How Mistakes Can Make You Smarter
here are typical responses to mistakes: paying attention and shutting down. OK,
Tnobody wants to make mistakes-- but how you react to them makes a big difference in whether you learn from the mistakes, or not learn from the mistakes. Two new studies looked at what happens in people ' s brains as they made mistakes. One used college students performing a computer task; the other study used doctors making decisions about which medications to prescribe. In both studies, participants received immediate feedback about whether they had made the right decision, they were also given opportunities to try again, using what they had learned.
It turns out that there are two typical brain responses to mistakes. One looks like a " wake up call." The brain hones in on the negative outcome, and treats it like a problem that needs solving. What happened, and why? The brain also increases its attention during the next decision, as if it is trying to prevent a repeat of the mistake. When this happens, people are much more likely to improve their performance and learn from the mistake.
The second brain response looks more like a‘ shutting down’. The brain reacts to the negative feedback as a threat in itself. To escape feeling bad, or doubt one ' s abilities, the brain chooses to not think about the mistake. Interestingly, people whose brains show this‘ shutting down’ response pay much more attention to positive feedback.
he researchers think this is evidence of a confirmation bias- We want to feel good
Tabout ourselves, so we pay more attention to feedback that is consistent with our self-image. When this happens, our performances do not improve, and we fail to learn from our mistakes. What is the lesson we learn from these studies? When you make a mistake or receive critical feedback, don ' t panic. Think of it as an opportunity for learning, and remember that the process of " failing "-- when you ' re willing to pay attention-- is often what leads to the greatest successes.
Akram Youth | 15