Making Decisions
We make decisions daily. As a matter of fact we make decisions every few minutes from quick decisions to important decisions with long-term effects. There are also a myriad of decisions that are in between.
In his book Thinking Fast and Slow, 2002 Nobel Prize winning author Daniel Kahneman talks about two systems of decision making. System 1 is our intuitive and fast thinking side. This is the decision that can happen without "knowing" when your body reacts to a danger or threat. The instinct to run away at the sight of a danger is regulated by System 1. System 2 is our analytical and slow thinking side. It is the part of the brain we use to solve problems, overcome challenges, or figure out the name of the note that is written on the staff.
In the Suzuki lesson, our Suzuki teachers make hundreds of small decisions throughout the lesson. The first important one is to listen to a piece: "Which piece should I ask for first?" After listening, the teacher must decide "What should I choose to say that is positive?" Then, the teacher must decide "What should I choose to work on?" The teacher is deciding all along the way, "What will allow this student to play better?" "What technical issue is blocking the smooth execution of the notes or bow arm?" A Suzuki teacher's decisions are made through a combination of intuition (System 1) and experience (System 2).
The student of music must also use a combination of these two systems: Hearing the music and feeling its musicality involves System 1. Playing with correct intonation, finger position or balance requires System 2's analytic and decision making processes. As parents, we ask that you consider giving time to your child to "process" her playing using both System 1 and System 2. This may mean that one must pause and not react so quickly (your own System 1 in action) and let the child explore her own decisions in making her playing better. Giving time to both of your System 2's means not reacting so quickly to any mistakes you may hear.
Kahneman also writes "As you become skilled in a task, its demand for energy diminishes. Studies of the brain have shown that the pattern of activity associated with an action changes as skill increases, with fewer brain regions involved."(1) Dr. Suzuki knew this instinctively. He taught and trained other teachers to focus on one teaching point at a time. Repetition during practices allows the skill to be practiced to a point where less and less brain power is required to accomplish a successful result. We call this ability development. A student who is just learning the notes to a piece does not always have the brain power to also pay attention to fingering, rhythm, bowings or dynamics. After the notes are learned, the brain then has the capacity to focus on other aspects of playing the piece. The "review" in a Suzuki lesson allows us to shift the focus to these important musical and technical points. After the notes are learned, the true progress can be made to reach a higher level of skill and musicianship going to more depth.
What is fascinating about this understanding of System 1 and System 2 of the brain is that if one is occupied, the other is less "available." System 1 has the advantage because it is fast and reflexive. People can be susceptible to make "decisions" that are biased or prejudiced because System 1 is so fast and will ignore the input from System 2's rational and data driven decision. Being comfortable with the familiar can lead us to always make the same choices simply because System 1 can react fast. This creates a challenge as we try to combat racism and judgmental behaviors. We must consciously "slow down" and save decisions for when System 2 can also have input. Balancing System 1 and System 2 using both intuition, experience and knowledge can lead to better decisions.
As students practice, they generally have a tendency to play fast and to play the whole piece through. The challenge is to engage their System 2 brain to take over. Suzuki teachers have a technique of "stop and go", "prepare and play" or "freeze and go." This short pause allows the student to think and allows System 2 to help with the new skill being practiced.
There is a mental shortcut that Kahneman and colleague Amos Tversky call "representativeness." This is to make snap judgments based upon an appearance that two situations are similar. On the flip side, System 2 can speed up with experience in recognizing known situations. This is a positive element that allows a Chess grandmaster to "see" the way to a series of winning moves. It may look like System 1's intuition has taken over, but in truth the experienced decisions of System 2 have been fully practiced that the skill has become a highly learned ability. The Suzuki philosophy follows this way of thinking and it is why we say that "talent" is nurtured not inborn. The ease of playing comes from having used System 2's analytic ability repetitively (i.e. practicing) that the skill now takes up less brain activity and looks effortless. We all know that there were many hours of hard work that allowed this achievement.
Kahneman gives an excellent illustration of System 1 overcoming System 2:
Here is a simple puzzle. Do not try to solve it but listen to your intuition:
A bat and Ball cost $1.10
The bat costs one dollar more than the ball
How much does the ball cost? (2)
Did you think the answer was $0.10? This puzzle is meant to evoke an answer that is intuitive, appealing, and wrong. The correct answer is $0.05 but it takes the effort to resist System 1's answer and allow System 2 to take over and make the effort to check over the answer.
Living in our current world through over two years of a pandemic controlling our behaviors and our society, we are using substantial mental effort to stay focused and making decisions to allow us to function as normally and safely as possible. Our children, too, are required to adapt to these safety precautions. To think before engaging in contact, to put on a mask before going out, to act differently by turning off their spontaneity. Understandably, we adults recognize this is happening to ourselves and our children. We must allow for the fatigue in our children that their System 2's are experiencing. Occasionally we may need to allow ourselves the emotional responses of System 1.
As we approach the April break week, I am hoping you will all enjoy the rest and engagement of both System 1 and System 2 in your decision making! We strive to allow our emotional expression and joy of favorite music to fulfill our System 1 brain. Likewise, we engage in slower decision making using System 2 when we have more time, and are not in a rush. Hopefully, next week will allow all of us many moments of making decisions that are balanced using both our systems.
(1) p.35, Kahneman, Daniel. Thinking Fast and Slow; New York: Farrer, Strauss, Geroux. 2011
(2) p. 44, ibid.