(Opinion)
Have you ever noticed a shift in your thoughts or feelings when entering a new space or situation? At my age I seem to experience this phenomenon 75% of the time I walk into my kitchen. This intriguing behavior relates to the Event Boundary Phenomenon, a concept in psychology that reflects how our brains handle different experiences. In this post, I will explore the Event Boundary Phenomenon, its origins, impacts on our lives, and how we can use this knowledge for personal growth.
The Event Boundary Phenomenon focuses on how our brains segment experiences based on changes in time, location, or activities. Research shows that our memory and perception heavily rely on these contextual cues. For instance, when you transition from finishing lunch to attending an afternoon meeting, your mind tends to treat each experience as separate.
A study by Adi Shmueli and colleagues in Cognitive Science revealed that recognizing event boundaries allows our brains to prioritize and organize input, enhancing our ability to retrieve relevant details later. This makes managing our experiences easier, promoting clarity in a chaotic world.
Cognitive Psychology is my primary area of interest, not just what we humans do but more importantly why we do it and how that predictability can be used to manipulate people.
Disclaimer: I am not a mental health professional and nothing I say should be taken as a diagnosis or treatment. I am just a guy with a lifelong passion for understanding human behavior and all of my content is for educational or entertainment purposes only. If you feel you are experiencing any kind of mental disorder, please seek professional help as soon as you are able to as time is a factor. The longer you let it go the worse it can get and usually does.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve seen the Event Boundary Phenomenon play out in my own daily life in many different ways. For example, while driving to a new place to eat, as soon as I enter the restaurant, I often forget my earlier errands. Each location creates a distinct boundary that shifts my focus.
Another example is moving to a new city which I have done numerous times in my former nomadic lifestyle. After relocating, memories of my old neighborhood fade as I begin to immerse myself in the sounds and sights of my new environment. The clear separation between my past and present makes recalling similar experiences challenging unless I actively think about them. I see this transition as just another form of adaptation from living in the past to living in the present because out on the road you have no choice but to focus on the moment. It is a dangerous world out there for lone wolves like me so situational awareness is always top of mind. A little off topic but still pertinent to the big picture.
In a survey I read once but can't find again of 1,000 people conducted by a psychology research group, 62% of respondents reported a similar experience of losing touch with past memories when transitioning into a new phase of life, confirming this phenomenon's widespread impact. I believe we have all experienced this phenomenon to one degree or another at some point. As I said, my kitchen seems to be a black hole for my own short-term memory. Another more focused and possibly more common term connected to this is the "Location Updating Effect" or "Doorway Effect".
Now, take a minute to consider the implications if those experiences could be controlled and manipulated. What this is at its core is predictable behavior and anything that is predictable can and usually will be used to manipulate other people. It is our nature to do so.
The Event Boundary Phenomenon can also affect our mental health in both positive and negative ways.
Positive Impacts
On a positive note, the ability to compartmentalize experiences can be immensely beneficial. This skill allows us to differentiate between events, which is crucial when coping with trauma or complex emotional situations. For example, after a difficult breakup, being able to separate my past relationship from my current life helped me move on more effectively.
Moreover, those shifts can enhance focus. Whenever I begin a new project, the transition often sparks creativity and involvement, making it easier to improve productivity and personal satisfaction.
Negative Impacts
Conversely, rigid event boundaries can lead to feelings of disconnection. If I separate my work and personal life too much, it may create a sense of isolation. This can be especially true during stressful periods; for example, during busy workweeks, I might forget to engage with friends, leaving me feeling unfulfilled.
Furthermore, excessive separation of experiences can lead us to overlook important details about others' lives. This has happened to me, where I forget key moments from a friend's life simply due to lack of connection over time. Recognizing this tendency has driven me to make an effort to stay engaged, even when life gets hectic. I am not any good at it, but I always make an effort.
So, our goal once we understand this effect of course is to maximize the positive aspects of the Event Boundary Phenomenon while minimizing the negatives, consider the following strategies I used myself in the beginning:
1. Mindful Transitions
Take a moment to be present during transitions. Instead of hurrying from one task to another, pause, breathe, and mentally prepare for what comes next. This simple act can improve memory retention about the previous experience and help create smooth boundaries. This was not an easy thing for me to do back then. Today I am like a jeweler cutting a diamond, back then I was a bulldozer and always in high gear, but I eventually made it to learning that most often what you need is a scalpel not a cleaver. It's a learning experience let me tell you.
2. Create Connection Points
Establish continuity between your experiences. Keeping a journal is one effective way to connect the dots between different events. This practice can clarify your emotions and responses, thus diminishing feelings of isolation. I had 5 subject spiral notebooks full of my daily thoughts, my dreams, my experiences. Don't re-read or edit anything, just let it all pour out and move on. When you finish one log and start to write another one is when you go back and read the previous one, it will change your perspective. I go back and read things I wrote a couple of decades ago, sometimes I amaze myself with my acumen and other times I embarrass myself with my ignorance, but both serve as a connection point between the past and the present.
Strengthening Relationships
Reach out to friends or loved ones regularly, even if it's been a while. A brief text or call can help maintain connections and remind you of shared memories, reinforcing important bonds in your life. I tried, I am just terrible at staying in touch with people, which I sorta solved by making a family group in Facebook Messenger. I am far better than I used to be since it could be several years without hearing from me. Just saying.
Intentional Goal Setting
Set clear goals that span multiple areas of your life. For example, consider combining social activities with productivity by working on personal projects in group settings. This overlap can help bridge connections across distinct life areas. This is where the ability to compartmentalize really comes in handy. It is important to keep a tidy mind that allows us to concentrate on one goal or a group of goals without the distraction of everything else we may have to think about, or problems solve.
I know that this scribble is a little different than what I usually write but I have shifted my focus now that the election is over. Less politics and more psychology. Many people will see this as a total waste of time, why does anyone need to know about and understand these obscure psychological concepts? These small obscure concepts are the foundation of much more complex concepts that lead to diagnosis and treatment methods whether it be with a licensed therapist or self-healing, as in this case.
Understanding the Event Boundary Phenomenon gives us powerful tools to shape our mental landscape. By recognizing how experiences create boundaries in our minds, we can use this knowledge to foster personal growth and improve our well-being. We also gain the ability to recognize when and if those boundaries start to be manipulated by outside forces.
The next time you transition from one experience to another, observe how it influences your thoughts and feelings. Embrace these moments and make the most of them, building a more connected and fulfilling journey of self-improvement for ourselves which will inevitably have an impact on those around us as well.
Remember, when it comes to psychology there is no evil psychology or good psychology, that determination comes in how we humans use it.
Something to think about, until next time. ~Ghost
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