Cognitive Psychology: Connecting the Brain and Body Movements

By using the body for movement during a problem solving session, it has been found that you can actually alter the way you solve problems.  Researchers at the University of Birmingham found that the inability to use space and motion during the problem solving process often results in a situation where a person comes up with different, less efficient strategies.

The research team used several experiments to understand more about the mind-body connection.  In the first experiment, participants had either their feet or hands held down with Velcro to prevent movement.  Then, they were asked questions and the video tapes of the sessions reveal the body movements that occurred during the problem solving process.

When participants had the opportunity to use their hands, they utilized gestures to assist with the thinking process.  But, when the hands were unavailable, most people used mathematical and abstract methods while problem solving.  It was also noted that some people had their hands free, but they still chose to use the abstract and mathematical methods while holding their hands still.

Improving Your Problem Solving Techniques with Motion

So, how can we use these findings to improve our own problem-solving techniques?  Humans typically have visual-spatial metaphors that assist with conceptualization.  As a result, hand motions often are in alignment with the conceptualized idea.  For example, if a person is talking about “up” or “more,” then their hands will often display a motion that shows an upward movement.

Next time you are trying to solve a problem or find a solution, pay attention to the way your hands and body moves during the process.  Experiment with different seated positions, and you might even try standing up and walking around while analyzing the information.  By leveraging movement with the problem solving process, you might find that it is easier to come up with a solution.

Bottom-line: The mind body connection is real.  We are whole… and not the sum of all parts.  Exercise and moving the body does more than just improve your health and fitness.  It makes us think better and become more cognitively efficient.  Basically, it makes us smarter.  So the next time you’re stuck on a problem you can’t solve… move your body!