Monday, July 08, 2019

Body neurishes self


Body neurishes self


We feel/move/manage our body with the assistance of our subconscious.  We do not think 'how to' when we are walking.  We move our body automatically through the automatic processes in our subconscious.  These processes are created in the childhood and through exercise/repetition later on.

"Subconscious defines all reactions and automatic actions we can become aware of if we think about them.  For example, our ability to drive a car: once we get skilled we stop thinking which gears to use, which pedals to press, or which mirror to look at, yet can always become aware of what was done once we think about it[3]."

Subconscious and automatic processes maybe percieved as a part of 'self'.  We can become aware of our body's movements if we focus on them.  If we do not focus on our body movements they are automatic.  Similarly, we do not percieve our body normally if it does not hurt.

Body is  the embodiment of self[1,2]. Just like the body, automatic processes exist as part of the 'self'.  We own them. 

If something is done automatically and later is noticed that it has been done, its validity is established via 'self', namely 'self-confidence'. 

Working on jobs which include risky situations, may replace the self-confidence with double-triple checking.  This may cause the loss of self-confidence of a person's trust to his own automatic processes.  Complete concentration for long periods may hurt the ability to do things automatically, hurting the subconscious.  “Surgeons may have difficulty walking the stairs down after long surgery operations”.

Overcoming embodiment may help to eleviate the stress caused by complete attention for long periods.  Touching, holding, moving interfaces makes the body reclaim its identity.  Anything that we percieve with our body makes us percieve our body also.  Thus, everything that we percieve with our body reminds us the self.  They nourish the self and make it stronger. 

The tendency in developing technologies is reducing the mechanical components in complex systems.  For ex. paper control strips in Air Traffic Control are replaced by video touch screens.  Airplane controls became controlled automatically which reduced the mechanical control of the pilots.  Reducing the mechanical components in the control interfaces reduces the possibility of the user to overcome the strong embodiment caused by high concentration and hence this causes loss of self-confidence.

Body neurishes self.  Interface shall nourish the self-confidence of the user.

REFERENCES:
[1]Carolien HERMANS, 2002, Embodiment: the flesh and bones of my body.
[2]Shaun Gallagher, 2000, Phenomenological and experimental
research on embodied experience, Department of Philosophy
and Cognitive Science Program
[3] Motions|June 21st, 2016; What Is The Subconscious Mind?