Few were surprised when the analysis of former NHL player Derek Boogaard revealed extensive brain damage and degeneration associated with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.  The brain is not designed to take multiple traumatic hits and be unaffected by the damage.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a 300 pound football player, an elite hockey player, or a housewife.  The brain remains among the most vulnerable areas of the body, and no amount of physical training and conditioning will alter that fact.

Certain occupations in life involve an element of physical risk.  Policemen get shot. Roofers fall off of roofs. Those in the military face risks constantly. Apparently, commercial fishing is  quite dangerous too. The people who do these jobs know what the risk is and they decide to do the job anyway.   It makes no sense to try to cover up the potential risks associated with any occupation, including athletics.   Jobs that have a higher incidence of concussions and blows to the head put an individual at risk for CTE.  CTE is the equivalent of environmentally caused dementia.

Apparently, the NHL is not convinced that there is a link between CTE and hockey. I am not sure what they are looking for as far as proof.  Would they go as far as to agree that concussions happen relatively often in contact sports?  Would they accept the fact that CTE is caused  by repeated blows to the head? Give these athletes the facts and let them decide if they want to take on the risk of playing the sport.   So many times an organization will try to underplay what might damage their immediate interests, and it results in a  worse problem down the line!

It’s never easy to take a proactive stance on anything. This isn’t the first time I have struggled with trying to make peace with the idea that I love to watch hockey and football and yet I know there are very significant  risks to the brain.  Decades of working with brain injured clients has created this dilemma for me.  In some ways, it seems hypocritical to be a fan of these sports and at the same time, point out what I see as a huge risk to people who play these sports. I can only imagine how difficult it would be if my life was and my livelihood was completely tied to these sports or promotion of these sports.  Derek Boogaard’s brother still plays hockey because in his words, “What else would I do?”

It isn’t an easy problem to solve. Still, it would behoove the NHL and NFL to become actively cooperative in trying to discover what risks are involved in playing a sport especially revealing the worst of these consequences. Don’t hold anything back and let the players, their families and their health care providers make informed decisions about what to do.  Also make necessary changes as a league  to improve conditions and have policies in place to minimize risk where possible.   However, the only way to arrive at a solution is to agree that there’s a problem.  How much more evidence will be required before professional sports acknowledge significant link between potentially compromised brain function and contact sports?  As the Minnesota Brain Injury Society stated in their 2010 Walk for Thought campaign: Play hard but play smart.

What is a “Christmas Tree Brain?”  Someone who likes to shop? Decorate the house? Take a limo ride to view the holiday lights? Actually, the Christmas Tree Brain is an asynchronous macro-state measured by an electroencephalogram  (EEG).  It is characterized by various brain regions firing at different amplitudes and frequencies.   Colors of blue, green, yellow and red, illuminate the EEG screen, with the overall look resembling a Christmas tree. What’s going on?

From a cognitive standpoint, this pattern is called trans-contextual thinking.  According to UCLA professor Dr. Dario Nardi in his newly released book, , “Regardless what kind of stimulus enters the brain – be it sight, sound, smell sensation- the brain responds by rapidly processing that stimulus in multiple regions, including regions seemingly not applicable to the stimulus.”  Responses to the stimuli tend to be fast, creative, and sometimes seemingly contradictory except to the originator of these thoughts!

Indeed, these are the brain patterns of the ultimate brain stormers in the psychological type world, the ENTP and the ENFP and to a lesser extent, INTP and the INFP.  Another name for these types are the extraverted intuitives. In the case of the ENFP and the ENTP, this extraverted  intuition is a dominant psychological function, occupying half of all of the brain energy these types use every day.

Doesn’t this sound wonderful?  It IS except that with this highly energized state goes creative burn-out.  Another hallmark characteristic of the ENFP/ENTP type is the tendency to work in fits and starts, waiting for the moment of inspiration to hit and set off this powerful pattern all over again.  This pattern of thinking long described in extraverted intuitive personality types scan now be supported by EEG findings.

Recently I was at a brain conference on managing bad habits and addictions. The presenter remarked that, “Nowadays, there has to be some sort of neural correlates as measured by fMRI or other type of scanning or imaging device to lend support to psychological and cognitive theories.”  The Neuroscience of Personality and the work of Dario Nardi is an important first step toward providing supporting evidence via EEG scans.  The Christmas Tree Brain is only one of  the many EEG patterns he has identified that correlate with various psychological types profiles.

On 11-11-11, I will be presenting some of Dario Nardi’s  findings along with a framework describing the challenges that psychologists have today to provide neuroscientific data to support their behavioral theories. In addition, I will offer some insight as to how this can be used in coaching and in uncovering personal potential.

If you would like more details about this upcoming presentation, please contact me at annholm@annholm.net

Another NHL enforcer was found dead in what should be the prime of his life. Wade Belak was found dead in his Toronto apartment today, apparently due to suicide. He joins Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien in hockey heaven. the causes of death were two suicides and one overdose on alcohol and pain killers.  This is very tragic especially for the families and friends of these players. I believe the culprit here is multiple traumatic brain injuries.  Moreover,  I suspect there are many more of these guys who struggle with pain, irritability, and depression as a result of multiple blows to the head over the course of a hockey career.

In the old days, when someone suffered a concussion on the playing field, court, or rink, it was said that that player, “got his bell rung” .  As soon as he could get back out there, perhaps with the help of some smelling salts, he was encouraged to do so.  However, it is now known that the effects of brain injuries last well beyond the sense of feeling better physically.  Cognitively, they last much longer because the brain has not completely recovered.  The effects of multiple head injuries are cumulative and the effects worsen as the brain ages.

Sports rely heavily on previous motor programming.  In fact, if an athlete is accused of “thinking too much”, it is likely that he is relying too heavily on his prefrontal cortex rather than his finely honed motor skills that are a result of hours of practice. An athlete that is performing in the zone is hardly aware of what he actually did to achieve that level of excellence.  If he thought about it too much, he would lose the flow.  It’s similar to when a golfer suddenly realizes he’s having a personal best round then loses it because he has brought it into awareness.  In my mind, a player could actually appear quite well when his motor functions returned after a concussion, but his executive functions could still be significantly below his pre-injury baseline.

The executive functions are located in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.  They are involved in higher level thinking tasks such as planning, initiating, inhibiting, attention, and decision making. Moreover, the prefrontal cortex is the most vulnerable part of the brain so any concussion would likely involve this area and these functions.  In fact the prefrontal cortex is likely to be the most affected. Is it any wonder why someone who has had repeated blows to the head with little time for full recovery might experience problems in these areas outside of the sports arena?   What happens when they retire and they aren’t earning money using their well-practiced motor skills and having to rely on executive functions?   The worst scenario here is the poor decision to end one’s life.

Now, I am a huge hockey fan.  I love the Detroit Red Wings and have been to 2 Stanley Cup Final games. A close second is football, another head bashing sport. I like these sports very much. However, there are many changes that can happen that will make these sports safer.

1. Enforce the rules that penalize cheap shots that result in head injuries.  No exceptions.

2. Make sure executive functioning of the brain returns to baseline before allowing a return to the game.

3. Provide support and coping skills for individuals who played years before new rules would be in place.  These players are the most vulnerable and need the most help.

Note: Last year’s Minnesota Brain Injury Walk for Thought focused on increasing awareness about sports concussions.  Properly treating traumatic brain injury is important at all levels of competition from youth to professionals.

Exercise releases a substance that is  ”Miracle Grow for the Brain”, according to John Ratey, an expert on the effects of exercise on optimal brain functioning. The release of brain-derived neuroptropic factor (BDNF), in effect, fertilizes brain cells to keep them functioning and growing, as well as spurring the growth of new neurons.  This was one of  the several benefits of exercise that Dr. Ratey shared at the Learning and Brain Conference I attended recently.   We were designed to move and yet our culture has evolved to the point where we sit more often than we exercise. Tight clothes, lethargy, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease aren’t the only threats from inactivity.  Our brains pay the price too.

Our ancestral brains and bodies were used to walking/running 10-14 miles per day. We kept active because we were searching for food or avoiding a threat.  Our brains benefited from this exercise. When we move, 3 important brain chemicals, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are released and the organism becomes patient, optimistic, focused and motivated. From an evolutionary context, these are the qualities that make if possible for man to zero in on it’s prey (food). Likewise, when an individual gets consistent and sufficient exercise in today’s world, these same neurochemicals  helps him or her keep a stable mood, focus on tasks, meet challenges and engage in purposeful activities .  The more we exercise, the more nerve synapses in the brain are primed to be alert to these chemicals making these beneficial states of mind available to us.

Another benefit of exercise is that it regulates the stress hormone cortisol.  The brain and body needs a certain amount of cortisol to respond to stress but excessive levels of cortisol has a toxic effect on neurons.  The neuronal connections erode in the presence of high and unrelenting levels of cortisol, causing difficulty with learning and memory.  The hippocampus structure in the brain is the way stay station that bundles new and stored information together making learning possible.  This structure is highly sensitive to the effects of cortisol. It is also a structure that benefits from BDNF, the chemical that nurtures neuronal growth.   Exercise attenuates the damaging effects of cortisol and at the same time, increases the growth of new brain cells via the action of BDNF.

Who do you think has the highest math and science scores in the world?  An Asian country?  We know it’s NOT the United States.  We aren’t even in the top 10.  It’s Finland.  The typical school day in Finland has 45 minute class periods followed by 15 minutes of compulsory exercise. Students don’t use these 15 minutes to check cell phones and laptops.  They go to the gym or step outside to throw a few snowballs.  The best time to learn new information and have it stick is after a period of physical activity.

The take-away:

1. Exercise every day not only to stay physically fit but to stay mentally fit.  The same activity can provide multiple benefits.  What an efficient use of time!

2. Keep challenging your mind so your brain takes advantage of it’s readiness to learn something new as a result of exercising.

After the conference, I purchased Dr. Ratey’s book Spark that covers this topic.   He makes the case that if you can’t find the motivation to exercise for the sake of your body, it is certainly a good idea  to move for the sake of your brain. This is a highly readable book that will inspire most couch potatoes to get moving once and for all!

It wasn’t that long ago when the ability to multi-task was considered a valued and even necessary skill in the workplace.  Perhaps multi-tasking meant something else in those days, the ability to manage several projects at once, take on several roles, effectively or to demonstrate flexibility.   Nowadays, multi-tasking has morphed into a massive task shifting endeavor that is both tiring and inefficient for the brain.  Ten years ago, no one could have envisioned the incredible growth of  cell phones, internet usage, social networking ; growth has been exponential with no end in site.   This growth has set the stage for creating tired, inefficient brains.

Our brains were designed to do one thing at a time particularly when the task involves attention rich inputs.  Certainly we can walk and chew gum at the same time.  However, automatic tasks such as walking and chewing gum use different brain structures than those used in deliberate task completion.  Automatic tasks draw on the basal ganglia whereas focused task completion relies heavily on the prefrontal cortex.   We can’t  effectively write a term paper and respond to e-mails and Facebook messages at the same time.  That involves task shifting and it taxes the brain mightily.

There are short-term consequences from multi-tasking as well as long-term effects on the brain.  Studies show that when a person is interrupted, it takes 50% longer to accomplish a task and the there are 50% more errors.  Here’s why:

1. To begin a task, blood rushes to the prefrontal cortex alerting the brain that it is about to shift attention to the particular task.

2.Then the brain must search for the neurons to complete the task and then rouse the neurons to engage in the task.

3. If the task is interrupted, the brain must now disengage from the task and re-engage in a different task.

4. The brain has to search for different neurons to complete the task and rouse them to engage in the other task.

This sequence of events takes place every time someone has to switch tasks.  In the old days, interrupting an individual’s train of thought was considered to be an intrusion and it was done in only the rarest of circumstances. These days, we do it to ourselves all day long!

There are also long-term consequences to chronic multi-tasking.   Chronic multi-taskers have difficulty with effective task switching, have decreased memory capacity and there is evidence even emotional intelligence suffers because the multi-tasker cannot engage with someone long enough to read social cues.  Multi-taskers also tend to write rambling documents with longer sentences-a byproduct of the struggle to regain a train of thought after being chronically interrupted.

The evidence continues to mount that multi-tasking, today’s multi-tasking that involves trying to complete tasks while constantly trying to manage emails, social networks, and cell phone use, has both short and long-term implications for the brain.  We have inherited a brain from our ancestors that can only focus on one task at a time and we subject it to a dizzying array of stimuli it wasn’t meant to handle simultaneously.  Yes, neuroplasticity suggests that the brain can adapt to certain environmental challenges but this capacity is not unlimited, particularly in the realms of attention and focus.  In fact, it is exactly adequate attention and focus that allows us take advantage of the adaptability of the brain to create change.

There were several excellent lectures and workshops at the Learning and the Brain Conference- The I-Brain.  The presenters were from Stanford, Cal-Berkeley, Harvard and other cutting edge institutions studying the state of the human brain as it interfaces with the latest technology.  Although much of the conference was geared toward the student brain in the age of information, the principles apply to anyone who uses technology.  Rather than try to summarize everything that was presented, I will answer the questions I had leading into the conference and what I learned.

1. Are video games good or bad for the brain?

There are many angles to this question, and to give credit to the Learning and the Brain Society, an even-handed perspective was presented.   In some ways, video games are good for the brain especially if they encourage problem solving and visual-spatial challenges.  Processing speed and reaction times can be positively affected as well.  The best scenario is if the gamer is engaged with other gamers in communities where they are discussing the games and possibly solving problems together.

There were many beneficial games that were listed including The Sims, Waste of  Space (a physics videogame), and even the venerable World of WarCraft.  One presenter stated that she has organized a WWC club at school where the gamers play, discuss strategies, and learn the social skills of group interaction.   Another presenter stated that “schools should abandon yearly standardized tests in favor of the ongoing progress model used by videogame developers.  As you master a level, you move on.”

There are several downsides to video games too.  First and foremost is that they are potentially addicting, especially in susceptible individuals.  Much of gaming involves dopamine reinforcement so individuals who tend to be dopamine driven might become addicted.  There are several signs of withdrawal that are typical of addiction including moodiness when the stimuli are withheld, neglect of basic needs (such as eating, sleeping, and human interaction) in order to keep interfacing with the addicting force, and requirements for more of the stimulus in order to achieve satisfaction.   Video games show the capacity for addictive behavior.  One presenter even described a video game rehabilitation program in China where addicted clients go cold turkey to break the addiction. Those with ADHD tendencies are particularly at risk.

Another drawback is that there are several critical time periods in human development where individuals learn emotional intelligence via interaction with real human faces, emotional regulation, and empathy.  One of the skills that will be required of the 21st century mind will be the capacity for empathy as the world becomes smaller.  These opportunities to develop capacities that make us human are potentially at risk in the absence of the opportunity to develop them.

Yet another drawback to videogames is that it if you are plugged into a videogame, you are not getting any exercise. Statistics on rising childhood obseity were given.  In addition, our brains were wired to benefit from physical exercise.  The school system that leads the world in science, math and other measures of critical thinking is Finland.  It should be no suprise that every 45 minute class period is followed by a 15 minute period of compulsory exercise.  Either you go to the gym and do a few exercises or you go outside and throw snowballs!  More on exercise and the brain later…

An additional drawback of videogames is that it reduces freeform creativity.  When interacting with a videogame, you are confined to respond to an algorithm.  There is something human and creative to figuring out how to amuse oneself with whatever is available, perhaps creating a game that is completely unique.  A child’s brain is endlessly capable of unique play schemes.

Bottom line and Suggested Guidelines:

1. Not all videogames are bad.  It is important to remember that they are potentially addicting, and they can create conditions where an individual is out of balance.  If an individual becomes moody, does not address physical and social needs, then he needs to cut back or stop altogether.

2. Since there are critical developmental stages, especially for social development from age 0-12 years, videogame use should be limited.  Some studies suggest there should be no screen time for children under 2.  The general rule is less is more, especially for the very young.

3. Negotiate how long someone can spend on a videogame.  Involving the child in the process rather than merely setting a rule will help him/her understand his own brain and his own capacity to be moderate overuse.

4. Give a wind down time so that a child can begin to disengage with the game.  The idea of a “cool down” might need to be coached.

5. If you have agreed to let the child play the videogame, allow them to play in peace.  Make that part of the agreement.   You will allow uninterrupted gaming if they stop, wind down, and agree to do something else when the time is up.

Videogames and technology will always be available.  The genie is out of the bottle and there is no stuffing him back in.   There is no black or white verdict on whether vdeogames are good or bad.  What is clear is that balance is required.  Remember the days when we had to be forced to come back home or inside after a day of play?  Now that there is plenty to do inside, it is critical to counterbalance this reality with encouragement to go outside for fresh air, exercise, and social interaction with friends absent any technology to interfere.

Next up: The I-Brain,Multi-tasking and Memory

Time to go for a walk!

Cognitive blind spots. Everyone has them.  Cognitive blind spots are often manifested as repeated patterns of ineffective behavior or resolutions to change that seem to fall short of the goal.   The nature of blind spots is that one is perceiving limited data or is using inadequate methods of judgment to address a problem.   This phenomenon is similar to the blind spots you have when driving a car.  There are certain visual fields that are not readily apparent and you must mindfully check those areas for other cars or use a device to identify those vehicles. Similarly,it is difficult to correct for cognitive blind spots because you often lack the insight and resources to do so.  If you had these perspectives and remedies operating effectively already, then goals would always be met and change would be easy.  Such is not the case and that is where outside support in the form of coaches, teachers and mentors can be helpful.

Have you ever noticed the plethora of self-help books  in the bookstore?   What used to be a few shelves of books mostly by Wayne Dwyer or Dale Carnegie is now an ever-expanding selection of  remedies and advice that seem to provide a temporary burst of ideas and energy, but ultimately leads to limited meaningful change.  In other words, if self-help books were so effective, why would there be a need for more and more of them?   I am not opposed to using a self-help book as a vehicle for personal insight, and in fact, I have a collection of these books myself.  However, there is a tendency to default to the well-worn path in our minds despite our best intentions, often leading to frustration and despair.

Personal coaches can help by providing additional insight and accountability.  In my practice, I use the principles of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, my background in brain science, principles learned in my coach’s training and some meditation to assist a client in the process of change.  Following is an example of how this process might work:

A client may come to me with the complaint that even though he has no shortage of great ideas, he doesn’t seem to follow through on any of them.  He gets very excited about his new schemes and in fact, he can enthusiastically gather support for his ideas among his coworkers.  Inevitably, once the crescendo of excitement starts to recede, he loses interest and the project is never completed.  What’s more, this is a pattern that has been repeated so often, his coworkers do not take his ideas seriously anymore.

After getting as much information as possible using open-ended questions, I am likely to use one of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instruments (Step I, II, or III) to provide additional insight into the client’s preferred ways to perceive and judge information.  Why?  The MBTI provides reliable insight into a client’s cognitive strengths and probable blind spots.

In this case, the client is an ENFP which is essentially characterized by someone who is cognitively energized by new ideas and possibilities, the ultimate brain stormer!  However, a typical blind spot for an ENFP personality type is inattention to details and a dislike of routine.  Once the initial burst of excitement has worn off, it is much more difficult to finish the task.  What’s more, wherever an individual has a blind spot, there tends to be a defensiveness.  Solutions are often blocked by an unwillingness to admit there is a problem in the first place or that the problem is your challenge not someone elses! It’s the my coworker who is so obsessed with details that makes this so difficult to implement!

Certainly, awareness of the problem is the first step.  However, because these cognitive patterns are preferred and well-worn in the brain, it will take more than just awareness to create meaningful change.  The brain is plastic and fully capable of lasting changes.   However, these changes require tremendous effort, motivation and in fact, a dampening down of  default methods of thinking to bring about these changes.   It is similar to a sled hill.  It’s easy to go down the paths that are already well-established but it takes deliberate effort to move your sled and make a new run.  That is how the brain tends to operate.

One way to make deliberate changes is to become mindful of both your present behavior and to create a reasonable alternative.   It is more effective to say, “I will do this instead of that” rather than, “I won’t do that.”   There are several forms of meditation that train the brain to resist existing patterns of thinking and refocus on new ways of thinking.  Meditation is an emollient to smooth transitions in the mind.  Particularly pertinent to the ENFP  personality type whose mind can run a million miles per minute in a million different directions, meditation can be very helpful.   Be mindful of details and following through.  Or at least ask someone who does this well, to help you.   Use your brain storming capabilities often but know what to shift to other modes.

Most of all, realize that change takes time.  The brain requires several opportunities to try out new behaviors before they become readily accessible.  In between the resolution to make a significant change and the actual attainment of the goal can be many challenges.   There is always the temptation to go back to the familiar.  However, with a coach, teacher or mentor that you trust and rely on, your chances of success are greatly improved.

Happy New Year from Annholm.net!   Make 2011 a very good year!

Mindfulness, meditation, and  breath awareness.  Is this all a big fad or can you actually gain a cognitive edge from sitting for 15-20 minutes each day focusing on the breath? A recent study published in Science Daily states even after 4 days of 20 minute breath awareness exercises, cognitive improvement can be measured.   Furthermore, Daniel Seigel and others have linked mindful practices to the building the middle prefrontal cortex area of the brain, the area that integrates cortical, limbic, brainstem, somatic and social input.  In short, the middle prefrontal region of the brain, when developed and strengthened like a muscle, can create a state of self-awareness that allows one to navigate the river of thought and experience without getting stuck in the banks of  either rigidity (too much judgment) or chaos (too much perception).  This notion of modulated balance between perception and judgment has significant implications for MBTI practitioners who use the awareness of the 4  functions (dominant, auxiliary, tertiary and inferior) to coach clients using the MBTI model.

In breath awareness exercises, one is instructed to find on the breath first at the level of the nostrils, moving to the chest and finally deep within the abdomen.  After fully identifying all components of the breath,  finding the place where the breath is felt most naturally is the next step.  Breath awareness exercises are not relaxation exercises, they train the mind to be focused.  When the mind starts to wander as it invariably will do, it is important to take note of that and gently refocus without judgment. From my own personal experience as an ENFP doing these exercises, I am amazed at how many thoughts dart through my head as I attempt to focus on the breath.  Anyone who shares intuition as the dominant function can probably relate to how difficult it can be to maintain focus and follow through on a given task or maintain a topic of conversation  when connections, patterns, and new ideas are emerging, competing for cognitive primacy.  The key is to be aware of what the mind is doing then gently redirect thought within the cognitive system. In my own experience with meditation, I have improved my focus as well as developed an awareness of when I need to to stop generating options and perspectives and use my auxiliary function, feeling, to craft a course of action.  In addition, as my ability to self-monitor my thoughts and judgments has improved, so has my ability to successfully access my tertiary and inferior functions.   This self-awareness assists in creating an elegant shift among the 4 functions all brought about by the strengthening  the prefrontal cortex area of the brain, the area that directs energy and thought throughout the rest of the human brain.

What if someone has a judging function as the dominant function?  Can an ESTJ use meditation to navigate the river of thought and experience?   The answer is yes because meditation is strengthening the fibers of  the brain where self-monitoring  and behavior modulation take place,  not the functions of either judgment or perception.  To use an analogy, it is like tuning up the transmission of a car allowing for improved shifting among the 4 functions.  Whereas excessive perceptive can create chaos in the mind, rigidity is the result of too much judgment.  So, taking the example of an ESTJ, who may be quick to render a judgment,  balance can be achieved by consciously shifting into the fact gathering mode.  In fact, one can go to any area of brain more easily if self-awareness and the ability to redirect cognitive activity is present through a well-developed prefrontal cortex.

Meditation can be tricky.  Many people are turned off by it because it feels like a waste of time. Others are frustrated because they don’t think they are “doing it right.” My first round with mindfulness and meditation was rigorous.  It involved 45-minute body scans, sitting meditations, and yoga.  With all that needs to be done in a day, it may be difficult to fit in all of the components of a comprehensive program.  However, for a less time consuming,  day to day application of meditation, I highly recommend a 20 minute simple breath awareness meditation. With this increase in awareness, it may be possible to shift more easily among the functions of perception and judgment.

*For more information on a good place to start this meditation practice, please see my article entitled “Breath Awareness Meditation” at annholm.net

Many people who take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator will ask whether or not their psychological type can change.   According to type theory, basic type preferences for perception or judgment are inborn and do not change. However, it is also known that people, as a result of interacting with their environment and through life experiences, also develop behaviors, habits, and strategies that are not consistent with their type description.  It is not uncommon to hear a client say, “I used to be an INFJ but now I am an ENFJ.”  Or,” I am an introvert but I enjoy parties and nights on the town.”  How can this be?

The first Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, also known as Step I, was an instrument to identify individuals who have similar preferences leading to an assigned personality type.  The terms INFJ, or ESFP are well-known to many individuals.  However, even as these general tendencies could be validated, it was still clear that certain people within a type could have out of preference characteristics. An example would be a “QUESTIONING ENFP,  with “questioning”  normally being a facet associated with a thinking preference .”    It is true that the  ENFP personality type tends to be accommodating valuing harmony above all versus finding flaws in both their own and others’ viewpoints.    However, some ENFPs may develop this as a result of living with questioning thinking types or as a skill that is required at a job.   There are 20 such variations known as facet poles (5 for each dichotomy) that are possible  and they are identified in the MBTI Step II (or Form Q instrument).   A client’s development of Step II facets in response to environmental demands may give the client the impression that their type has changed.

As an MBTI practitioner, I noticed these variations and apparent changes in reported personality type.    However, what  would explain this if our innate preferences for introversion-extraversion,  sensing-intuition, thinking-feeling, and judging-perceiving were supposedly hard-wired?   I stumbled upon what I consider  to be the best brain-based explanation of this phenomenon when at a recent conference on neuroplasticity, or the notion that mental experiences and mindfulness can change the structure and function of the brain. This is what made the explanation so compelling:

1.  In order for neuroplastic change to take place,  some sort of dampening down of the usual mind map has to take place.  So for example, if you were going to learn a new language, you would have to eliminate as much use of the  native language so the new language can build resilient neuro-connections in the brain.   The brain doesn’t like competing stimuli. That is why language immersion programs seem to work. Similarly, if you were relying on your sense of touch to get around in a dark room, you would immediately switch to your preferred mode of sight to get around if the light switch was turned on.  In other words,  the preferences that were present  first take precedence but if they are greatly attenuated, then new pathways can develop.   Likewise, an ENFP whose natural preference is to be casual about schedules, may in fact develop a more scheduled approach as a result of working in an environment that demands a more structured day.  However, if the ENFP ultimately left that structured environment, it is likely she would be comfortable with her natural preference for a  relaxed schedule once again.  When I discuss these type variations with clients, they often say, “I HAD to do it that way at work” or “my family was that way.”

2. Also, a deliberate development of a non-preferred facet can also bring about a resilient change in the brain.  For example, one of the facets of extraversion is “expressive” versus it’s opposite which is “contained”.  Basically, this is the “chatty” facet and it describes an individual who talks often but who may not be aware that certain situations call for a more contained approach or  more listening and less talking.  A deliberate or mindful monitoring of behavior can create a self-awareness that one has to talk less and over time, a resilient change in the brain can take place.   Another example would be a natural introvert learning to extravert in many situations so much that at times, it may even feel like a natural preference.  In the neuroplasticity seminar,  examples were given where a mindful, deliberate approach was shown to alleviate symptoms of a host of mental disturbances.  Either through self-driven intent or the therapeutic guidance, the brain can adapt to the demands placed upon it.

So why is this significant?  For one, you may natural preferences (of innate tendencies) that are not fully utilized or have been suppressed that can be tapped into now which can bring about a more fully functioning self.   Or, you may have facets of your personality that you would like to modify so that you don’t fall into the same bad patterns time and time again.  The elegance of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instruments is that it is a dynamic system that acknowledges and encourages an individual to change as a part of healthy type development (even as one’s  basic type theoretically does not change). There is emerging evidence from the neuroplasticity studies that either the environment or deliberate intention can indeed bring about these changes.   As a life coach, this is very good news indeed!