Reading Practice: Insights from a Neuroscientist on Promoting Different Thinking

This definition suggests that iconoclasts differ from others primarily in terms of their brain function, specifically in three distinct areas: perception, fear response, and social intelligence. Each of these functions utilizes a different neural circuit. Critics may argue that personality, rather than brain function, is the driving force behind original and even revolutionary thinking. However, neuroeconomics emerged from the realization that the physical processes of the brain impose limitations on decision-making. By understanding these constraints, we gain insight into why some individuals think differently.

Firstly, it's important to recognize that the brain operates under constraints due to its limited resources. With an energy budget equivalent to that of a 40-watt light bulb, the brain has evolved to function as efficiently as possible. This efficiency often prevents most people from becoming iconoclasts. For instance, when the brain processes visual information, it tends to interpret it in the quickest way possible, drawing on past experiences and external sources like others' opinions. This process occurs automatically, with the brain employing shortcuts that are so effective that we often remain unaware of them. Our perceptions of the world, therefore, are not merely reflections of external reality but biological and electrical phenomena. Perception is not just about what our eyes or ears transmit to the brain; it's shaped by the brain itself.

Perception lies at the heart of iconoclasm. Iconoclasts perceive things differently from others. Their brains are less prone to efficiency traps compared to the average person's brain. Iconoclasts, whether through innate disposition or learning, have found ways to circumvent the perceptual shortcuts that hinder most people. Perception is a learned process rather than a fixed trait, presenting both challenges and opportunities for change. The brain faces the fundamental challenge of interpreting sensory stimuli, with everything it sees, hears, or touches open to multiple interpretations. The chosen interpretation is the brain's best hypothesis, based statistically on the likelihood of one interpretation over another, heavily influenced by past experiences and, significantly for potential iconoclasts, external opinions.

To perceive differently from others, one effective method is to inundate the brain with unfamiliar stimuli. Novelty frees perception from the constraints of past experiences, compelling the brain to form new judgments. Successful iconoclasts exhibit a remarkable openness to encountering fresh and unconventional ideas. Observing iconoclasts reveals their embrace of novelty, while most people shy away from the unfamiliar.

However, novelty poses a challenge by triggering the brain's fear response. Fear significantly hinders iconoclastic thinking and often paralyzes the average person. There are various types of fear, but two particularly inhibiting fears are fear of uncertainty and fear of public criticism. These fears may seem trivial, but fear of public speaking, a common fear affecting one-third of the population, illustrates its pervasive nature. It's not considered a mental disorder; it's simply a common aspect of human nature that iconoclasts refuse to let impede their actions.

Additionally, successful iconoclasts must effectively communicate their ideas to others. This requires social intelligence, the ability to understand and influence people within a business context. Over the past decade, our understanding of the social brain and its role in group decision-making has expanded significantly. Neuroscience has identified the brain circuits responsible for functions like understanding others' perspectives, empathy, fairness, and social identity. These neural regions are crucial in persuading others of one's ideas. Perception also plays a critical role in social cognition; perceptions of enthusiasm or reputation can determine the success or failure of a proposition. Understanding how perception intertwines with social decision-making underscores why successful iconoclasts are rare.

Iconoclasts create new opportunities across various domains, from art and technology to business. They bring creativity and innovation that committees struggle to achieve. They are unconstrained by rules. Despite facing alienation and failure, iconoclasts can be invaluable assets to any organization. Understanding the workings of the iconoclastic mind is essential for success in any field.

Questions 1-5

Choose the correct option: A, B, C, D:

1. Neuroeconomics is a field of study which seeks to

A.lead to a shift in how brain chemistry is perceived by scientists.

B.comprehend the mechanisms behind effective decision-making in the brain.

C.understand the brain's role in achieving success in competitive fields.

D.identify the specific patterns of neuron firing in different brain regions.

2. According to the writer, iconoclasts are distinctive because

A.result in the creation of atypical brain circuits.

B.their minds function differently.

C.their characters are distinct.

D.they decide easily.

3. According to the writer, the brain works efficiently because

A.it quickly uses the eyes.

B.it logically interprets information.

C.it produces its own energy.

D.it depends on previous occurrences.

4. The writer says that perception is

A.a mix of photons and sound waves.

B.a dependable output of sensory input.

C.an outcome of brain processes.

D.a process we are typically aware of.

5. According to the writer, an iconoclastic thinker

A.concentrates perceptual thinking in one region of the brain.

B.evolades cognitive pitfalls.

C.has a brain inherently wired for learning.

D.has more opportunities than an average individual.

Questions 6-11

Are the following statements consistent with the information in the reading passage?

In boxes 6-11 on your answer sheet, write

YES                         if the statement agrees with the writer’s claims

NO                           if the statement contradicts the writer’s claims

NOT GIVEN            if there is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

1. Exposure to different events forces the brain to think differently.
2. Iconoclasts are unusually receptive to new experiences.
3. Most people are too shy to try different things.
4. If you think in an iconoclastic way, you can easily overcome fear.
5. When concern about embarrassment matters less, other fears become irrelevant.
6. Fear of public speaking is a psychological illness.

Questions 12-14

Match each sentence with the appropriate ending, A-E, provided below.

1. Thinking like a successful iconoclast is demanding because it …..
2. The concept of the social brain is useful to iconoclasts because it …..
3. Iconoclasts are generally an asset because their way of thinking …..

Answers:

27. C (Đoạn 1, “These discoveries have led to the field known as neuroeconomics, which studies the brain’s secrets to success in an economic environment that demands innovation and being able to do things differently from competitors.” →

28. B (Đoạn 2, “This definition implies that iconoclasts are different from other people, but more precisely, it is their brains that are different in three distinct ways: perception, fear response, and social intelligence.”)

29. D (Đoạn 3, “For example, when confronted with information streaming from the eyes, the brain will interpret this information in the quickest way possible. Thus it will draw on both past experience and any other source of information,…”)

30. C (Đoạn 3, “More than the physical reality of photons or sound waves, perception is a product of the brain.”)

31. B (Đoạn 4, “Iconoclasts, either because they were born that way or through learning, have found ways to work around the perceptual shortcuts that plague most people.”)

32. YES (Đoạn 5, “The best way to see things differently to other people is to bombard the brain with things it has never encountered before. Novelty releases the perceptual process from the chains of past experience and forces the brain to make new judgments.” → Tiếp xúc với nhiều sự kiện khác nhau sẽ giúp não bộ nghĩ khác đi)

33. YES (Đoạn 5, “Successful iconoclasts have an extraordinary willingness to be exposed to what is fresh and different.” → Có thể sẵn sàng lĩnh hội kiến thức mới 1 cách khác thường)

34. NOT GIVEN (không có thông tin về việc con người thường ngại khi thử những điều mới)

35. NO (Đoạn 6, “Fear is a major impediment to thinking like an iconoclast and stops the average person in his tracks.” → Nỗi sợ vẫn có thể cản trở con người ngay cả khi mang tâm thế của một người iconoclast”.)

36. NOT GIVEN (Không có thông tin về mối quan hệ giữa việc xấu hổ và nỗi sợ)

37. NO (Đoạn 6, “But fear of public speaking, which everyone must do from time to time, afflicts one-third of the population. This makes it too common to be considered a mental disorder.” → Việc sợ nói trước đám đông quá phổ biến nên không thể xem là một căn bệnh tâm lý)

38. A (Đoạn 7, “Understanding how perception becomes intertwined with social decision making shows why successful iconoclasts are so rare.”)

39. B (Đoạn 7, “In the last decade there has been an explosion of knowledge … These brain regions play key roles in whether people convince others of their ideas.”)