Cognitive flexibility, what it is and how to enhance it

Cognitive flexibility is the key to intelligence. It is the mental gear that allows us to think about several ideas at the same time, discard some, evaluate others, react to new situations using experience and also creativity. Few executive functions help us so much to be able to adapt more effectively to each of our contexts.

Albert Einstein said that brilliant is he who dares to change his ideas at a given moment. Nothing is so necessary. Nothing is as extraordinary and vital in the human being as our ability to readjust behaviors and thoughts to survive successfully and move forward with greater audacity. This is how we best take advantage of the complexity of each scenario to obtain the maximum benefit.

At the same time, it is also necessary to know that cognitive flexibility has a key importance in our learning and the ability to solve any problem, no matter how small. Thanks to this mental competence, we discover new strategies to deal with each situation we encounter.reducing uncertainty and stress.

The implication of this competition is, as we can imagine, immense. We all have this psychological faculty but sometimes, yes, it rusts, we do not use it well or we become somewhat inflexible and short-sighted. Not being able to see the multiple perspectives of our reality is like putting locks on our happiness…

Cognitive flexibility mediates our daily well-being

Cognitive flexibility is like traveling by train, but making it a very special trip. It’s like getting into a car and sitting in the window to observe the landscape, paying attention to every detail, every perspective. That train is going in a specific direction but, at a given moment, as good travelers, we can choose to change lines because we decide that it is better to take the opposite direction. Either because a danger arises, or because we decide that this change of direction best suits our needs.

In every change, in every observation made and decision made, we trace our daily destiny in harmony and well-being. We do it boldly because we dare to react to each situation with confidence and creativity. Now… what would a person with little cognitive flexibility do? In this case, we would have a traveler who would buy a ticket in a car without windows.

He does not observe anything around him, he does not react and he limits himself to “letting himself go” in a single direction, towards an uncertain destiny. Cognitive inflexibility leads us in many cases towards depression or anxiety. It is something important that we must consider, because those who stay stuck in that wagon where thoughts are rigid, without perspectives and ruminative, plunge us into absolute emotional darkness.

Why is cognitive flexibility important?

Cognitive flexibility is an executive function. What does this mean? It implies that we are dealing with a series of mental processes that help us improve our behavior and achieve goals. Thanks to executive functions, complex and abstract thinking is promoted, those qualities that differentiate us from other species and that help us react in an innovative way.

Now, but why is cognitive flexibility so important in our daily lives?

It allows us to better detect information from the environment, process it and respond to it.Thanks to cognitive flexibility we tolerate changes better; something essential in such a complex reality. At the same time, We also manage to adapt better to any context.This competence allows us to see things from multiple perspectives. This way, we have more variables to solve problems.It helps us tolerate mistakes and overcome them in an original way.Cognitive flexibility is understanding and empathy. It is being able to intuit why things are the way they are at a given moment, it is knowing why that friend has acted as they have, it is looking for the possible causes of those daily problems that we have with those around us. It promotes resilience by allowing us to overcome and face obstacles.It allows us to deactivate prejudices to think and act authentically.

Examples of cognitive flexibility

To better understand what cognitive flexibility is about, below we present some examples that reflect how this ability appears in our daily lives.

It’s time for breakfast and we realize that there is no bread left to make a sandwich. In this unexpected situation, Cognitive flexibility will allow us to mentally evaluate a series of alternatives, such as preparing a breakfast with other ingredients, having breakfast in a cafeteria, etc. On the other hand, if we did not have this capacity sufficiently developed, we would surely get angry and go out to complete our day without eating. Suppose we always walk to work, but one day it starts to rain so hard that it prevents us from leaving the house without getting soaked. Like the previous case, cognitive flexibility will allow us to consider other options, such as ordering a taxi to get to work on time. If a close friend suddenly stops talking to us, Mental flexibility would help us understand the reasons, question our point of view and put ourselves in their place.. In addition, it would give us the ability to look for ways to solve the problem. If when we call a friend on the phone and they do not answer us after a couple of attempts, we do not continue insisting and we understand that they cannot answer us at the moment. In this case, being able to stop calling until someone answers us is being mentally flexible.

Cognitive Rigidity: deficits in mental flexibility

Cognitive rigidity is the lack of mental flexibility. Therefore, refers to the inability to change behavior or beliefs when they are being ineffective in achieving our objectives.. In fact, when rigidity is very established, it can cause alterations in the regulation of one’s own behavior, such as perseveration (reiteration of actions that were effective at the time but are no longer adaptive).

People with mental rigidity tend to stay “stuck” in one point and are unable to get out of there.. Like, for example, getting “stuck” looking again and again for sandwich bread for breakfast.

Although, it is pertinent to highlight that There are degrees of flexibility and mental rigidity. The example given above would be a high level of rigidity. But there are cases that are not so obvious and that affect people’s lives in one way or another (as is the typical situation of those individuals who believe they are always right and never give in).

Now, why does cognitive rigidity occur? One of the explanations is that the human brain always seeks stability, so it tries to reduce uncertainty at all costs. In the case of people with mental rigidity, This need for control leads them to maintain their behavior or way of thinking, even though it harms their adaptation to the environment.

Disorders associated with cognitive rigidity

Mental rigidity is usually present in a series of mental disorders, either because cognitive flexibility is directly altered, or because the functions that depend on it are altered.

For example, we can find mental rigidity in:

Young children with attention difficulties.People who have suffered a head injury.Stroke. Complex disorders such as: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders (Asperger’s and autism) or eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa). People with addictions, etc.

For its part, Older adults often experience deterioration in their mental flexibility as a result of aging.. In these cases, processing speed and cognitive performance decrease as age progresses.

How can we enhance our cognitive flexibility?

As we have previously pointed out, The lack of cognitive flexibility results in rigid thinking. The lack of this competence makes us unable to change beliefs and behaviors when they lead us towards unhappy or useless realities.

It is therefore essential that we train and enhance this mental flexibility. How? These strategies can help us.

Pay attention to your thoughts and apply a divergent approach. Look for more creative solutions to everyday problems. Try to see everything that happens to you from multiple perspectives, be critical, never be left with the only option.Be intentional and proactive. Ask yourself questions about things, dare to act. Likewise, instead of reacting to what happens to you, be prepared, evaluate what options you have in each circumstance.Participate in debates. There you can value different points of view and open your mind to them.Try to break the routine as much as possible. Do new things every day, learn languages, sign up for courses. Stay curious about knowledge.Boost your creativity. She tries to go beyond the conventional and usual, she spends time imagining and thinking about new ways of seeing things.Exercise, stay active. The brain needs a body in movement to oxygenate itself and benefit from neurochemicals such as endorphins or serotonin. All of this favors cognitive flexibility.Identify those own attitudes that are typical of cognitive rigidity. Everyone, at some point in life, can become mentally rigid. Like when we need something to happen in a certain way because if it doesn’t we consider it to be done poorly.

In conclusion, As the great neurologist and popularizer Oliver Sacks said, life is made of resistance and uncertainties. Thus, only a flexible mind will be able to face difficulties to survive and achieve happiness. Let’s work on it, let’s make use of cognitive flexibility daily.

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