Head, Heart, Gut. Your three brains.

There is now a robust body of research into the nature of decision making and in particular into the roles of cognition, emotion, and intuition in human decision making.

These theories assert that human information processing is accomplished in two different, but complementary ways (“analytically” or “intuitively”) through two substantially different and differently evolved types of thinking.

System 1 is both fast and intuitive and System 2 is much slower and more deliberate in function. 

System 2, the analytic system, is slower and involves conscious, deliberate cognitive processes and logical, reason-oriented thinking.

In contrast, System 1, the faster experiential system, uses emotion-related associations, intuitions, and “gut instincts” when making decisions.

This indicates that far from involving only head–brain based cognitive or logical (System 2) processes, decision making is intrinsically and deeply entwined with emotional and bodily (System 1) experiences.

Head, Heart, and Gut in Decision Making: Development of a Multiple Brain Preference Questionnaire, Grant Soosalu, Suzanne Henwood and Arun Deo, Sage Journals, 2019

Photo: Tim Mossholder @ Unsplash

When we are making decisions about what we want or what needs to change - we often assume we are using our rational minds (our cognitive brain) to help us. There will be a right, and a wrong answer.

Feeling polarised like this can often weaken our confidence to make the decision at all - and so, especially when it comes to big life decisions like a new job or moving home, we feel a bit trapped in the not knowing.

As extracts from a recent journal article above highlight, we are often using a range of sources of information to help us make decisions - equally important and valuable as our rational minds. These other sources don’t depend so much on a logical right/wrong split - but rather rely on a sense, a feeling, or an instinct.

We know from experience that decisions might look good on paper, but just don’t feel right. Or leave us feeling like we’re working against our instincts, like a wave pulling away from a shore rather than crashing onto it.

What scientific research is telling us - in addition to what we already know in our bodies and hearts - is that we have three active brains - the head (the cephalic brain), the heart (the cardiac brain) and the gut (the enteric brain)

The Head Brain

Your head brain deals with cognition, perception and it’s what allows yu to master language and communication. Neurons in the brain help to process and send information where synapses, electrical impulses and hormones talk to each other. This is what gives you the ability to identify objects, patterns and make sense of the world; where creativity and conscious thought take place.

The Heart Brain

The heart has about 40,000 neurons that operate independently from the brain. Think of your heart as your emotional brain. It is connected to what you value in life and how you feel. Your heart communicates with your head both through electrical signals and chemicals. This is why a healthy heart is necessary for a healthy mind.

The Gut Brain

You have 100 million neurons in your gut. Your gut helps to regulate hormones, metabolism, blood pressure and processes information as you sleep. The gut sends about 400 times more messages to the brain, than the brain to the gut. Your gut plays a key part in your emotions. For example, almost 95% of your body’s serotonin is found in the gut.

(Source: Sun Warrior post)

Some questions for you.

How well do your head, heart and gut communicate with each other?

Which of your brains do you rely on to help you make decisions?

If there is something that needs your attention this new year, which of your brains needs to speak first this time?

If you could imagine your three brains as three different characters, how would you describe them?

• What do they look like?

• How do they sound and what do they commonly say?

• What do they wear, smell like, like for breakfast?

• What are their greatest strengths - and their most obvious flaws?

• What else feels important to mention about these three characters?

• Do you like them, trust them, want to listen to what they have to say?

• If not - why not - and how does that affect how you make decisions?