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Tilting Our Homeostatic Balance for COVID-19 Prevention (Part 2): Mind-Body Practices

11 May 2020

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As part of COVID-19 prevention, mind-body practices can strengthen immune response to resist infection by controlling inflammatory response.

Mind-body medicine can help minimize risk to COVID-19 (see Tilting Our Homeostatic Balance for COVID-19 Prevention-Part 1). Mind-body therapies and practices encompass a full spectrum of activities that promote healing and well-being. A diverse group of procedures or techniques can be administered or taught by qualified practitioners. Many also can be applied as self-initiated practices, sometimes with foundational training, e.g. meditation and yoga.

Prevention

Evidence demonstrates multiple positive effects of mind-body practices that enhance wellness. By mitigating the stress response, beneficial outcomes range from improved management of chronic conditions to healthier approaches to managing stress, pain, and mental states. As part of a COVID-19 prevention strategy, mind-body practices used daily can strengthen immune response to resist infection by controlling inflammatory response, like reducing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and also improving health markers for existing chronic conditions that appear to worsen COVID-19 symptoms.

Recovery Support

In addition to supporting COVID-19 resistance, mind-body practices can help those who get infected. In a clinical study just released, the mind-body practice of progressive relaxation was found to reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality in COVID-19 patients, thus aiding their recovery. While further studies are needed, current evidence indicates that various mind-body practices could support COVID-19 patients even in active stages of infection. Yet if introduced using sound clinical standards, some practices such as guided imagery could be introduced to patients in active stages of infection using passive means.

Mind-Body Practices

A wide range of practices come under the mind-body umbrella. Some more widely used evidence-supported practices are chunked together. Here is a summary of the main categories.

Evidence-Based Mind-body Practices for Better Health

Self-Care Practice	Percentage*
Yoga	92%
Hypnosis	91%
Biofeedback	90%
Meditation	86%
Qi Gong	86%
Tai Qi	83%
Relaxation Response Training	79%
Imagery	68%

*Percent of patients benefiting from integrative health practices who would benefit from this particular intervention. Based on Russo & Fortune (2016)

Breathing. Controlled breathing is the primary and foundational mind-body practice. Techniques can be learned to regulate breath flow and rate. Breath practices are rooted in ancient traditions, such as prana yoga, and foundational to contemporary mindfulness. Specific to COVID-19 prevention, experts recommend diaphragmatic breathing, deep and slow. Conversely, once infected with COVID-19, patients should adopt shallow breathing; this allows the lung tissue time to rebuild and heal. Those who contract the virus outdoors might end up with a milder case, but those they infect back in their close-quartered homes seem to get worse cases. With this in mind, it may be helpful to keep fresh air circulating indoors.

Yoga. Multiple research results show that yoga improves fatigue, balance, mood, and anxiety. It also slows the aging of the brain. While strenuous exercise is contraindicated for COVID-19 infection, gentle movement and postures of yoga can support immune functions for prevention and in later stages of infection recovery.

Meditation and mindfulness. A vast body of research demonstrates positive outcomes with a range of mindfulness traditions and methods. Meditation slows brain aging, reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, improves mood and mental functions. Specific to COVID-19, mindfulness meditation can have positive impact on inflammatory markers.

Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Both practices involve postures and gentle movements that are accompanied by practiced breathing and mental focus, accomplished while moving or stationary. Research supports positive outcomes for musculoskeletal issues, pain management, and mental health. Since these practices require sufficient strength and stamina for movement, these practices are more appropriate for prevention and later stages of recovery.

Relaxation response training. Autogenics and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) are the most researched practices with slight differences. Both can be guided practices that are adopted to individual use. Autogenics directs awareness to explore different areas of the body, while PMR focuses on relaxing specific muscles in a progressive protocol. In a recent study, PMR improved anxiety levels and sleep in COVID-19 patients.

Biofeedback. Biofeedback uses visual and auditory feedback to direct involuntary body functions including heart and pulse rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension. It can involve sophisticated monitoring equipment, but the essential skills begin with channeling breath and somatic awareness. Biofeedback has been linked to positive outcomes in a range of conditions including reduction of migraine symptoms, reduced hypertension, improved TMJ dysfunction, improving attention, and enhanced immune function. Specific to COVID-19, the foundational breath work in biofeedback could support respiration and pulmonary recovery.

Guided imagery. Various studies have shown it to mitigate symptoms of multiple conditions. In a recent white paper, Dr. Fredric Mau introduces a guided imagery script specific to COVID-19 patients. Because guided imagery is accessible and highly mobile, it offers possibilities for supplementary support while in confinement and otherwise non-ambulatory.

Conclusion

COVID-19 poses a powerful threat. Beyond damage from infection, the fear, anxiety, and daily living disruptions can result in multiple levels of disease and distress. The stress we feel, in both mind and body, can be harmful to the immune system, resulting in countless secondary infections and conditions.

Mind-body practices can improve immunity for better resistance and potentially support recovery. For the COVID-19 patient, these can potentially provide comfort and support and at the least, do no harm. For the many who are resisting infection, and particularly those on the front lines under unimaginable strain, mind-body practices can help with emotional regulation and mental balance. Adopting mind-body practices during this crisis could lead to long-term adoption of practices that have been demonstrated to improve quality of life and overall health. These same practices can promote more mindful leadership at a time when it is most needed.

Luann Fortune, Ph.D., LMT is on faculty at Saybrook University in the Department of Mind-Body Medicine, where she also coordinates the specialization in Mindful Leadership. Her research focuses on integrative health and wellness.

Shannon McLain Sims, Ph.D., MS holds degrees Mind-Body Medicine from Saybrook University’s College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences where she currently serves as a post-doctoral fellow.

If you are interested in learning more about Saybrook’s graduate programs, fill out the form below to request more information.

Emotional self-regulation: how to check-in with yourself

24 April 2020

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Emotional self-regulating is a large umbrella phrase that describes a person’s ability to check in with him- or herself to monitor emotions and decision making. With the ebbs and flows of life, having the ability to check in with yourself and assess your emotional wellness can help improve your quality of life.

As the coronavirus crisis carries on and on, changing our daily lives and leaving the future uncertain for many, more and more people are dealing with anxiety or other mental health issues as a result. The ability to self-regulate can help you make better choices concerning your mental and emotional well-being during this unsettling time and thereafter.

What is self-regulation?

Before hopping into skills, let’s first breakdown self-regulation. The Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery defines emotional regulation as “a term generally used to describe a person’s ability to effectively manage and respond to an emotional experience.” Emotional experiences can include a wide range of feelings from positive to negative or anything between.

Self-regulation takes place when a person is able to think through his or her emotional response and make a more calculated, healthy reaction rather than acting impulsively or making decisions that might be harmful.

A common example of preliminary self-regulating occurs in childhood. Children are at the very early stages of managing their emotions. When faced with discomfort or challenging interpersonal relationships, children may respond impulsively or have an outburst. We learn and practice self-regulation by mitigating our primary response (outbursts or impulse) and making choices as to how we respond to situations that might set us off.

Self-regulation strategies

Another way to think about self-regulation is as a skill that “allows you to act in accordance with your deeply held values or social conscience.” Generally, we don’t always have control over what happens in the world, and we don’t always have control over what happens to us individually. Self-regulation helps put you in control of how you respond to a stimulus.

Here are three practices that can help you develop, maintain, or improve your self-regulation skills:

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice and state of mind that is dedicated to staying in the present moment. It involves observing what is happening around you as well as what is happening internally, including your thoughts and feelings.

In your observation, mindfulness promotes living in the moment without making judgments on your thoughts or feelings. Rather, mindfulness is more about tuning in and observing what is happening.

The American Psychological Association notes stress reduction, improved focus, and less emotional reactivity as benefits of integrating mindfulness practices into your day to day.

Define your values

Having a more defined understanding of your values can help you in your effort to regulate your emotions. If you’re looking for a way to begin this work, Psychology Today offers six ways to discover your values and what’s important to you. During tough and challenging circumstances, take a moment to make sure you’re acting in accordance with what is most important to your character and beliefs.

Consider working with a professional

You don’t have to sort out your emotions and emotional responses alone. If you’re having difficulties figuring out how to self-regulate, consider enlisting the help of a mental health professional who can assist you in taking charge of this task.

If you’re finding yourself distracted or feeling like it’s difficult to control of your emotions—whether perpetuated by the COVID-19 pandemic or during any other period—cultivating self-regulation skills can help you have better control and balance in your life. While self-regulation skills begin in childhood, we can continue to develop and fine-tune them as life’s challenges increase or change with time.

Having a better handle of these skills can help you feel more connected in your conversations, improve your focus on tasks, and help you cope with life’s frustrations. Consider integrating these skills or seeking more professional help to assist in improving your quality of life and day-to-day experiences.

Community

22 April 2020

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Artist’s note: This piece captured and conveyed perfectly a childhood memory! It feels alive and speaks to an appreciation for our Earth’s bounty in ways not known by many in today’s world. The days of toiling to grow our own sustenance are gone for most, as are the communal gatherings in which we bond, share goods, and recognize each other’s efforts. In our fast-paced, fast-food culture, too few know the beauty of watching the corn grow or a tomato ripening on the vine. Patience…a lost virtue…as a farmer’s daughter, I, too, have memories of a productive land, including our herd of dairy cattle and the crops we grew to support them…our personal gardens kept us busy in between milkings!

A shared human experience, alone

15 April 2020

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It’s no secret that these are trying times—the future isn’t as clear as it was yesterday, or the day before that—our tomorrows aren’t as easy to plan for as they once were. When we set out to work on UNBOUND a few months ago, our worries were fewer, our lives more static. As the entire world shifted its focus and means of connection, I was left wondering if the stories that we were telling would fit our new state of being. But then I thought back to the name of our digital magazine: UNBOUND.
When I conceptualized this magazine, I envisioned it as a digital representation of how our community has been unbound by tradition and history—always paving the way for a more just, humane, and sustainable world. In what time could this be truer than now? We are all living through a pandemic the likes of which has never been seen in our lifetimes—untethered to any traditions or rules.

Our new normal doesn’t feel normal at all. But I hope that this circumstance, with this enforced isolation—a movement away from the loud, overstimulation of our every day—allows us the vital time needed to sit with difficult, existential questions that we sometimes avoid. From how we approach the end of our lives, to combating filter bubbles of information, to racism in technology, to the balance between theory and practice in workplace wellness, these are all topics you explored in this issue that require contemplation. At Saybrook we are devoted to systemic change, and I believe these stories will inspire and reenergize us to continue to seek solutions.

As president of Saybrook University, I know that our devotion to the principles of humanistic psychology and deep existential questioning are needed now more than ever. I want to let you know that through it all, we are in this together—across communities, across geographic borders, and across the globe. Stay safe and stay centered.

Let’s Talk About Death

15 April 2020

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Everybody dies. Different people approach this fact of life very differently.
Traditionally in Western society, death and dying have remained taboo topics—despite their inevitability. They often conjure feelings of fear and terror, reinforced through frightful imagery, graphics, and art. Elena Gillespie, Ph.D., adjunct faculty in Saybrook’s School of Mind-Body Medicine knows this firsthand from her experience working in hospice care.
“We have a lot of families who don’t want us to talk about death or dying with their loved ones who are in our care,” says Dr. Gillespie, who was trained to work with the dying as a shamanic practitioner. Her academic research focuses on end-of-life issues and bringing back the spiritual aspect of indigenous people’s view of death and dying. “There are people I work with in some instances who are not even aware they’re dying. They’re terrified—absolutely terrified—and just wondering, ‘Why am I here? Why is everybody visiting me?’”
Life’s final moments—whether they span years as in the case of a terminal illness or seconds in the form of a traumatic event—don’t have to be terrifying. Those involved with the positive death movement, such as Dr. Gillespie and others at Saybrook University, are hoping to spread this message as a growing number of people reconsider Western society’s longstanding traditions, etiquette, and perspectives around death and dying.

There are people I work with in some instances who are not even aware they’re dying. They’re terrified—absolutely terrified—and just wondering, ‘Why am I here? Why is everybody visiting me?’

Understanding the nuances of adoption

One critical component to an adoptee’s identity formation process is whether or not their adoption was closed or open—meaning, whether or not there was an exchange of identifying information between the biological and adoptive families at the point of adoption. In closed adoptions, there is a clean break and the adoptee will not have any contact with their birth parents growing up. In open adoptions, the families exchange contact information and work out the frequency and degree of contact they wish to maintain with one another.

For decades, open adoptions were most common. Then, in the 1940s and 1950s, closed adoptions rose significantly in popularity because many believed that contact with the biological family was detrimental to the adoptee and the bonding process. In the early 1970s, the open adoption came back into the spotlight after adoptees spoke out against their inability to have a relationship with their biological families, and searches for those birth families increased. But Saybrook University faculty member Kent Becker, Ed.D., says it truly is up to each individual family to decide which move is right for them.

“A fully open adoption isn’t right for everybody,” he says. Dr. Becker teaches in the Department of Counseling Psychology at Saybrook, and is also a licensed professional counselor and licensed marriage and family therapist who has worked closely with families impacted by adoption. “For some children, having access to their personal history can help with identity development because there are fewer missing pieces for them. For others, they don’t want to have that information because it could spark feelings of loss, anger, or confusion. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach for adoption.”

For some children, having access to their personal history can help with identity development because there are fewer missing pieces for them. For others, they don’t want to have that information because it could spark feelings of loss, anger, or confusion. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach for adoption.

The positive death movement

In 2003, social worker and New Yorker Henry Fersko-Weiss created the first end-of-life doula training program with the goal of formally educating practitioners to assist with the nonmedical needs of dying patients—“anything from helping them review their lives to sitting quietly in witness,” according to the New York Times. Eight years later, in 2011, Jon Underwood held a special meeting in the basement of his London home. Attendees sipped tea, ate cake, and conversed with each other. The topic of discussion? Death and dying. And so the death cafe was born.
Today, a growing number of academic programs provide certifications for end-of-life doulas, and volunteer-organized death cafes are found in more than 70 countries around the world.

The rise in popularity of end-of-life doulas and death cafes—specifically within the U.S.—are symbolic of the positive death movement, a much larger cultural shift that is driving an evolution in the Western approach to thinking about death and dying.

“We’re witnessing what happens in the end-of-life relationship when the Western biomedical model intersects with the indigenous knowledge system,” says Gina Belton, Ph.D., adjunct faculty in Saybrook’s Humanistic Psychology program. She voluntarily runs a death cafe in a small Northern California town and says the “Silver Tsunami” of baby boomers has made discussions about death and dying a hot topic within many of today’s family circles. “The Western model’s commitment to rigidity and order has, historically, suppressed the very messy complexity and creative chaos that is death. Instead of focusing on the beauty of dying, it has worked to commodify the sacred.”

The foundation of the positive death movement is built on the desire to embrace this creative chaos through curiosity—a willingness to open oneself to the thought of dying, considering what that means for your life now and pondering how you want to be celebrated or remembered after death. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many people have been forced into talking about creating and updating their wills and end-of-life wishes when they might have avoided the topic otherwise. But the movement does not advocate waiting for a pandemic to become open to discussing death.

The movement doesn’t have a leader or official structure, rather it has been organically self-organized and is reflected through various means.

In addition to the growing prevalence of death cafes and end-of-life doulas, numerous blogs and YouTube channels offer guidance and facilitate discussion for the inquisitive. “Ask A Mortician” has nearly 1 million YouTube subscribers; the Art of Dying Institute at the Open Center in New York is dedicated to an interdisciplinary approach that will “address the need for a cultural awakening around the theme of death and our mortality, how we die, and the consequences for how we live”; and the Conversation Project was launched to encourage more people to talk about end-of-life care—its starter kit has more than 1 million downloads.

The internet and, of course, social media have played a role too. Increased interconnectivity means that more people than ever before have greater access to knowledge about alternative approaches and perspectives to death and dying.

“I think it’s one of the healthiest cultural phenomena that I’ve seen,” says Drake Spaeth, Ph.D., chair of Saybrook’s Department of Humanistic and Clinical Psychology. “I love the organic, self-organizing nature of death cafes, and what is happening in families and communities around the loss of people who die—the beautiful ceremonies they’re creating on their own for the loss of loved ones. I think that’s what this movement really brings to the table. And like any sort of cultural revolution or transformation, we need to be very careful and take an honest look at ourselves and our egos at all times, in terms of the secondary gain or the sort of euphoria we’re getting from doing something unique and special.”

“I think it’s one of the healthiest cultural phenomena that I’ve seen … And like any sort of cultural revolution or transformation, we need to be very careful and take an honest look at ourselves and our egos at all times, in terms of the secondary gain or the sort of euphoria we’re getting from doing something unique and special.”

Dr. Spaeth is also quick to mention that a more positive outlook does not entail the absence of grief. It is just a different way to understand our heartbreak after a loved one has passed. For someone facing a terminal illness, it can help them better comprehend the sorrow they feel.

“I like to say that grief illuminates us,” Dr. Spaeth says. “It is actually a beautiful process, even as it is the most painful type of experience we can undergo. It reveals our deepest humanity and reveals what we care about most. I would never want to take that human experience away from anyone.”

As increasing numbers of people open themselves to a more liberating relationship with death and dying, this cultural shift is having effects well beyond the collective psyche—it’s also impacting the bottom line of one of the most profitable industries in America.

The changing death care business

In 1960, roughly 3% of people who died in the U.S. were cremated. By 2019, the number had jumped to more than 50%. It’s projected to skyrocket to nearly 80% by 2040, according to the annual Cremation and Burial Report released by the National Funeral Directors Association.

Cremation trends since 1960

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Percentage of U.S. cremations in 1960

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Percentage of U.S. cremations in 2019

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Percentage of U.S. cremations projected in 2040

The dramatic shift, in part, is a reflection of growing discontent surrounding the astounding price tags associated with traditional funerals—caskets alone can range from $2,000 to $10,000.

“The funeral industry has become far too commodified,” Dr. Gillespie says. “A patient dies in a hospital and turns into this alien lifeform that’s whisked off to the funeral home. It’s remade, waxed and polished, dressed, and laid out in an expensive casket. It’s turned into a McDonald’s assembly line.”

She adds the values in capitalist societies tend to prioritize profits over everything else, and in the funeral industry it’s no different.

Frustration with high price tags combined with the growing positive death movement is driving people to explore a wide range of alternatives for celebrating the deceased and disposing of their bodies.

In addition to cremation, which has soared in popularity, a diverse array of creative and more ecofriendly options are now available. For example, more people are choosing natural burials, which negate the cost and environmental impact of embalming. The company Eternal Reefs offers to use a mixture of concrete and your cremains to create new ecosystems for aquatic wildlife. And the process of promession creates a freeze-dried body before using vibration to break it down into an ecofriendly powder—perfect for those who may want their “ashes spread” but aren’t comfortable with the carbon footprint left by cremation.

“From a business perspective, there is opportunity,” says Tom Hayashi, Ph.D., Saybrook University’s program director for the Department of Leadership & Management. “I think, generally speaking, there’s more companies now being founded to help us all deal with death and dying. Companies are very much interested in the sustainability aspect of it. And because more people are open to discussing the taboo topic of death, it leads to new business opportunities, and opportunities to bring greater sustainability and social responsibility to this specific industry.”

A pillar of existential psychology

Saybrook’s legacy is forever intertwined with existential traditions. The current cultural and economic shift around the topic of death and dying has brought greater awareness to the field of existential psychology.

“One of the things that dying can teach us is to bring our whole selves to every experience,” Dr. Belton says. “This naturally brings us back to the legacy of Saybrook, right? When you talk about existentialism, and those core components of why finitude is so important to consciousness, it’s because it reminds us that life is short.”

The community has even discussed launching an end-of-life doula certification program. However, for now, many at Saybrook are happy to see a greater collective desire to face death with a new mindset.

“It is one of the things that gives me great hope amidst a lot of things that give me concern, because this idea of talking about death and the fears attendant to it, coupled with the advisability of facing it with courage, has been a mainstay in existential psychology,” Dr. Spaeth says. “It’s the awareness that one day we will die, which is the source of all our potential greatness. Either we can find the courage to face the fact that we have a limited span of time—and then use that time to create and leave some type of legacy—or we can neurotically avoid it and hide behind phobias, fears, and addictions. But we haven’t seen the reality of these ideas enter into mainstream discussion until very recently. And I hope that this movement can continue to move this conversation forward.”

Learn more about Saybrook University

If you are interested in learning more about the community and academic programs at Saybrook University, fill out the form below to request more information. You can also apply today through our application portal.

Music, meaning, and the return

15 April 2020

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The year was 1984, the day was Sunday, December 9, and the band was live in concert, performing “The Holy Ghost Fell on Me.” The band was in a state of peak performance with no sign of slowing down.

All the while Pamela, the guitar player’s wife, was going into labor in the first row, desperately trying to signal to her husband Jeff what was happening. He recognized her anxiety, but the band continued, playing with intensity. It was as if the harder they performed, the harder the baby kicked. Once they finished, Jeff turned to his wife and whispered, “Can we play just one more song?”

I was born hours later at Presbyterian Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City. When I was old enough to sit and listen, my parents told this story time and time again. I wondered what was so incredible about this experience—performing music live before an audience—that made my father not want to leave? Perhaps he was experiencing a sort of satori (Zen) awakening or enlightenment as a result of playing music. Maybe my father had the understanding that entering such a state requires a sort of mastering of the creative process that is worth staying in for as long as possible, even if just for a moment more.

Exploring family through music

Composing and performing music is a tradition within my family that dates back to at least the 1940s in the Deep South. Revisiting this history, I am reminded of how music has always shown up for me. It has undeniably deeply impacted my creative process in a way that serves a reminder of who I am—even from within the womb.

Hearing stories about my grandfather and his band traveling throughout the Deep South, living through experiences in the face of racial injustice, has stayed with me over the years. He would say things like, “And man, when we began to sang, folks would shout and fall all

My grandfather John H. Mims (third from left), lead singer of the Pilgrim Wonders gospel singers, in Galesburg, Illinois, 1961

over the place. It was a good time, and then we’d go on to the next show.” My grandparents John and Helena were both singers and she, a pianist as well. I can’t remember a time when music wasn’t present in the lives of my family. It has always been our way of sharing stories about life and love for our creator.

Historically in the Deep South, creating healing environments with music as a way of survival was a common practice. In the African American tradition, this style of music is referred to as spirituals, which describes the songs and hymns sung by slaves as early as the 18th century. Quartet gospel music historically emerged out of Deep South spirituals. As one can imagine, chaos was ever present, and finding new opportunities for using music as a way to heal became a way of life for many.

Exploring family through music

Performing across the Midwest and throughout the Deep South, my grandfather’s band, the Pilgrim Wonders, was more than just a singing group. They created and performed music during a time of racial segregation and Jim Crow. Traveling what was known as the Chitlin’ Circuit (a network of black audiences and venues), they provided a sense livelihood and purpose.

“Smoothin’ Out the Rough Way” by the Pilgrim Wonders single on 45 RPM vinyl, Fredlo Records, Davenport, Iowa, 1967

John, my grandfather, was the lead singer. He would share stories about what it meant to travel and perform during this time. Stories of traveling the back roads of the Jim Crow South at night in between performances in order to get to the next destination—that was just a part of what it took to be able to perform. Music offered a way for the Pilgrim Wonders to collaborate, bond, and respond to racism in a way that offered healing by escaping through the music. Sharing their gifts provided a similar effect for audiences who needed to see themselves in a positive image.

One of the band’s songs became quite popular. The Pilgrim Wonders wrote “Smoothin’ out the Rough Way” during a car ride between concerts. My grandpa told me the song was born out of an organic experience while driving in a rain storm with the request that God smooth out the rough way so they could make it by. It later became a famous gospel song, recorded by a major group, but the Pilgrim Wonders never received credit. However, it was performed in many places and resonated with many people.

The Mims family (from bottom left, Jeffrey, John, O’nell, and Shirlene; back row, Helena and John) pictured in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1968. My grandfather John was a Baptist pastor known for his angelic singing voice; Helena, my grandmother, played the piano and sang in the church as well. My father, Jeffrey, was a beginning level guitar player at the time.

I had the pleasure of interviewing my father in 2015. Of the many questions I asked him, one still sticks out in my mind today: “When did you first realize your purpose in life?” He answered, “The first time I heard live music. I had to be about 6 or 7 years old. I remember the Pilgrim Wonders were practicing at our house, and the guitar player was playing a cherry red Gibson SG (guitar). Man, it blew me away. I knew then, this is what I’m going to do. My dad bought me a guitar, and I’ve been playing ever since.”

For some, it takes a lifetime to experience a moment of affirmation such as this. For my dad, it happened in a single moment in his first deeply felt experience with music. He went on to play guitar professionally and write and produce music.

My dad married my mother Pam, and later they moved to Oklahoma City. Not long after, they established friendships with other musicians and artists in the community. It was here my father began an independent record label to produce and record music while carrying on the tradition of creative expression. I remember learning songs and beginning to play drums in our music room by age 4. Performing before an audience became a normal part of my childhood as we were often times introduced as “Little Jeff and the Mims Family.”

Me, Jeffrey Jr. Mims: Following my music intuition

By the age of 5, I was the lead singer of The Mims Family band. We recorded our first album “Christian Home” on the family-owned label Shivon Records & Management Co. We performed for many years and produced multiple musical recordings that embodied elements of our faith and gratitude for our life experiences.

The Mims Family Bang (from left to right, Jeff Sr., Jeff Jr., my sister Shannon, and my mother Pamela), Oklahoma City, 1989

By 2009, I had recorded with several artists ranging from jazz to hip-hop. This was the first independent album I created with all original music and lyrics. It was a period piece with respect to a moment in my life during which music felt like it was flowing out of me. After years of performing and playing music with other artists, I felt the time to share my original work had arrived. My first independent album, Journal Entry, was released June 25, 2009.

The Mims family: Across three generations

In April 2016, my 2-year-old son performed live, and it was the last time I would perform and share the stage with my dad. Three generations of musical creators bonded not only by music but also by blood. Sharing this experience on stage was one I will never forget.

Jeff Mims Band (Jeff Jr. center, Jeff Sr. second from the right) is pictured at the Oklahoma Arts Festival in Oklahoma City in April 2016. This picture documents a historical event and is cherished among our family’s archival records.

As a lifelong musician and ancestor of music creators, I am now learning more about my life’s purpose—using music as a way to help people heal. For me, the return home to a place of a newfound awareness of my life’s purpose was nourishing creatively. Beginning with my grandfather’s inspiration and love for music, a deeply rooted connection was inherited, cherished, and then handed down to my father. This was evidenced in the intimate moments when my dad would play guitar as my grandfather sang. As we made music together, emotions ran high, and tears would flow from their faces as everything wrong was made right. This connection of musical expression is still shared among our family as each generation inherits this familiar gift.

I have found that I am empowered in understanding the creative ways music has been a part of my family. I take pride in knowing I belong to a culture that has traditionally created healing environments by using music as a way to promote well-being and respond to life experiences. This has forced me to observe and analyze our family’s history of creative process in relation to the music, meaning, and its larger purpose in my own life.

My son Ahadu, age 5, carrying on the tradition of his ancestors, performed his first piano recital in May 2019 at the University of Central Oklahoma.

My son Ahadu, age 2, and I, Oklahoma Arts Festival, Oklahoma City, April 2016

About the author: Jeff Mims is a Ph.D. student in the Psychology, Creativity Studies Specialization at Saybrook University. He is interested in exploring the experience of being in the pocket for professional musicians. Specifically, he wishes to learn more about the way people experience musical performances and the role it plays in relation to well-being. As a lifelong musician and ancestor of music creators, Jeff is now learning more about his life’s purpose: using music as a way to help people heal.

Learn more about Saybrook University

If you are interested in learning more about the community and academic programs at Saybrook University, fill out the form below to request more information. You can also apply today through our application portal.

Humanizing Villains

15 April 2020

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When we were children, the monsters were under our beds. Now they’re everywhere—on our screens, in our ears, and on our pages. And what’s more fascinating is that we seek them out. The Jinx. Serial. The Staircase. Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile. Making a Murderer. Dirty John. In Cold Blood. My Favorite Murder. Up and Vanished. The Keepers. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. American Crime Story. The list goes on and on and all showcase real-life monsters.

Our obsession with true crime and bad guys is deeply embedded in American popular culture. Television channels, such as Investigation Discovery, host 24/7 true crime coverage. Even a convention brings together crime fanatics—CrimeCon—every year to wine, dine, and talk theories about their favorite cases. It’s no wonder, considering researchers have documented 3,596 serial killers in the United States since 1900, in comparison to the next highest country, England, which has recorded 142. Experts also suggest that 25 to 30 serial killers are probably operating at any given time in the U.S.

Whether it’s rooting for a verdict to be overturned, investigating an unsolved crime on your own, or trying to understand the villain, it’s hard to discount our curiosity. And this is anything but new as the well-tread saying in journalism states, “If it bleeds, it leads!” In the early 1900s, pictures of decapitations, stories of multiple murders (the term serial wasn’t coined until 1981), and firsthand accounts of horrific executions lined newspapers’ front pages.

Yet in the 21st century, a new aspect of crime culture has emerged, with the humanization of killers and monsters of all kinds. We want to understand them, to truly know them, like we would a close friend. We research and examine every aspect—from birth, to their first murder, to their prison sentences. It has all became fodder for conversation and speculation.

Another aspect of our modern obsession is the increased access to tell these tales. It’s not just newspapers that can report or fetishize a story. We now have access to the information regarding the minute details of a crime. With the advent of the internet, information is everywhere, and with a basic keyboard or microphone set, anyone can bring a cold case or serial killer to life on the web or in podcast form.

Bad guys in the media

In Looney Tunes, we always rooted for the Road Runner to get away and for Wile E. Coyote to get hit with the anvil. We knew the Road Runner was the good guy and Wile E. Coyote was the bad guy. But the world is not a cartoon, and the good guy and the bad guy are not always two-dimensional characters—there’s a back story, a reason why.

Humanistic psychology has always looked upon the development of individuals whose respect for others would not permit them to engage directly in unwarranted acts of violence. And sometimes there is no clear delineation between the good guy and the bad guy, besides their actions.

“Some people who engage in cruel and inhumane behavior lack empathy. Some are sadistic, abuse power, and act out upon a social order that affords them no meaningful place,” says Marc Pilisuk, Ph.D., Saybrook faculty member and violence, war, and peace expert.

“Some seek enemies to blame and victimize for their own otherwise empty lives. That said, viewing others as enemies or villains isn’t keeping with the goal of building a kinder, more just, and humane world. Research and history shows ordinary people like ourselves also have the capacity to engage in very cruel behavior.”

Media in all forms—from cartoons and documentaries to newspapers and novels—plays an outsized role in unbalanced coverage in this regard. For his book Why We Love Serial Killers, criminologist Scott Bonn searched issues of The New York Times and Time magazine between 1995 and 2013 for the words “devil,” “monster,” and “evil.” In both publications, 35% of articles contained one or more of those descriptors.

Moreover, from the tales of Jack the Ripper to JonBenét Ramsey, stories that sell papers and garner public interest largely revolve around female victims—who also happen to be the driving force behind the phenomenon of America’s infatuation with villains.

Bad girls

As we continue seeking to understand the why behind the guy (the term “guy” is purposeful here), it’s important to note that women are more likely to be the victims than the perpetrators. Women are five times as likely as men to be assaulted by intimate partners. “Women and mothers are often victims of crime protected by patriarchal tradition,” Dr. Pilisuk says.

One of the most popular true crime podcasts popularized their catchphrase, “Stay sexy and don’t get murdered”—starting as a joke but also providing a real warning to listeners, who are mostly women. A recent study found that 75% of true crime podcast listeners are women, and women are 46% more likely to read a true crime book. But women perpetrate only 10% of murders in the U.S., so the true crime interest most likely lies in trying to understand that which is unfamiliar—and how to survive.

Recently, the Netflix movie Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile received backlash because the titular character Ted Bundy was played by the handsome Zac Efron. Many critics were up in arms about how glorifying Bundy’s looks and charisma was unfair to the victims and generally unethical.

But the real story is that Bundy was handsome—and charismatic. It was one thing that allowed him to prey on women for decades. Perhaps the most disarming characteristics of learning about these real-life monsters for women and men are the facts. The monsters aren’t so easy to pick out—each one had his own life, sometimes a life not too different from any other.

More alike than different

The scariest part of the villains we have become so keen on investigating and understanding is that we often have more in common than different with the antagonist of the story. While the “what” of these stories can be horrifying and gruesome, the “why” that we end up spending so much time on is the more terrifying part. Perhaps the rise of crime culture in the zeitgeist is not necessarily a return to the sensationalism of previous generations, but rather a deeper intent to understand our fellow man—monster or not.

Once we start seeking to understand them, we learn the “why” behind their actions. Similar to the many empirical studies that have suggested that someone who experienced abuse is more likely to abuse someone else, we sometimes find that trauma has informed the villain we see today.

“Because we have learned that killing is wrong, those who readily engage in such behavior often reflect a traumatic history that has blunted their capacities for empathy,” Dr. Pilisuk says. “Framing and understanding violence, whether described as a criminal murder or a heroic battlefield act or the legal destruction of an essential habitat as a violation of human dignity, lies at the heart of humanistic psychology, just as does the affirmation of caring.”

The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in 2005 concluded that serial killers “are not monsters and may not appear strange. Serial murderers often have families and homes, are gainfully employed, and appear to be normal members of the community.” So while the victims and villains we watch, read, and listen to seem so far removed from our own lives, the reality is they’re often not.

“People are not merely objects of study. Each one has experiences that are shared and each has value,” Dr. Pilisuk says. “The job of the humanist scholar, practitioner, activist, is to name it, understand it, and change it.”

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A colorblind future

15 April 2020

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As a human race, we have been dreaming of the future since we had the wherewithal to distinguish it from the past and present. With hope, optimism, and sometimes trepidation, we have made our own predictions and plans about how we see it unfolding.
While we’re not driving the flying cars of the Jetsons to work in the morning, airplanes fly us around the world and spaceships fly us out of it. And although we cannot teleport, virtual reality glasses can seemingly take us millions of miles away. And robots? Well, robots and artificial technology first came to rise in the 80s, and their uses continue transform how we live—for better or worse.

Your new machine is great!

The appeal of a robotic vacuum is pretty easy to understand—the time you’ll save cleaning! Artificial intelligence and machine learning advantages are also just as clear: High-stakes decisions can be made on immense sets of data instead of subjective opinion. Programs can scrutinize billions of datasets, see correlations, and make predictions—all without a perspective clouded by personal experience and human fallacy. They can literally give us the solutions to our problems—and fast.
This is why AI continues to drive and expand into many industries in the 21st century. The data-driven decisions that they help make stretch across many fields—from screening resumes for a company, to determining whether to grant someone a loan, to leading a police investigation based on facial recognition. Even our health care system relies on these algorithms, and these critical decisions have lasting impacts.
“It’s hard to imagine any industry not already touched in some ways by machine learning and AI,” says Daniel Sieberg, a Saybrook board member who works and writes about the tech and AI sector. “That would run counter to the ethos that’s helped humanity evolve to this stage. Thanks to innovation, iteration, and invention, there are many ways that AI could help save time and maybe even help us be better humans. That’s a best-case scenario though—it won’t always happen, and it’s going to be fraught with challenges.”
One of these challenges—err problems—is bias and racial prejudice that’s seemingly coded into these futuristic solutions. What was once thought of as a powerful, desirable quality of machine learning—objectivity—when left unchecked, can actually make decisions that are biased or unfair.

But your new machine is a little racist

While racism among humans is a social problem, racism in a computer program is an engineering problem. “Programmers, of course, have some amount of license and authority within the creation of any code. They work with other programmers, developers, and engineers who are managed by a project lead or reviewed by a director and other colleagues and so on,” Sieberg says. “There’s a whole network of implementation that should be designed to mitigate any malicious or accidental bias into an algorithm.”
Yet problems continue to arise.

But your new machine is a little racist

While racism among humans is a social problem, racism in a computer program is an engineering problem. “Programmers, of course, have some amount of license and authority within the creation of any code. They work with other programmers, developers, and engineers who are managed by a project lead or reviewed by a director and other colleagues and so on,” Sieberg says. “There’s a whole network of implementation that should be designed to mitigate any malicious or accidental bias into an algorithm.”
Yet problems continue to arise.

In our criminal justice system, risk assessments were once a new dawn, an opportunity to wipe away bias. By using AI to determine a criminal’s likelihood of repeating an offense, the courts could make a more informed sentencing decision. However, statistical evidence has shown that these algorithms often get it wrong when using data based on a person’s race. A 2016 ProPublica study found that the program used in courtrooms rated black people at a higher risk than white criminals for re-offense. Yet of 7,000 people in 2013 and 2014 the program predicted would reoffend, only 20% actually did.

The data the program “learned” from showed that black criminals were at greater risk of recidivism, but what the machine didn’t learn is that our criminal justice system has historically mistreated and over-policed black and minority criminals.

In 2014, then U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder warned that these risk assessments might be failing the system. “Although these measures were crafted with the best of intentions, I am concerned that they inadvertently undermine our efforts to ensure individualized and equal justice,” he said, adding, “they may exacerbate unwarranted and unjust disparities that are already far too common in our criminal justice system and in our society.”

Although these measures were crafted with the best of intentions, I am concerned that they inadvertently undermine our efforts to ensure individualized and equal justice.

And your new machine makes you sicker

Another large field that utilizes risk assessment is health care. When doctors ask you how you’re feeling on a scale of one to 10, or how sad you’ve been over the past two weeks on a scale of unable to get out of bed to somewhat blue—they are getting important data to use to determine their next steps. This data is often input into a program that uses statistical information to determine which patients need more attention, more tests, more medication—and who should be sent home.
Algorithms that help make these decisions are used in treatment for more than 200 million people in the United States each year. With a health care system that is overtaxed and an impending physician shortage of more than 122,000 by 2032, finding ways to streamline patient treatment is necessary. But as with many solutions, new problems arise.
A study released in 2019 found that the algorithm used was more likely to refer black people than white people for more treatment when they were equally sick. The algorithm relied heavily on health care costs rather than illness—and in so doing, found in its data that black patients usually had higher health care costs. Upon further review of the dataset the program was analyzing, however, this discrepancy was because the average black person was also substantially sicker than the average white person, with a greater prevalence of conditions such as diabetes, anemia, kidney failure, and high blood pressure. When looking at the average white person with the same chronic health problems, black patients cost an average of $1,800 less than those white patients.
And while health care should not be based on the associated costs, this was weighted in the results, and the study found that black patients had to be sicker than white patients to be referred for any additional treatment or attention. Only 17.7% of patients that the algorithm assigned to receive extra care were black. The researchers suggested that the proportion would be 46.5% if the algorithm were unbiased.

So can you return this new machine?

The good news: AI has no bias of its own.
The bad news: It is very easy to train an AI machine to be racist. Computers learn how to be racist, sexist, and prejudiced in a similar way that children do: from their creators.
“Diversity and inclusion are not new challenges within the technology field. But as artificial intelligence and machine learning are incorporated into more and more aspects of daily life, we need to be mindful of the inherent biases that could be unknowingly, unwittingly, or unintentionally included,” Sieberg says.
AI learns about how the world has always been. It analyzes data from the past. It doesn’t know how the world should be—or how it could be in the future. Bias has left a dark thumbprint on many aspects of our history—whether based on gender or race or anything else.
The futuristic solutions we dreamed of for decades have solved many problems but come with a set of their own. Just as humans must work to overwrite our own deep-seated misogyny and racism, we have to take the same time and care to make sure the machines we’ve created don’t reflect our basest characteristics.
“There needs to be continued oversight by outside agencies and individuals to monitor what develops within machine learning and AI efforts, even if they’re not the ones creating it. In some cases, sexist or racist or discriminatory behavior may contain malintent—other times it could be a teachable moment,” Sieberg says. “Transparency is critical to the future of AI and ensuring that there are ethicists and trained professionals installed at companies to tackle these concerns is a crucial first step. Shining a light is the only way to try to eliminate the dark corners.”

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The time we all became homebodies

10 April 2020

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What day is it? Is it April or August? Is 2020 over yet?

These are questions that many of us have found ourselves pondering the last five months. Did you know that according to neuroscientists, there is no organ or system in the body that is responsible for keeping time? For those of us who entered lockdown in March, time since has seemed to simultaneously whiz by and stand still. Time is no longer marked by the same daily routines and work schedules, leaving some of us struggling to know what day, month, or hour it is. Once the world shuttered into stay-at-home mode, we were all forced to find ways to bide our time.

All at once, everyone seemed to become a baker, letter writer, knitter, hiker, or avid puzzle-worker. Some have taken up gardening or cooking healthily. Others of us are just surviving, and that is OK too. It is difficult to see the silver lining of such a horrific pandemic, but it is clear that while the world slowed down, humanity did gain perspective and revisited old hobbies and passions. Some families are spending more time together than ever before, with parents and teenagers truly getting to know each other before life draws them apart again.

We talked to a few members of the Saybrook community to see how they are faring and found many examples of positivity and resilience in these agents of change.

Saybrook alumna Stacey Heiligenthaler, Ph.D., Director of Pupil Personnel Services at Norwalk Public Schools: I live in Connecticut with my husband and son, about 50 miles outside of New York City. We quarantined starting in early March when the pandemic began. Being so close to the epicenter really affected how quickly and the degree to which quarantine measures were taken. During that time, my husband and I worked remotely, and my son completed his junior year of high school. Even now I am working 50% in person and 50% remotely to ensure social distancing in the office.

Saybrook alumnus, Morrice Apprey, Ph.D., Clinical Director at Southern California Neuropsychology Group: During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have resided in Los Angeles. I live with my wife and daughter and have a son who is now living in Tennessee. During this time, I have primarily worked at my office seeing most patients via teleconference. On some occasions, I would see patients via teleconference at our home. This allowed me to support my wife on occasion as she became a mandatory teacher supporting our 3-year-old daughter’s classes on Zoom.

Saybrook faculty member, Shaun Hains, Ph.D.: I grew up within the Northern Wilderness around the Great Lakes, and now I live with my husband in the prairies. Both of our children are working and leading within the workplace. I work with a large school district, and during these times electronic platforms were used to help the student. I also work with the Global Clinical Practice Network of the World Health Organization. I am in a quick learning time with them while working with Native psychologists in Canada and the United States to learn alongside the WHO. The electronic platforms have helped, and we have been able to maintain connected wisdom and caring.

What were some challenges you encountered?

Dr. Heiligenthaler: I found it very difficult to separate “work” time and “personal” time because I was working from home. It seemed as if the work day continued late into the evening, partly because I am a director for a school district and I had a lot to do to turn in-person learning into virtual learning for students, and partly because I had no place to go or activities to participate in. It was also during the beginning of quarantine in April that I defended my dissertation. I went from working full time and rushing home to work on writing my dissertation, to having an excess of spare time. Not only was I adjusting to quarantine, but also to not being a student. It was (and still is) quite a mental shift.

Dr. Apprey: I have diligently promoted that the quarantine be a place of growth for people so that there could be a sense of hope. As a clinician, my personal life has not been negatively impacted by current events but the significance of my work has increased. I have consistently had approximately 35 sessions per week. The patients have helped outline for me some of the issues that many have experienced during this time at home. Many children have struggled with feeling isolated and coping with the use of technology. Numerous single adults have struggled to have limited contact and have used sessions to have someone to speak with on a consistent basis. Many people feel depressed as they do not feel like they are of any use while they are not working. Adults with families are spending time together yet some are more confrontational and come to therapy to work on underlying problems exposed by the pandemic. Single parents who are working are often frustrated as they are attempting to balance work with teaching their children material they do not remember and reducing the use of overstimulated children entertained by social media and video games.

What about surprising benefits?

Dr. Heiligenthaler: Some of the good habits we developed were cooking and eating dinner together every night. Due to our busy schedule prior to the quarantine, we ate together as a family two to three nights a week, and often late after everyone made it back home from their activities. Now not only are we eating together every night, but we are also eating in and healthier. I am lucky that my husband is a wonderful cook and has kept our meals exciting. Another good habit was walking my dogs daily. Between the daily walks and having everyone home, they have really enjoyed the quarantine.

Dr. Hains: Living in a rural setting, I saw eagles, deer, ducks, and other wildlife. This is important for Indigenous health and the health of the land, as it is our love. There is a deep connection with people from Africa, mahetuya-deep and profound, in Sioux culture. The history of this connection with schools in Canada is a part of the history of the Swampy Cree women and the Huron women. Through the days of the fur trade and food trade, I have the documents now of how vital these connections were, from the Paddlewheelers to the bush, to trade, to schools.

The work of human rights by the Sioux in Washington is well-known. There were many Native American nations involved. The Hebrew people found safety in the woods as well. The deep and profound truth of the connection between healthy land and healthy people that may continue to exist. A history. Depth of change, depth of the love of many nations, the depth of leadership and fluency of collaboration.

I was indeed fortunate that the community had asked for the deeper dialogue prior to the events of concern and the pandemic. This sharing and broadening was easier with the platforms already hard at work. Because of working with the WHO, I was able to present about Indigenous utmost care while working in collaboration with many professions and how it relates to our current time.

Dr. Apprey: As a result of getting to support these patients, I am quite energized by doing what I love yet painfully aware of the rapid crisis that is affecting so many people at one time. When not working, I have had more time to attend my own medical appointments for a chronic kidney disease and love every minute of the time with my family. Although I am still working, we too have had more time together in this unprecedented time.

Did you pick up any new habits—good or bad? Hobbies—old or new?

Dr. Hains: I learned about industrial and organizational psychology platforms nationally and became aware of networking this for the school district, our graduating class, the community, and the workplace. The professionals worked together well, and we paused to evaluate regularly. The systems did work well and the hard work was coordinated with mental health services. My hobbies, perhaps less so, were simply pausing to be with the land and share family times.

When we think of our interconnectedness and the ways that we all want to connect, do you think there may be things we carry forward past this time?

Dr. Apprey: Presently, patients and family send emails, make phone calls, and message or meet via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Skype, Google Duo, and Zoom. If I have any more contact in any other forms of communication, I may turn into a patient.

I’ve always said that every day I wake up is a blessing. Everything else is a bonus. In my family, my father has always said, “learn in times of a recession.” My mother’s family has always said, “love everyone.” During this pandemic and the days ahead, I think it’s best to be grateful when we can wake up, keep learning, and keep loving regardless of the circumstances.

Dr. Heiligenthaler: I think that the pandemic has shown that we are connected as a community. Even in quarantine, there are ways to help community members. This includes ensuring that children and families have meals, and delivering PPE or meals to our essential workers. The community is only as successful as its most struggling member, and I saw the community come together and ensure that those who are struggling were supported. I feel lucky that not only do I live in a community that provides support, but that I have also been able to take part in those opportunities.

Dr. Hains: The message of love amongst many histories holds true and the focus on utmost care for children, family, community, nations, and land has a new focus with the elderly. The elderly have historically provided feedback on care and dialogue within the community. The historical truths were so commonly known that it was easier to explain and speak or demonstrate a deep love amongst histories that continue today. The histories and that deep love needed to be validated in the early winter times, and then the pandemic began. The strength of the truth with greater wisdom working together became so immediate.

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Conspiracy theories: a booming business

1 April 2020

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Climate change is a hoax, Tupac is alive, Earth is flat, our world is ruled by the reptilian elite, and the coronavirus was originally developed as a biological weapon.

Conspiracy theories take many forms, but each share something in common—the disregard of a generally accepted conclusion based on factual information available. From a psychological perspective, creating or believing in conspiracies is viewed as an attempt to assert power or control in the face of circumstances that create feelings of helplessness.

Consider the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It was difficult for many to fathom that such a powerful and protected icon could be killed by a single, disgruntled middle-aged man. So born were theories about the grassy knoll, an umbrella man, and even KGB operatives. While the Warren Commission’s ensuing investigation and resulting report eased the concerns of many, 13% of Americans in 1964 still refused to believe Oswald shot the president. Today that minority has become a majority, with more than 60% believing others were involved—despite the still overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

This change in public sentiment is symbolic of a broader retreat into filter bubbles and echo chambers, rising acceptance of alternative facts, and growing public distrust of established institutions. Somehow, the age of information seems to have left many people less informed than ever before, and it has created the perfect environment for conspiracies to thrive.

Popping the filter bubble

Shortly after the U.S. presidential election in 2016, two search terms spiked in Google Trends: “filter bubble” and “fake news.” It was an ominous sign in regards to how people had begun seeking out and processing factual information—which ultimately shapes their views of the world.

“There is an increasing challenge to the norm that there are essential facts, based on verifiable evidence, that everyone can build from as the basis for public discussion and policymaking,” says Joel Federman, Ph.D., chair of Saybrook’s Department of Transformative Social Change. “This has negatively affected public policy and public health in areas ranging from climate change to epidemiology.”

Many people also have a tendency to only trust sources of information that don’t challenge their established views of the world. The internet and, in particular, social media exacerbate this, providing the ability

to filter out information someone doesn’t agree with. Furthermore, these platforms allow people to seek out validation for views, opinions, or perspectives that fly in the face of truth. As a Facebook ad campaign ironically depicts, no matter how bizarre you may think something is, there’s probably a group for it—the Official Flat Earth & Globe Discussion Public Group has more than 128,000 members.

But filter bubbles promoting conspiracies can present a danger to the public. Flat-Earther “Mad Mike” Hughes was killed after launching himself thousands of feet into the air on a homemade, steam-powered rocket so he could see if Earth was really round.

Pizzagate is another prime example. Nurtured within the filter bubble of Info Wars’ infamous podcast and website, this conspiracy alleged that Hillary Clinton was hosting satanic rituals and sexually abusing children in the basement of a Washington, D.C., pizza joint. Days after the initial “report,” a man armed with a rifle, pistol, and knife raided the restaurant, hoping to save the captive children—he ended up in jail.

On a broader scale, the negative impact of filter bubbles is seen with the collective inaction around climate change. Some have argued that leadership in the U.S. is living within its own bubble—President Trump once claimed that climate change was a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese government—dismissing global scientific consensus and becoming the only country in the world choosing not to participate in the Paris Climate Accord.

Historically, filter bubbles have helped promote conspiracies leading to violence that targets specific groups and cultures. The Jewish community, for example, has long battled the Zionist-Occupied Government conspiracy, which claims that Jewish people are secretly exercising control of governments throughout Europe and in the U.S.

“It’s important to use our critical thinking skills and challenge conventional wisdom, which tends to be framed by the interests of the wealthy and powerful. But there are also risks that emerge when groups of people immerse themselves in narrow bubbles where there is a constant repetition of claims that reinforce a particular distorted reality,” Dr. Federman says.

“They can build a feedback loop where these distortions are repeated over and over again until those in the group are overwhelmed with this new distorted reality,” Dr. Federman continues. “The danger increases when we demonize those outside our bubble, rather than seeing them as complete human beings who happen to have some differences from us. Ultimately, the goal of political life is to bring people together into a shared and diverse community where we can solve our common problems together. We have to move beyond our bubbles.”

Dr. Federman further notes the value of a liberal arts education, which helps facilitate the types of engagement and approaches to critical thinking needed to develop a richer understanding of the world. He suggests that we can begin to pop filter bubbles through encouraging interaction with more people and greater exposure to more sources of information. “Without greater exposure to a culture of dialogue, people risk being limited to very narrow, monolithic, and stereotypical conceptions about particular groups of people, the potential of human beings in general, and the tremendous commonalities across those different groups,” he says.

Alternative facts and declining faith in institutions

Facts should be indisputable. In an argument or debate, they may be interpreted and present
ed from different perspectives, but at its core a fact is synonymous with truth. Therefore, it is important to draw a distinction between conspiracy theories and the use of alternative facts.
Alternative facts, simply put, are lies. They do not exist; the phrase itself is an oxymoron. Conspiracy theories, however, can be based around factual information—albeit through a much filtered lens. Instead of using all facts available, conspiracies are often crafted using specific facts (usually out of context) that validate a preconceived notion. Weave enough of those facts together and you can craft one hell of a story.
Fact:
The U.S. refused to officially acknowledge a secret U.S. Air Force Base in the Nevada Desert until 2013. The U.S. military has stated that it represents “a flexible, realistic and multidimensional battle-space to conduct testing tactics development, and advanced training.” It remains off-limits to the public.
Conspiracy:
It’s definitely where they’re keeping the aliens.
“In a world of ‘alternative facts,’ it is increasingly important for people to develop the capacity to navigate the information environment with critical thinking and media literacy skills, so that they can know how to avoid being overwhelmed by appeals to prejudice, misleading arguments, and outright untruths,” Dr. Federman says.

Whereas alternative facts may have been squashed on arrival in the past, society’s filter bubbles now allow them to compete on a level playing field with the truth. This, in turn, is furthering confusion and distorting reality for millions. In the past, people could rely on certain historical institutions to guide them toward truth; today some people view many of these institutions with suspicion.
“Public opinion surveys have shown a consistent trend toward decreasing trust in a variety of institutions—from higher education, to religion, to journalism, to politics,” Dr. Federman says.
This has helped amplify the negative effects of filter bubbles, echo chambers, and those pesky alternative facts.

A Knight Foundation and Gallup poll in 2018 found that nearly 70% of U.S. adults believed their trust in the news media has decreased in the past decade. Another poll found the only institutions we have much confidence in are the military and small businesses.

Much of this overall decline in trust begins with a lack of institutional leadership and communication strategies that have yet to catch up to our fast-paced world.

“Media literacy is something that I know many organizations and institutions struggle with,” says Tom Hayashi, Ph.D., Saybrook University’s program director for the Department of Leadership & Management.

He adds that organizations need to not only be cognizant of the how they are communicating out but also what is being said about them.

“They need to be prepared to address issues that are false,” he says. “Even if it is not entirely false, they must be ready to address it and potentially get ahead of what the messaging about them is going to be.”

Alternative facts and declining faith in institutions

In a world abound with conspiracies, steps can be taken to mitigate their damage.
Many social media platforms have already begun attempting to address the issue. Facebook has hired an army of third-party fact checkers to flag false or misleading posts. Both Facebook and Twitter continue to remove thousands of fake accounts created to spread conspiracies and false information. Research has shown that labeling a Facebook post as “disputed” can reduce the number of readers who believe the information by 10%.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has released tips for spotting fake news and misinformation, asking, “Does it pass the CRAAP test?” The criteria of the CRAAP test include:

Currency: When was it published?
Relevance: Is it created for the right audience?
Authority: Who wrote it?
Accuracy: Is the evidence backed up with data?
Purpose: Why was this created, and is there underlying bias?

In a detailed report by the Brookings Institution, technology firms are encouraged to “invest in technology to find fake news and identify it for users through algorithms and crowdsourcing,” which former FCC commissioner Tom Wheeler argues can be developed for the public interest. The report also states that greater governmental funding is needed to “support partnerships between journalists, businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations to encourage news literacy.”

“Having a commonly shared set of facts doesn’t mean that everyone has to have the same point of view or trust all the information they are given,” Dr. Federman notes. “The goal is to create a society where people are able to engage in dialogue, speak their own truths, and listen to each other in a way that can generate understanding, even as we differ.

“Building understanding across social and political divides also builds the trust necessary for common action to address society’s problems, which can be a powerful antidote to false narratives and conspiracy theories.”

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If you are interested in learning more about the community and academic programs at Saybrook University, fill out the form below to request more information. You can also apply today through our application portal.