Sources
https://www.amazon.com/Ship-Theseus-J-Abrams/dp/0316201642
https://psychcentral.com/lib/music-how-it-impacts-your-brain-emotions/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-music-make-us-fe/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/naked-truth/201410/music-is-what-feelings-sound/
https://www.wired.com/2011/01/the-neuroscience-of-music/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-truisms-wellness/201601/music-s-power-explained
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-be-brilliant/201206/why-we-remember-song-lyrics-so-well
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140417-why-does-music-evoke-memories
(BEST) https://vanwinkles.com/scientists-are-working-on-perfecting-a-method-of-triggering-and-changing-memories-while-we-sleep
https://www.philosophy-foundation.org/enquiries/view/the-ship-of-theseus/
https://psychcentral.com/lib/music-how-it-impacts-your-brain-emotions/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-music-make-us-fe/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/naked-truth/201410/music-is-what-feelings-sound/
https://www.wired.com/2011/01/the-neuroscience-of-music/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-truisms-wellness/201601/music-s-power-explained
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-be-brilliant/201206/why-we-remember-song-lyrics-so-well
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20140417-why-does-music-evoke-memories
(BEST) https://vanwinkles.com/scientists-are-working-on-perfecting-a-method-of-triggering-and-changing-memories-while-we-sleep
https://www.philosophy-foundation.org/enquiries/view/the-ship-of-theseus/
Script
Remember me - Use Memories to Control Feelings | Sai-cology [Ep. 8]
Hey y’all, how ya doing? How ya feeling? Good? Well today we’ll be talking about how to control what others feel.
SAICOLOGY INTRO
I’m Saira and your watching Sai-cology, the show where we talk about how to use Science and Psychology to change your life. If you’re new here be sure to check out the past episodes, and subscribe and hit that bell for new episodes.
Music to Your Ears
We all know how powerful music can be, but why? Music has a structure that is predictable. Composers can manipulate emotions by using those predictable structures and either meeting or subverting them. Our response to dance along to the beat is unconscious-- our brain and body just take over-- or rather the rhythm does. Music can make happy people happier or sad people sadder, or vs. versa! There are some key types of emotional music listening. 1. Solace - listening to music that match your emotions to feel understood and less lonely. 2. Diversion - music that distracts you from your emotional state. And 3. Discharge - Listening to music that matches your emotion to better express your emotion. Music can help our ability to reduce anxiety, fight depression and improve our immune system.
Music is also one of the strongest memories we have -- If you ever play a song from years ago, that you haven’t listened too at all - you may be surprised to find you still know all the lyrics and melody-- and our brains can remember thousands and thousands of different lyrics and melodies easily. This is partially thanks to the patterns, rhymes, and repetition within music.
When you hear an iconic opening and know exactly what song it is-- your mood instantly changes and your memories associated with that song come flooding back as if someone had just turned on a light switch. There is also more connections to popular music from our teens and twenties because of a reminiscence bump -- which is because this time in our life is important, forming and exciting (supposedly), so it holds more of a sentimental value.
So, how can you use this? If you know someone well, you can find songs that have particular connections to them and by playing them, influence their emotions and thoughts by what memories come forward to them -- a form of priming. You can use it on yourself as well -- help you feel better, cry it out, or work out your anger.
Use the powers for good folks.
The Good Ole Days
Another related topic is Memory retrieval or Reactivation. One technique of this is called Targeted Memory Reactivation and uses sounds and smells to induce memories while we sleep. It is especially strong this time because while we sleep we consolidate memories through neural replay. The right smells or noises can help strengthen or alter memories. Every time you remember something it changes a little bit based on your mindset at the moment of remembering - bringing memories to the forefront allows them to be malleable and for others to influence your thoughts and feelings on the past. This has huge potential use and application. However there are some cautions. One is the possibility of creating false memories or memories of things that didn’t actually happen. The other is that memories aren’t isolated -- if you bring back memories from a certain time in someone's life with music or smell it can bring back related memories and feelings from that time -- old grudges that they thought they were over, sentimental feelings for things or people no longer in their life. Memories help define us and what we do or don’t remember help form who we are and point is in a direction to move forward.
If memories and how they shape us is something that interests you, you may find the Ship of Theseus Paradox interesting as well. This is a thought experiment where as a ship sails, each plank is slowly replaced and by the time it lands, it has completely new parts-- is it the same ship? More simply, with the Hammer of Thor - if the head is replaced, then the handle -- is it now a new hammer, or the same old mjolnir? (@Thor the Dark World). Worse- if someone makes a hammer using the original head and original handle is this now a new hammer-- do you have 2 new hammers, one old one new or just one? There’s lots more on this you can read in the resources down below and in a book experience called “S.” or “Ship of Theseus” (Fittingly) by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst (The people who did Star Wars and Lost). Anyways, this is related to our memories and how they change as we grow and change as people. If you replace one memory of our past, will if change who we are in the present or future? How do our past selves affect our present selves and where is the cutoff line for when we change to become a new person? If we have no memories of our pasts, who are we and who do we become?
Today, we talked about the power of memory and how it can affect our identity. First we covered music then how to influence cognition during sleep through our senses. Next week, we’ll talk about how to control what other people want. Be sure to like, subscribe, and comment down below your thoughts, questions or experiences.
See you next time, and remember, to behave yourself!
Hey y’all, how ya doing? How ya feeling? Good? Well today we’ll be talking about how to control what others feel.
SAICOLOGY INTRO
I’m Saira and your watching Sai-cology, the show where we talk about how to use Science and Psychology to change your life. If you’re new here be sure to check out the past episodes, and subscribe and hit that bell for new episodes.
Music to Your Ears
We all know how powerful music can be, but why? Music has a structure that is predictable. Composers can manipulate emotions by using those predictable structures and either meeting or subverting them. Our response to dance along to the beat is unconscious-- our brain and body just take over-- or rather the rhythm does. Music can make happy people happier or sad people sadder, or vs. versa! There are some key types of emotional music listening. 1. Solace - listening to music that match your emotions to feel understood and less lonely. 2. Diversion - music that distracts you from your emotional state. And 3. Discharge - Listening to music that matches your emotion to better express your emotion. Music can help our ability to reduce anxiety, fight depression and improve our immune system.
Music is also one of the strongest memories we have -- If you ever play a song from years ago, that you haven’t listened too at all - you may be surprised to find you still know all the lyrics and melody-- and our brains can remember thousands and thousands of different lyrics and melodies easily. This is partially thanks to the patterns, rhymes, and repetition within music.
When you hear an iconic opening and know exactly what song it is-- your mood instantly changes and your memories associated with that song come flooding back as if someone had just turned on a light switch. There is also more connections to popular music from our teens and twenties because of a reminiscence bump -- which is because this time in our life is important, forming and exciting (supposedly), so it holds more of a sentimental value.
So, how can you use this? If you know someone well, you can find songs that have particular connections to them and by playing them, influence their emotions and thoughts by what memories come forward to them -- a form of priming. You can use it on yourself as well -- help you feel better, cry it out, or work out your anger.
Use the powers for good folks.
The Good Ole Days
Another related topic is Memory retrieval or Reactivation. One technique of this is called Targeted Memory Reactivation and uses sounds and smells to induce memories while we sleep. It is especially strong this time because while we sleep we consolidate memories through neural replay. The right smells or noises can help strengthen or alter memories. Every time you remember something it changes a little bit based on your mindset at the moment of remembering - bringing memories to the forefront allows them to be malleable and for others to influence your thoughts and feelings on the past. This has huge potential use and application. However there are some cautions. One is the possibility of creating false memories or memories of things that didn’t actually happen. The other is that memories aren’t isolated -- if you bring back memories from a certain time in someone's life with music or smell it can bring back related memories and feelings from that time -- old grudges that they thought they were over, sentimental feelings for things or people no longer in their life. Memories help define us and what we do or don’t remember help form who we are and point is in a direction to move forward.
If memories and how they shape us is something that interests you, you may find the Ship of Theseus Paradox interesting as well. This is a thought experiment where as a ship sails, each plank is slowly replaced and by the time it lands, it has completely new parts-- is it the same ship? More simply, with the Hammer of Thor - if the head is replaced, then the handle -- is it now a new hammer, or the same old mjolnir? (@Thor the Dark World). Worse- if someone makes a hammer using the original head and original handle is this now a new hammer-- do you have 2 new hammers, one old one new or just one? There’s lots more on this you can read in the resources down below and in a book experience called “S.” or “Ship of Theseus” (Fittingly) by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst (The people who did Star Wars and Lost). Anyways, this is related to our memories and how they change as we grow and change as people. If you replace one memory of our past, will if change who we are in the present or future? How do our past selves affect our present selves and where is the cutoff line for when we change to become a new person? If we have no memories of our pasts, who are we and who do we become?
Today, we talked about the power of memory and how it can affect our identity. First we covered music then how to influence cognition during sleep through our senses. Next week, we’ll talk about how to control what other people want. Be sure to like, subscribe, and comment down below your thoughts, questions or experiences.
See you next time, and remember, to behave yourself!