By Dennis Sale
In the previous three columns, I identified, explained and described specific research-based challenges of the brain-mind relationship which can negatively impact effective learning and self-regulation. The significance of poor self-regulation is well documented. For example, Collins (2017), from surveying the evidence, suggested that: “Self-regulation failure is the major pathology of our time.”
A lack of self-regulatory competence is the basis of many mental-health issues, difficulties in managing emotions and relationships, controlling impulses, and poor decision-making. Indeed, it has been estimated that 40% of deaths are attributable to poor self-regulation. Conversely, those who demonstrate better self-regulation are more successful in forming positive relationships, career enhancement, sustained wellbeing and mental health, and are less at risk of developing alcohol-abuse problems or engaging in risky sexual behaviour (eg Heatherton & Wagner, 2012).
For a technical definition of self-regulation, Schunk & Zimmerman (2012), leading writers in the field, summarise it as “the process by which learners personally activate and sustain cognition, affect, and behaviours that are systematically oriented towards the attainment of learning goals”.
In more lay terms, this relates to how we think, feel and act as we seek to meet our goals – it’s essentially about how we live our lives, which we can do in better or worse ways.
Human paradoxes
There are many human paradoxes, including our desire for security and predictability, but also for novelty and excitement – and we know what dilemmas this may evoke.
Another paradox is that between what we know is sensible behaviour and the pleasurable things we like doing. I like the self-observation of Oscar Wilde, who apparently said: “I can resist everything except temptation.”
There is much cognitive neuroscience embedded in notable literature, and we should expect this as both genres include a fascination for exploring the human condition – its features, attributes, nuances – the good, the bad, and ugly.
In translation from literature to neuroscience, self-regulation can be undermined by failures to transcend overwhelming temptations, negative moods, resource depletion and when minor lapses in self-control snowball into self-regulatory collapse. Cognitive neuroscience research suggests that successful self-regulation is dependent on top-down control from the prefrontal cortex over subcortical regions involved in reward and emotion. Peter (2012), a consultant psychiatrist, depicts this brain interplay between the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system (subcortical regions) in terms of the “Chimp Paradox” – which is also the title of his book.
The limbic system is a complex network of structures in the brain that plays a crucial role in the development of aggressive emotions and behaviours. When faced with a perceived threat or provocation, it activates emotional arousal which triggers the release of stress hormones (eg adrenaline and cortisol) resulting in a heightened state of arousal that can make individuals more reactive and prone to aggression. In contrast, the prefrontal cortex, the most forward part of the frontal lobe in the brain, plays a crucial role in self-regulation, helping us to manage our emotions, even when we are experiencing strong feelings such as anger or fear. Essentially, it acts like a brake, helping us to stop and think before we act. It allows us to consider the potential consequences of our actions for future wellbeing. In the language of cognitive psychology, this is metacognition, a distinctively unique human feature, which enables us to be aware of our own thinking, feelings, and beliefs and take action to manage these inner processes productively. Hence, between stimulus and response, humans can make conscious choices in determining their actions. Chimpanzees lack this metacognitive capability.
The core strategy
It is Metacognitive Capability (Sale, 2020) that provides us with understanding, strategies and practices to act with agency on both internal processes and the external factors that create “temptation” in its many forms – as Wilde cleverly intimated.
The challenge then is to develop MC to mitigate the worse effects of poor self-regulation. To become competent in any area of practice, it’s essential to know how it works (understanding) and then attain the required skills to apply it thoughtfully through deliberate practice. Failure to attain sufficient understanding results in what I experienced in my trout fishing adventures. I like fishing, and enjoy eating fish, so I was motivated – a good start, right? However, in two years my total catch was three small trout, just enough to feed my cat on those days. I never learned how to do it properly (eg what types and colour of artificial flies to use, and in what water conditions for which breed of trout).
Furthermore, self-regulation, like many other cognitive faculties, is subject to fatigue, as it is influenced by willpower, and research (eg Baumeister and Tierney, 2012) demonstrates that we have limited amounts of this important resource. After studying thousands of people inside and outside the lab, the researchers found that experiments consistently demonstrated two lessons:
- You have a finite amount of willpower that becomes depleted as you use it.
- You use the same stock of willpower for all manner of tasks.
This means that without careful self-regulation, our willpower can be used up on less serious concerns and become limited when it comes to higher-risk activities. Also, distractions, especially in this digital age, are all around us and there is now a significant body of research (eg Anand et al, 2021) to suggest that excessive internet use, particularly the use of social media, can negatively impact young people’s ability to self-regulate.
This column has focused on understanding the importance of effective self-regulation and the consequences of a lack of it across different life contexts. Barriers and challenges have been identified and outlined. A key summary is that understanding is an essential pre-requisite for effective doing. In the next column, I will dive deeper into how to develop Metacognitive Capability. It’s probably the most important competence to attain in life’s precarious journey, though it does require a decent shift.
Dennis Sale worked in the Singapore education system for 25 years as an adviser, researcher and examiner. He coached over 15,000 teaching professionals and provided more than 100 consultancies in the Asian region. Dennis is the author of the books Creative Teachers: Self-directed Learners (Springer, 2020) and Creative Teaching: An Evidence-Based Approach (Springer, 2015). To contact Dennis, visit dennissale.com.
