Spiritual Journey, Part IV
Mar. 21st, 2006 06:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greybetaHave you ever heard of the Clever Hans effect in psychology? Clever Hans is a rather famous horse who could do simple arithmetic and various other intellectual tasks. Wikipedia says, “The horse, Hans, had been trained by a Mr. von Osten to tap out the answers to arithmetic questions with its hoof. The answers to questions involving reading, spelling and musical tones were converted to numbers, and the horse also tapped out these numbers.”
How was Clever Hans able to do such amazing feats? A psychologist named Carl Stumpf set up a series of experiments to find out. Amazingly enough, Hans was able to tap out the correct answer to all sorts of questions. But the horse was only able to do so when it could see its questioner and the questioner knew the answer.
As it turns out, the questioner involuntary tensed up when the horse came close to the the correct amount of taps. When the questioner involuntary released his tension at the right number, the horse was able to sense that and stopped. Psychologist Oskar Pfungst had noticed that the horse was unable to get the correct answer when it was blinded or when the questioner did not know the correct answer.
Sometimes, I feel like Clever Hans. People ask me all sorts of questions and I can sense them tense up when I start responding. It’s difficult to explain, but I can “feel” my way towards the answer they want me to say through their nonverbal cues. It’s not as if I can read what they are actually thinking; rather, their facial expressions and body gestures belie their true thoughts.
What does have to do with my spiritual journey? Well, when it comes to spiritual questions, people tense up just like they do anything else. People can’t help but feel a bit frustrated when I don’t answer the way that they think I will. They cannot hide their genuine concern, nor can they shield their own doubts from me.
Of course, I do the same thing. Yet I feel like it’s something that distracts me when I discuss spiritual matters with other people. I’m so polite that I start giving out the answers that releases the tension in the other person.
Should I start being more rude?
How was Clever Hans able to do such amazing feats? A psychologist named Carl Stumpf set up a series of experiments to find out. Amazingly enough, Hans was able to tap out the correct answer to all sorts of questions. But the horse was only able to do so when it could see its questioner and the questioner knew the answer.
As it turns out, the questioner involuntary tensed up when the horse came close to the the correct amount of taps. When the questioner involuntary released his tension at the right number, the horse was able to sense that and stopped. Psychologist Oskar Pfungst had noticed that the horse was unable to get the correct answer when it was blinded or when the questioner did not know the correct answer.
Sometimes, I feel like Clever Hans. People ask me all sorts of questions and I can sense them tense up when I start responding. It’s difficult to explain, but I can “feel” my way towards the answer they want me to say through their nonverbal cues. It’s not as if I can read what they are actually thinking; rather, their facial expressions and body gestures belie their true thoughts.
What does have to do with my spiritual journey? Well, when it comes to spiritual questions, people tense up just like they do anything else. People can’t help but feel a bit frustrated when I don’t answer the way that they think I will. They cannot hide their genuine concern, nor can they shield their own doubts from me.
Of course, I do the same thing. Yet I feel like it’s something that distracts me when I discuss spiritual matters with other people. I’m so polite that I start giving out the answers that releases the tension in the other person.
Should I start being more rude?
