Our "P" Factor

Our "P" Factor� The Neglected Intelligence

Studies of children have shown that those able to postpone action or delay gratification perform better later on and throughout their lives. For example a group of four year olds were each given a treat and told they could either eat it immediately or postpone their pleasure for a couple hours and then receive another one. Those who waited for the second treat were tracked as they developed and were found to perform better in school and were more successful later on in life.

Our brain is our main survival tool and one would expect we would strive to use it as fully as possible. But unfortunately the reality is that we neglect our most important intellectual ability most of the time. The neglected aspect is the "P" factor or the ability to postpone reflexive judgment and frame the events in a greater or more holistic perspective.

To better understand we might review how brains evolved, how they are organized, and how biologically embedded drives undermine our reasoning powers. Of course the evolution of the mind is a matter for conjecture since no one was around to observe and record how and when our ancestors filled their mental tool box. But from what we know from observing the behavior of animals such as ourselves, a phased development seems reasonable.

Looking at it this way the bottom rung on the ladder of ascending development would be the reptilian complex or the center controlling breathing and other autonomic body survival functions. In varying degrees it is common to all living organisms.

The next level of development appearing in many species was the limbic system or emotional center, home to fight/ flight response and expression of "feelings" including almost everything from love to hate.

The third phase of cognitive evolution was the rise of the cerebral or analytical problem solving center. It likely began forming along with the reptilian and limbic centers early in the evolutionary dance, but is manifested in our species to a degree far exceeding that of others. It enables us to exert extraordinary power over our environment and rapidly (in geological time) spread our ilk over the earth. It gives us the ability to manipulate abstract concepts, solve problems and develop powerful tools and machines� thus alowing us to better our welfare and cope with the vagaries of an ever-changing environment. We attempt to measure analytical ability when we apply academic and "intelligence" testing.

Whether or not we use this enormous power wisely depends largely on how well we engage our highest level of intelligence... the "P" factor. This aspect of our intelligence is a seemingly unique human attribute that can be thought of as a fourth level. Referring to it as the "P factor" suggests it could also stand for postponing action to allow time to frame problems in a more holistic or philosophical context to enable us to better "think-it-through".

"P" might also stand for performance or having the presence of mind to perform well. This makes sense because performance implies competence which requires the ability to take the time to think through the ramifications of various scenarios of actions and reactions. Postponing judgment to gain a more total or holistic perspective is essential for optimal performance.

While many species share other levels of intelligence, we presume the P factor to be present in humans alone. It is also comforting in anthropocentric terms to believe we are the only species capable of visualizing trends and future impacts and estimating projected outcomes in order to modify our behavior accordingly. This has certainly aided our survival through the ages when survival relied heavily on the ability to recognize dangerous trends early enough to allow time for preparation and efforts to mitigate impacts.

Unfortunately we do not do this well. Our P factor is still developing and thus is unevenly expressed among us. Reasons for this may be many but a major contributor would likely seem to be that using it often leads to opinions that provoke social or political conflict and threaten the status quo. When people are able to frame social/ political problems in "perspective" and see the "big picture" it may lead to the conclusion that many of the political or social constructs surrounding them fail to make sense. Reacting to these insights is likely to provoke or disturb vested interests. And vested interests, particularly if they are deeply vested and well funded, usually prevail at the expense of those who challenge them.

Also undermining our ability to frame events holistically are biologically embedded templates nudging us to act and react reflexively. They reach directly to the limbic center and urge us to lash out rashly and quickly. Of course there are times when rapid reaction is critical to survival. But often in the context of a modern world where people are protected from most of the vagaries and dangers that plagued our ancestors, reacting without thinking-it-through runs counter to our welfare.

Over the last few decades we have been able to more clearly understand how behavior is influenced by drives acquired during the course of our evolution. In order for behavior preferences or inclinations to become embedded they must have at one time served our survival or had biological utility to thus be naturally selected. So we often find ourselves behaving almost robotically doing things that were once critical for our survival but now threaten our welfare. For example, we irresponsibly breed, compulsively consume, blindly submit to authority in the name of patriotism and readily accept ridiculous nonsense packaged and sold as religion. These four biological drives once enabled us to survive and thrive in difficult environments. They fed the vitality of the tribe and were a big part of the glue that made one tribe more coherent and powerful relative to others. Once important for survival, now toxic with the importance attached to over-riding them.

Thus social pressures coupled with behavioral inclinations cause us to override the most important attribute of humanity� our highest level of intelligence. We mindlessly go with the flow. We celebrate all births to the point we even subsidize births to mothers unable to provide financially for the welfare of a child. We consume with abandon because it may offer a sense of accomplishment or better our perceived status in the eyes of others. We acclaim military adventurism even when poorly justified by specious reasoning and then tie yellow ribbons on trees to honor our tribal armies. And we are driven to willingly submit to revere the nonsense proffered by ministers and priests and others who sell myth as fact in exchange for contributions to support their sometimes lavish lifestyles and bloated egos.

So we might wonder what we could do to encourage more of us to behave more reflectively. A place to start might be to recall the mantra to study, meditate and practice that is at the root of many spiritual and philosophical teachings. Study the world around us and learn as much as possible about its many nuances to broaden our understanding. Then meditate or reflect on this knowledge to integrate it with other informantion. And then and only then act or practice what we have learned and holistically framed.

Meditation could be compared to wakeful dreaming. When we sleep our brains often work to solve problems that we have been juggling in our minds. When we meditate we free our bodies from sensing immediate surroundings and our minds from distracting thoughts. We are awake... but as we do nothing our minds are free to look at the world around us and integrate data we have collected and disjointedly stored. Meditation allows our brains to roam so they can make pictures out of fragments.

The need to change our behavior is greater now than ever before in our history. Our growing numbers and increasingly consumptive lifestyles have made our welfare less robust and more vulnerable to being upset by the unforeseen. It is important we try to quiet the noise and focus on a greater perspective allowing us to more clearly "see" the forest in spite of the trees. Then we hopefully may better contibute to the future welfare of our progeny while we navigate the sea of insanity and uncertainty in an ever more chaotic and uncertain world.

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