects, and even incite people to violence (think: Nazi marches, etc). The calming effects are to some extent probably universal in that low-intensity, smooth contours, small pitch variation, slowly moving music has features that are universally associated with being calm, or even sad (that is, when you are calm you move slowly, you don't jump around, and so forth). This is why both lullabies and funeral marches tend to be slow, soft, and so forth. There is some literature on this, and I would recommend the book by Sloboda and Juslin (Oxford U Press, 2001) on this topic. [Music and Emotion: Theory and Research]

However, cultural constraints are certainly very important, I think, and cannot be overlooked. There are all kinds of things that people "bring to the table" as it were, based on their background, upbringing, musical acculturation, etc.; even personal associations might be important (a certain mild, relaxing piece may be calming for most, but if it happens to reminds me of my ex-wife who left me for another man, then it might have a different effect!)

Therein lies the problem. So far it has not been easy to find anyone with a solution. Fortunately the detective work is compelling—and fun. I will keep you updated.

Note (added February 9, 2009, 9:00 AM Mountain): Somewhat related article: "All Together Now: How Getting in Sync Can Make You a Better Person" (Scientific American). Hat tip: Diane Levin via Twitter.

Note (added May 26, 2009): Steve Mehta blogged about music in mediation in his Mozart as a Mediator — Using Music To Influence Emotional Reactions in Mediation (Mediation Matters). If one could extrapolate the findings of the research to mediation, the problem posed above by Dr. Zatorre about what I will call The Ex-Wife Effect still remains. What is "happy music" to one may be something very different for another. The experiment cited by Mehta (involving a total of 45 participants) is described here. I am glad to see that others are becoming interested in the use of music in conflict resolution.

My latest post about music in mediation.

Note (added June 2, 2009): Changing a quote by Mel Helitzer. He wrote about humor but I am inserting the word "music" instead. "In matters of music, what is appealing to one person may be appalling to another."

Image credit: RoganJosh.

The brain dancer: How about a little movement in your mediation? Just a little?

I watched a wonderful video. It is of a scientist dancing some information about the brain. Be sure to take a look at Scientists explain their work through the medium of dance (BPS Research Digest blog). Beautiful. So much conveyed with no words.

I have posted before about embodied cognition and about the brain's language of images. Relying only on words when resolving a dispute leaves out so much potential wisdom and creativity. Although not in a conflict process, I was reminded of the power of body expression in a recent Brains on Purpose™ class.

The students in groups were reviewing seven points about the brain by drawing images. One group included a professional dancer; they chose to choreograph for her a dance presenting the seven points. After watching the dance, the class was silent. I think we were all surprised that so much could be communicated through that medium. From the Scientists explain . . . post that I linked to above: "the human body is an excellent medium for communicating science--perhaps not as data-rich as a peer-reviewed article, but far more exciting."

Am I suggesting that disputants dance? Perhaps, in a minority of arenas where it would not be too far outside the mold of

Use of music in conflict resolution: Some pieces of the "how to" and "why" puzzles

Over the last many months, I have been researching the appropriate and beneficial use of music in mediation and other negotiations. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you may recall that I have mentioned before the idea of using music in conflict resolution. And sometimes I mention the possibilities when I give presentations. The idea has been in my head for years.

We know that music can have a very powerful effect on us. A very long time ago, Plato said, "Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inner places of the soul." Today we are learning how music affects the brain. I have for you a video with a good overview of what we know about the brain-music connection. Take a look at this video of one of the top researchers in the field Dr. Aniruddh Patel talking about what music teaches us about the brain and what the brain reveals about music. If you view "Music and the Mind," perhaps you will see why I think music has this dispute resolution potential.

The video is about 50 minutes long and not only informative but also entertaining. I recommend that you watch.

Because music can be so potent and tastes are so individual, the use of music with clients is not a simple matter. That is why I have been doing the research and communicating with experts. I am happy to report that this questioning process has been extremely compelling and nothing short of fascinating.

Next step in my research: Reading Patel's book Music, Language, and the Brain.

H/t: musicBrainerBlogger.

Image credit: imageafter.com.

Are you leaving these conflict resolvers and problem solvers out of your toolkit? If so, why?

Two tools that facilitate creativity and effective problem solving are not allowed in the structure and timing of many conflict resolution sessions. Perhaps another reason why expediency and pressure cut against the best resolutions?

The first tool is a well-researched method that leads to insight, that Eureka moment when new solutions seem to appear out of nowhere. Jonah Lehrer writes in his article "The Eureka Hunt" [pdf] (New Yorker) that research from neuroscience indicates that to solve a problem with insight, you first need to focus on the problem—and then go do something else.

The insight process, as sketched by [Mark] Jung-Beeman and [John] Kounios, is a delicate mental balancing act. At first, the brain lavishes the scarce resource of attention on a single problem. But, once the brain is sufficiently focussed, the cortex needs to relax in order to seek out the more remote association in the right hemisphere, which will provide the insight. “The relaxation phase is crucial,” Jung-Beeman said. “That’s why so many insights happen during warm showers.” Another ideal moment for insights, according to the scientists, is the early morning, right after we wake up. The drowsy brain is unwound and disorganized, open to all sorts of unconventional ideas.

The role of focus in problem-solving may be overrated.

While it’s commonly assumed that the best way to solve a difficult problem is to focus, minimize distractions, and pay attention only to the relevant details, this clenched state of mind may inhibit the sort of creative connections that lead to sudden breakthroughs.
...
Many stimulants, like caffeine, Adderall, and Ritalin, are taken to increase focus—one recent poll found that nearly twenty per cent of scientists and researchers regularly took prescription drugs to “enhance concentration”—but, according to Jung-Beeman and Kounios, drugs may actually make insights less likely, by sharpening the spotlight of attention and discouraging mental rambles. Concentration, it seems, comes with the hidden cost of diminished creativity.

Insight-friendly activities suggested are going for a walk or doing anything that will induce relaxation. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman had his own method.

[He] preferred the relaxed atmosphere of a topless bar, where he would sip 7 UP, “watch the entertainment,” and, if inspiration struck, scribble equations on cocktail napkins.

The second tool: Sleep. From "Sleep on It: How Snoozing Makes You Smarter" (Scientific American):

As we snooze, our brain is busily processing the information we have learned during the day.

Sleep makes memories stronger, and it even appears to weed out irrelevant details and background information so that only the important pieces remain.

Our brain also works during slumber to find hidden relations among memories and to solve problems we were working on while awake.

Walk. Snooze. Relax. Defocus. We know a lot about how to help the brain creatively solve problems. Are many mediators and negotiators paying attention to this wisdom? And while we are looking at what is often ignored that could facilitate mediations and negotiations, how about music? Its effect on the brain in ways that would smooth conflict is well-known. Are your mediations brain-based?

Note: I read an article this morning about daydreaming, one of the methods that can promote that Eureka moment. I see that Diane Levin has already blogged on "Daydream achiever" (Boston Globe); it is not surprising that the article on insight described above and this one on daydreaming were both written by Jonah Lehrer. (An interview of Lehrer.)

Image credit: frenchbyte.

Three memorable stories to enlighten you about your brain

May I suggest a great way to get an overview of the workings of the brain? Click on the links below to see three incredible, impressive, and marvelous stories.

National Geographic channel will be presenting a series beginning November 16, titled My Brilliant Brain which will profile people with extraordinary talent. (The links below will take you to the series today.) From the National Geographic Web site:

My Brilliant Brain uses a mix of fascinating experiments, special effects photography and state-of-the-art computer animation to travel into the inner recesses of the mind. Featuring extraordinary people with amazing abilities, this new series takes viewers on an unforgettable journey into the brain.

And from the National Geographic Channel Web site [at which you now may view program clips and photos]:

This riveting, new three-part series examines three groups of geniuses to answer questions about human intelligence. Do differences in gender, brain size and brain hemisphere dominance enable these remarkable individuals to excel so far beyond their peers? Or, can education and environment help fuel intelligence and enable anyone to become a prodigy, if given the opportunity?

Using computer generated images, brain scans and expert testimony, we unlock some of the brain’s biggest mysteries Make Me a Genius profiles Susan Polger, whose unique education early in childhood shapes a supreme ability to play chess, making her the world’s first female chess grand master. Delving deep into the minds of savants, Accidental Genius shares the story of

Don't let the nut run the conflict resolution

In an earlier post, I mentioned a fear center in the brain and a method to facilitate its calming. That part of the brain is the amygdala. At Neurophilosophy, I learned that Dr. Joseph LeDoux, a leading expert on the amygdala and author of The Emotional Brain, has written a primer on the amygdala. The primer has much good information for those of you wishing to learn more about this part of your and your client's brain.

More about the nut reference in a moment . . .

During the seminar on Neuroscience and Conflict Resolution last week in Denver, Jeffrey Schwartz talked often about the amygdala. At one point, he became the amygdala and I interviewed him as that reactive part of the brain—a part of the brain that, during conflict resolution, we do not want to be running the show.

In beginning the interview, I asked Jeff if he wanted to be called Mr. Amygdala or Dr. Amygdala. He told us to call him simply Amyg. Who knows? Maybe in Portland next month he will be just Amy. As you may be able to guess, some fun was included in the seminar learning.

On another neuroscience note mixed with some fun, Dr. LeDoux has founded a rock group, The Amygdaloids. He calls his musical genre Heavy Mental. One of his songs is called "All In a Nut," a reference to the fact that the amygdala is shaped like an almond and its name comes from the Greek word for that nut. You can listen to previews of the Amygaloid songs here. Here's an article from The Scientist: "The Amygdaloids: Scientists who rock out." And their performance at Madison Square Garden. A longer clip of "All in a Nut" at Madison Square Garden. Here LeDoux blogs about the Amgdaloids.

Why, why, why do we feel so afraid?
Why, why, why do we feel so afraid?
Don't have to look very far
Don't get stuck in a rut
Don't go looking too hard
It's all in a nut
In your brain.

-excerpt from "All in a Nut" lyrics

Note (added November 25, 2007, 1:17 PM Mountain): Click to see the Amygdaloids debut on November 1, 2006, at Union Hall, Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Note (added January 4, 2008, 7:55 Mountain): Today the Dana Press Blog posted about the Amygdaloids performing at Kennedy Center. Excerpt:

Who is drawn to a rock band starring neuroscientists? More than 300 people in Washington, D.C., apparently, who grooved in the foyer of the Kennedy Center on Thursday to the Amygdaloids’ songs about fear, love and passion, not only from the inner depths of experience but also from the band mates’ extensive knowledge of neural pathways.

Joseph LeDoux—songwriter, lead vocalist, rhythm guitar player and member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives—leads this “heavy mental” garage band, which also includes Tyler Volk on lead guitar, Nina Curley on bass guitar and Daniela Schiller on drums. All are New York University scientists—three neuroscientists plus an environmental biologist (Volk).