while youre waiting for luck Thomas S Krieshok University of Kansas tkrieshokkuedu The human brain is not designed for happiness When we try to predict what will make us happy we make errors ID: 467372
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Slide1
Things to do while you’re waiting for luck
Thomas S. Krieshok
University of Kansas
tkrieshok@ku.eduSlide2
The human brain is not designed for happiness
When we try to predict what will make us happy,
we make errorsImplications of this for career counseling
Key Points:Slide3
Members of the A (Adaptability) Team over the years:
Chris Ebberwein
Mike Black
Robyn McKay
Rich Scott
Melanie Noble
Selby Conrad
Shawn Bubany
Brian Cole
John Jacobson
Craig Beeson
Kate Sirridge
Kristin Rasmussen
Maggie Syme
Sarah Brown
Mary Krogmann
Matt Robinson
Dan Cox
Eric Lyche
Jeff Rettew
Rhea Owens
Thomas Motl
Abby Bjornsen
Wendy Shoemaker
Matt Davis
Carrissa Huffman
Kirsten Wells
Michael Rosen
Benjamin Rutt
Alex Vuyk
Aaron Gates
Brittany Stewart
Erik Clarke
Craig Warlick
Marlon Beach
Michael Ternes
Jamie Kratky
Aaron Van Gorp
Cherie Oertel
Paul Ingram
Meg GivensSlide4
Not designed for happiness
Humans not designed for Happiness,
but Survival and ReproductionWe always want just a bit more wealth, privilege, beauty, and youth
Precursors to survival and reproductive likelihood
The Hedonic TreadmillSlide5
Not designed for happiness
The human mind as an experience simulator
We are not so adept at predicting the intensity and duration of our future emotional reactions Affective Forecasting (Wilson & Gilbert)Slide6
Side Effects of human design
1.
We overestimate our ability to get things done in the future2. We underestimate our resourcefulness for dealing with obstacles 3. Consciousness
only sees a movie
about
realitySlide7
Side Effects of human design
Leads to Miswanting
We think something will make us happier than it does ...and based on faulty assumptions,
We avoid things we expect will be difficult Slide8
Side Effects of human design
So w
e want things we won't end up liking And we resist wanting things we would
end up liking Slide9
Doing better but feeling worse
(Iyengar, Wells, & Schwartz)
College seniors: Maximizers vs. SatisficersPerceived value of possible outcomes influenced by:Mis-predicted expectations during the decision process
Affect experienced during the decision process itself
Social valuesSlide10
Doing better but feeling worse
(Iyengar, Wells, & Schwartz)
Even when they get what they want--Maximizers may not
want
what they getSlide11
Human Design Issues
The brain is part of the problem
Areas for Wanting ≠ Areas for LikingSlide12
Human Design Issues
Amalgam of brain systems
Cobbled together over timeTo adapt to evolving environmental demands Slide13
System 1 and System 2
System 1: Intuitive, non-conscious mind
-related to “older” functions of the brainSystem 2: Rational, often conscious mind
-related to “newer” functions of the brain
-especially languageSlide14
Process & Content in Two cognitive Systems
From D. Kahneman: A perspective on judgment and choice,
2003, American Psychologist.Slide15
System 1 and System 2
The Elephant and the Rider (Haidt)
The elephant - System 1 (Bargh’s ‘Wise Unconscious’)Makes most day to day decisionsThe rider - System 2
Has some input, but not as much as we think
Acts as an Interpreter Module (Gazzaniga)
Fabricates reasons for behavior
M
akes errors in guessing those reasonsSlide16
Wanting vs. Liking
Liking depends more on System 1 and automaticity
Wanting depends more on System 2Influenced by socialization, gender proscriptions, ...Subject
to heuristics and errorsSlide17
Wanting vs. Liking
What do I want? is really:
What would somebody like me want? What would/should somebody with my identity/self concept want?
But identity is a socially
constructed
entity
My story is ABOUT reality, not reality itself Slide18
There’s someone in my head, but it’s not me.
Pink FloydThe heart has its reasons, that reason knows not of. PascalSlide19
We’re Lawyers, Not ScientistsWe hold the belief we want to believe
Then recruit anything we can to support it.
Peter Ditto, UC IrvineSlide20
Mark Twain:It
ain
’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’
s
what you know for sure that
ain’t
so that gets you into trouble.Slide21
Wanting ≠ Liking
Implications for
career counselingA particular issue for the matching modelSlide22
Matching Model
Self-knowledge
What do you want in your work?World of work knowledge What's out there?
True reasoning (Frank Parsons)
Match the first to the second
Match me to work that will bring me happiness Slide23
Matching Model
What I
really need to match to: Is not what I WANTBut what I'd LIKESlide24
Matching Model
A better question
:What kind of work will give me what I Like
?
Figure out what you Like--
& Plan with
that
knowledgeSlide25
BUT
…
Wanting is cheapLiking is expensive
Wanting is cheap data
I can just
“make up”
what I want
Liking is expensive data
I have to develop a
history of
liking
across domains and timeSlide26
Knowing my Likes
Thomas Motl: Teasing out wanting & liking
Beforehand: Do you
think
you
will like it?
While you are doing it
: Do you
like it?
Tomorrow
: Did you like it?
Ask me on an interest inventory:
"Is this something you like?"Slide27
Knowing my Likes
System 1: You have to
put yourself in places where you have the opportunity T
o
Like
or To
Not Like
System 2: You have to
pay attention
to what happens
AND y
ou have to
know
that System 2 is subject to errors and distortionsSlide28
Reason
System 2,
Rational System,
Reflective System.
Intuition
System 1,
Experiential System,
Reflexive System.
Engagement
Activities that increase
one
’
s fund of information
and experience.
Trilateral Model of Adaptive CDMSlide29
The Case for Engagement
“… taking part in behaviors that contribute to the career decision-maker’s fund of information and experience.”
Makes both Rational & Intuitive tools more informed and less naiveSlide30
The Case for Engagement
Rationality
IntuitionInformedInformed Rationality
Informed Intuition
Naive
Naive Rationality
Naive IntuitionSlide31
Examples of Occupational Engagement
Studying abroad
Being involved in organizationsTalking to anyone at anytime about anythingVolunteeringJob shadowingTravelingReading a section of the newspaper you normally
don’t
31Slide32
Anti-Engagement Messages
Students Hear
Choose a major by the time you have 45 credit hoursYou already have a good paying summer job,
don
’
t
take an internship that pays less
S
tudy Abroad will only extend
your time in
college
Your school work is your job,
So don
’
t volunteer or get a part time job.
Go take that test, it will tell you what to do.
All you can do with a history degree is teach
The most important thing is your grades
32Slide33
Our firmest conclusion:
Be Engaged!!!
Better chance your intuition will be expertBe prepared! (always be engaged)Ebberwein’s study of laid off workers
33Slide34
Implications for Career Counseling
Career Counseling clients need convincing about all of this
Hard Sell
Invest time and energy in learning your Likes
Move out of your comfort zone
Recognize your mind is something of a parasite
(in that YOU are not YOUR MIND)Slide35
Implications for Career Counseling
Integrate well-researched counseling interventions that address behavior changeSlide36
Implications for Career Counseling
Stages of change
I need to do the work to learn my likesWhere am I in that process?Slide37
Implications for Career Counseling
Motivational Interviewing
I'm ambivalent about engaging in that hard workSlide38
Implications for Career Counseling
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
My thoughts (System 2) are subject to all manner of social influenceMy thoughts are not reality My thoughts have an agenda of their own,
often not the same as
the agenda I have
for
my lifeSlide39
Takeaway
message
Happiness research tells us:Knowing what you like
is hard
That makes matching more complicated
Career counselors can use
behavior change tools to encourage engagementSlide40
Things to do
while you
’re waiting for luck1. Being a great student and worker is not enoughWe need to be adaptive agents
With a healthy relationship to the marketplace.
2. Avoid choosing until you have developed your expertise
Differentiate Decidedness from Commitment
3.
Don
’
t
always trust what your thoughts are telling you.
Your thoughts are not your friends.
Rational explanations may be driven by other agendasSlide41
Things to do
while you
’re waiting for luck4. Feed your intuition
Engage your 11,000,000 bit processor
Instead of your 20 bit processor
5. Consult with trusted others, especially on your strengths
6.
Don
’
t
spend
too
much time in self assessmentSlide42
Things to do
while you
’re waiting for luck7. Most of all, ENGAGE
Set yourself up for planned happenstance
8. Once (re)employed, STAY engaged
9. Choose Action over Decision (Savickas)
10. Lead a value-driven life
Instead of a quest for a pain-free
lifeSlide43
So Dude, like, get out in the world and have some great experiences!