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We are not as in smart as we think we are; actually our minds are controlled

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4 years ago

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BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Influencing people’s behaviour is nothing new to the Government, which has often used tools such as legislation, regulation or taxation to achieve desired policy outcomes. But many of the biggest policy challenges we are now facing – such as the increase in people with chronic health conditions – will only be resolved if we are successful in persuading people to change their behaviour, their lifestyles or their existing habits. MINDSPACE, Influencing behaviour through public policy

What if I was to tell you that most of your behaviour in the last year was achieved through the unethical use of covert psychological strategies? That our government was using “nudges” in their messaging campaigns.

What if I told you that they had used tools as incentives and information to change behaviour by changing your mind because they realize that people do not always respond to situations in the most rational way?

I was most recently introduced to an article by Gary Sidley called, “A year of Fear.” (https://thecritic.co.uk/a-year-of-fear/). In the article, he exposes information that is chilling, but worthy of sharing because after reading it, it made perfect sense as to why many of us have been reacting to this pandemic.

He shared that a major contribution to the mass obedience of the British people is likely to have been the activities of government-employed psychologists working as part of the “Behavioural Insights Team,” a team conceived in 2010 dedicated to the application of behavioural science to policy.

They had put together a discussion document called MINDSPACE, which happens to be a checklist of influences on our behaviour derived for use when making policy.

Hmmm!

Naturally I was intrigued and decided to take a look at this 96-page document. What I found was intriguing, but not surprising. It made me think; how many of these tools have been used on the Canadian public, and more specifically, had any of them been used to influence the Canadian people during this pandemic?

I am going to briefly break down the acronym MINDSPACE, but I encourage you to take a look at the link that I provided above.

Messenger
We are heavily influenced by who communicates information
Quite naturally, we give weight to information if the information comes from a perceived authority. It was found that people are more likely to act on information if experts deliver it. It makes me think about all of the announcements and press releases delivered to us during the pandemic, and the fact that our politicians weighed heavily on a handful of selected doctors to deliver messages to the people.

It is important to note that we are also affected by the feelings we have for the messenger. We may irrationally discard advice given by someone we dislike (government officials), so they will use sports stars, entertainers or social influencers to deliver that same message.

This is something to think about the next time that someone you really like seems to be aligning his or her message with the powers that be.

Incentives
Our responses to incentives are shaped by predictable mental shortcuts such as strongly avoiding losses
We dislike losses more than we like gains of an equivalent amount. If you get the vaccine, life will get back to normal. We all want life to get back to normal. The incentive is taking the vaccine, and the avoided loss is the loss of our freedom.

Norms
We are strongly influenced by what others do
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we are not as strong-minded as we think we are. In actuality, we tend to do what those around us are already doing.

We tend to act on social and cultural norms, which are the behavioural expectations, or rules, within a society or group. Norms can be explicitly stated (“Wear a mask‟ signs in public places) or implicit in observed behaviour (everyone wearing masks). We often take our understanding of social norms from the behaviour of others, which means that they can develop and spread rapidly.

Some social norms have a powerful automatic effect on behaviour (e.g. socially distancing) and can influence actions in positive and negative ways. The power of following social norms may come from the social penalties for non-compliance, or the social benefit that comes from conforming.

If the norm is not immediately apparent to people, repeated efforts may be required for its effects to become self-sustaining. It makes sense that in every other commercial we will see someone wearing a mask. It is in the efforts to normalize the behaviour. If you are not wearing one, YOU are not normal.

Defaults
We go with the flow‟ of pre-set options
Once again, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but many decisions we make every day have a default option, whether we recognize it or not. Defaults are the options that are pre-selected if an individual does not make an active choice. Defaults exert influence as individuals regularly accept whatever the default setting is, even if it has significant consequences.

What are some of our default settings? Well for some of us, it has become strapping a mask on our faces when we leave the house. It has become isolating from our loved ones. It has become sitting glued to the television watching the COVID-19 death count. It has become condemning those who do not accept the social norm and labelling the anti.

Salience
Our attention is drawn to what is novel and seems relevant to us
In our everyday lives, we are bombarded with stimuli, and this can become very overwhelming. As a result, we tend to unconsciously filter out much information as a coping strategy.

We are much more likely to be able to understand things that are presented in ways that relate directly to our personal experiences than to things presented in a more general and abstract way.

Another way to explain it is using the term confirmation bias. This is a tendency for people to pay little attention to information that challenges an existing belief, and only focus intently on information that supports what we believe. For example, if I wear a mask, socially distance, and take the vaccine, I will not get COVID-19 or pass it to others, even though research shows that this is not the case.

Priming
Our acts are often influenced by subconscious cues
Are you aware that the way you act is often influenced by subconscious cues?

Priming shows that our behaviour may be altered if we are first exposed to certain sights, words or sensations. Priming seems to act outside of conscious awareness, which means it is different from simply remembering things.

Examples of priming are the many commercials that have littered our television screens reminding us that we have to practice all government mandates in order to keep safe. Remember, you are not wearing a mask for you; you are wearing it for other people. If you don’t do this, you are selfish.

Affect
Our emotional associations can powerfully shape our actions

Affect (the act of experiencing emotion) is a powerful force in decision-making. As human beings, we are driven by our emotions. We respond to words, images and events, and the response can be rapid and automatic. Emotions are so strong that we can experience a behavioural reaction before we realise what we are reacting to.

Think about this the next time the government of Canada shows you a video with an elderly person in a hospital bed, tubes running through them, and then that sound that comes from the heart monitor indicating death, due to COVID-19 of course.

Commitments
We seek to be consistent with our public promises and reciprocate acts
Human beings are procrastinators and tend to procrastinate and delay taking decisions that are likely to be in our long-term interests. It has been shown that commitments usually become more effective as the costs for failure increase. One common method for increasing such costs is to make commitments public, since breaking the commitment will lead to significant reputational damage.

The government of Canada has asked us to commit to following all of their COVID-19 policies and procedures so that we can go back to seeing our friends and family. This means we have to commit to masking, social distancing, skipping holidays (there is always next year), and staying home.

Ego
We act in ways that make us feel better about ourselves
Sigh! We tend to behave in a way that supports the impression of a positive and consistent self-image. When things go well in our lives, we attribute it to ourselves; when they go badly, it’s the fault of other people, or the situation we were put in. This phenomenon is known as the “Fundamental attribution error.”

The cases are going down, so this must mean that people are doing what they are supposed to be doing. They are following protocols, and of course, they are going to get their vaccine.

What is that, cases are going back up again. It must be those damn anti-maskers, and conspiracy theorists.

I urge you to read and reread MINDSPACE. Although this discussion piece was intended for the British audience, I find it strange that our government has implemented many of the same techniques.

Makes me wonder.

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We, as humans are guaranteed certain things in life: stressors, taxes, bills and death are the first thoughts that pop to mind. It is not uncommon that many people find a hard time dealing with these daily life stressors, and at times will find themselves losing control over their lives. Simone Jennifer Smith’s great passion is using the gifts that have been given to her, to help educate her clients on how to live meaningful lives. The Hear to Help Team consists of powerfully motivated individuals, who like Simone, see that there is a need in this world; a need for real connection. As the founder and Director of Hear 2 Help, Simone leads a team that goes out into the community day to day, servicing families with their educational, legal and mental health needs.Her dedication shows in her Toronto Caribbean newspaper articles, and in her role as a host on the TCN TV Network.

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Urban Alliance on Race Relations celebrates and highlights Racial Justice Award recipients

Published

5 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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BY PAUL JUNOR

It has been almost 40 years since the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) has been at the forefront of: promoting tolerance, social justice, racial equity and fairness. Since it was formed in 1975, they have celebrated and recognized changemakers in the fight for racial justice in diverse sectors such as: health, labour, government, education, arts, media, environment, and justice.

On Saturday, December 7th, 2024, there was a great turnout at the 2024 Racial Justice Awards Night held at The Estate Banquet & Event Centre in Scarborough. In attendance were many community supporters, civic officials, long-time racial justice warriors, and individuals from diverse ethnic groups.

UARR is grateful for all the sponsors of the Racial Justice Awards Night Celebration. It notes in its email to its supporters on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, the importance of its sponsors including:

  • United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) of Canada, UFCW, Local 175
  • The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 353
  • Unite Here! Local 75
  • Toronto & York Region Labour Council
  • Canadian Labour Congress
  • The Coalitions of Black Trade Union (CBTUL)

“Your sponsorship plays a vital role in shining a light on individuals and organizations driving equity, justice, and change in our communities. This celebration is more than an event, it’s a movement. Thanks to your support, we’re: honoring changemakers, amplifying unheard voices, and funding initiatives that break down systemic barriers.”

The categories and names of the awards and recipients were:

Racial Justice in Arts: Hannia Cheng

She is an artist and cultural worker who co-founded Unit 270, a DIY gallery and multi-purpose grassroots community hub in Chinatown Centre.

Racial Justice in Labour: Vanessa Story

She is the founder of the Black Youth York Region and co-founder of the York Communities for Public Education coalition.

Racial Justice in Education: Shannon Simpson

She is Senior Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the University of Toronto.

Racial Justice in Environment: Dr. Ingrid Waldron

She is a Professor and HOPE Chair in Peace and Health in the Global and Peace and Social Justice Program in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University.

Urban Alliance of Race Relations Agent of Change Award: Kirk Mark

He is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Consultant at KIRK Mark & Associates.

Racial Justice in Media: Amanda Parris

She is an award-winning writer, tv host and producer, and former host of CBC Arts Exhibitionist.

Racial Justice in Health: Camille Orridge

She is former CEO of the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TCLHIN).

Racial Justice in Government: Amira Elghawaby

She is a journalist and human rights advocate who was appointed in January 2023 as Canada’s Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia.

Racial Justice in Justice: South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALC0)

This legal clinic supports low-income South Asian people in Canada.

The funds raised from the Awards night will be going toward the work of the Diversity Youth Fellowship Program. This innovative and creative program is directly involved in enabling racialized youth to get paid experience working in municipal governments and at various public policy making organizations across Canada.

The performers at the event included: Katheen Zaragosa (a Filipino music performer), Rithika Jeristus & Maya Jeristus (Bharatanatyam dancers) and Yasmin Said (spoken word artist)

UARR is looking forward to its 50th anniversary celebrations in 2025 and shared five of its strategic priorities for the next 10 years including:

  • Employment and economic opportunity: The goal is to foster inclusive workspaces and economic opportunities.
  • Education: The goal is to promote racial equity in education and research.
  • Communication: The goal is to expand public awareness and reach to amplify our stories.
  • Community engagement and outreach: The goal is building community capacity and convening towards change.
  • Truth and reconciliation-relationship building and supporting calls to action. The goal is to strengthen our solidarity and action towards truth and reconciliation.

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What is it about those short videos that keep us captivated? Oh! Yes! Our short attention span

Published

5 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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BY KAHA GEDI

As our attention spans decrease, short form videos are becoming more popular. From TikTok, to YouTube Shorts, to Instagram Reels, these “snack sized” videos have positive qualities alongside the bad. Mainly we want to know what makes them so effective, and why are they becoming the go-to choice for both viewers and marketers? In this article, I will be discussing how these videos have received such popularity worldwide.

First, we need to understand what counts as and what is short-form content. According to blog.hubspot.com, “Short-form videos are videos that are less than 60 seconds long.” However, some marketers and content creators agree that short-form videos can be up to 3 minutes. “They are videos that deliver information in a ‘digestible’ format so that viewers can quickly watch and save content if they’re in a hurry or enjoy it.” Now, I’ll talk about the main reasons why these videos are so popular.

First, our attention spans have gone down exponentially. Dr Gloria Mark has written a book called “Attention Span,” and she says her research indicates people’s attention spans have been shrinking over the last 20 years. According to the same article Dr. Mark said that “Back in 2004, we found the average attention span on any screen to be two and a half minutes on average. Throughout the years, it became shorter. So, around 2012, we found it to be 75 seconds. Then in the last five, six years, we found it to average about 47 seconds.” So, it’s notable that our attention spans started out longer but then decreased over time.

Secondly, these videos have become cheaper and easier to make. Unlike long-form videos, which require extensive: planning, editing, and storytelling, short-form videos are simpler. To the point where they can even be shot on a smartphone. For example, DuoLingo, the app that helps learn new languages, went viral on TikTok a long time ago by posting funny, low-budget videos that resonate with millions. Like a video of a DuoLingo plus being: tossed down the stairs, sitting outside on a rainy day, or being soaked by the shower with the title “When you ignore my notifications.”

Lastly, they provide valuable information in a short amount of time, and they are easily accessible. According to a recent Adobe Survey, two in five Americans use TikTok as a search engine, and nearly one in 10 Gen Zeers are more likely to rely on TikTok than Google as a search engine. This isn’t always reliable for real news because anyone can claim to be an expert, and you wouldn’t know if they’re telling the truth. So, even though they give valuable information in a short time, they can also give misinformation or mislead you.

Short-form videos have changed how we watch and learn things. They fit our short attention spans, are easy to make, and share information quickly. Even though they’re fun and helpful, they can also spread false information or leave out important details. Even with these problems, short-form videos are here to stay, so we should use them in proportion, but also enjoy the benefits.

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Dr. Edward McInnis on the Importance of Preventive Care in Family Medicine

Published

6 days ago

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December 19, 2024

By

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Preventive care is a cornerstone of modern healthcare, emphasizing the importance of addressing potential health concerns before they escalate into severe conditions. By focusing on proactive measures such as regular screenings, vaccinations, and lifestyle counseling, preventive care offers individuals and communities the opportunity to achieve long-term wellness.

Below, Edward McInnis highlights the transformative potential of prevention in reducing healthcare disparities, alleviating systemic challenges, and ensuring that every individual has the tools and access needed to lead a healthier life.

Understanding Preventive Care in Family Medicine

Preventive care in family medicine focuses on proactive measures to maintain health and prevent illness before it occurs. This approach emphasizes regular health evaluations, screenings, and interventions that identify potential issues early, reducing the likelihood of severe complications. Preventive care fosters long-term well-being by addressing risk factors and promoting healthier lifestyles while minimizing the burden of chronic diseases.

The philosophy behind preventive care aligns with the idea that staying healthy is more effective and less costly than treating illnesses after they arise. Early detection of conditions such as hypertension or high cholesterol allows patients and physicians to manage these issues effectively, preventing them from escalating into more severe health problems. Beyond individual benefits, this care model contributes to healthier communities by reducing the overall demand for healthcare systems.

Benefits of Preventive Care for Individuals and Communities

Preventive care profoundly impacts individuals and the broader community by addressing potential health concerns before they evolve into severe conditions. Early detection through routine screenings can significantly lower the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. This improves individual health outcomes and reduces the emotional and financial toll of managing advanced diseases.

Communities prioritizing preventive care experience a ripple effect of healthier populations and reduced strain on healthcare resources. When more people engage in regular check-ups and adopt healthier habits, the prevalence of preventable conditions drops, creating a collective benefit. Individuals who invest in their health through preventive measures often enjoy longer, more active lives, positively influencing families, workplaces, and society.

The economic advantages of preventive care are undeniable, as early intervention typically costs far less than treating advanced illnesses. Vaccination programs, such as those targeting seasonal flu or childhood diseases, can drastically curb outbreaks, saving lives and reducing medical expenses. These benefits demonstrate how preventive care is a cornerstone of sustainable and effective healthcare systems.

Core Preventive Services in Family Medicine

Family medicine emphasizes various preventive services designed to address health needs across all stages of life. Regular health screenings, such as blood pressure and cholesterol checks, are critical in identifying silent health risks. These assessments provide actionable insights that allow individuals to make timely adjustments to their lifestyles or begin treatment when necessary.

Vaccinations are another cornerstone of preventive care, protecting individuals and communities from infectious diseases. From childhood immunizations to seasonal flu shots, these interventions safeguard personal health and prevent the spread of illnesses within larger populations. Counseling services, including guidance on nutrition, exercise, and stress management, empower patients to take an active role in their long-term well-being.

The Role of Family Physicians in Prevention

Family physicians play a pivotal role in fostering preventive care through their ability to build lasting, trust-based relationships with patients. These relationships enable them to understand not just medical histories but also lifestyle factors, family dynamics, and social determinants of health. This comprehensive knowledge allows physicians to craft personalized preventive strategies that resonate with each patient’s unique circumstances, ensuring a more practical approach to maintaining health.

Beyond individual care, family physicians act as educators, equipping patients with the knowledge to make informed health decisions. Whether discussing the significance of regular screenings or addressing misconceptions about vaccines, their guidance helps patients take ownership of their health.

The continuity of care provided by family physicians also ensures that preventive measures are consistently monitored and adjusted as needed, fostering long-term well-being. Their ability to provide holistic and deeply personalized care sets the foundation for healthier patients and communities.

Challenges in Accessing Preventive Care

Despite its proven benefits, accessing preventive care remains challenging for many individuals and communities. Financial barriers, such as lack of insurance coverage or high out-of-pocket costs, often deter people from seeking preventive services. Additionally, limited awareness about the importance of early detection and health promotion means that some individuals may only prioritize preventive care once a health issue becomes severe.

Geographical disparities also play a significant role in limiting access. Rural and underserved areas frequently face shortages of healthcare providers, making it difficult for residents to receive consistent preventive services. In such regions, innovative approaches like mobile health clinics and telemedicine have emerged as solutions to bridge the gap. Expanding these efforts could help overcome logistical obstacles and ensure that preventive care reaches those most in need.

Cultural factors and mistrust of the healthcare system can further complicate access to preventive services. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that includes community engagement, culturally sensitive care, and efforts to build trust between healthcare providers and patients. Strengthening health literacy and facilitating dialogue between healthcare institutions and the communities they serve are also critical steps in overcoming these barriers.

Promoting and Advancing Preventive Care

Advancing preventive care depends on raising awareness and fostering a culture that values proactive health management. Educational campaigns, workplace wellness programs, and school-based health initiatives encourage people to adopt preventive practices. These efforts create an environment where individuals feel empowered to prioritize their well-being, leading to healthier lifestyles and earlier intervention.

The integration of technology is revolutionizing how preventive care is delivered. Wearable devices that track physical activity, heart rate, and sleep patterns provide individuals with real-time data about their health, prompting timely action when irregularities arise. Similarly, data analytics and predictive tools enable healthcare providers to identify at-risk populations and deliver targeted interventions, improving outcomes on a broader scale.

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