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Over Eastern weekend, we took a break to go visit my mom in West Virginia. On the morning of Good Frida, as we sat in the breakfast area of the Hampton Inn, which by the way, had only started serving the full hot breakfast again the day before, I watched, amused, as people strolled in wearing their COVID facemask. They would collect their meal, sit down to eat, and take the thing off, or let it hang to the side from one ear. When finished, they would mindlessly put it back on, seemingly never once giving a second thought to the stupidity of it all. The ritual reminded me of what slaves to habit we humans beings can be.
Habits. We all have them, some good, some bad. Some we are conscious of, others, perhaps not so much.
Habits in Aviation
The airlines stress flow patterns when training cockpit crews. These are ritualized sequences of checks and switch positions, which the pilot reviews with a checklist once complete. Some operators take it a step further by specifying certain callouts between crew members during specific phases of flight, some even calling such rhythmic communication “mouth music.” There is good reason for this as nickname, as music activates nearly all areas of the brain. Pilots practice normal, and certain critical emergency procedures until they become habitual. The reason is simple – studies have shown that by reducing these procedures to habit, and then backing the action up with a checklist, consistently reduces errors by flight crews. Habit alone induces errors, as does checklist usage alone. The two together, however, are a powerful error mitigation tool.
As a flight instructor, previously for the military, and now for general aviation (private) and charter operators, I strive to instill good habit patterns in my students. And the reason is the same. However, while some habits, such as those described above can be productive, and lead to a safe, uneventful flight, others may be exactly counterproductive and lead to an incident or even a mishap.
A personal example of this is almost twenty years ago. During the middle of my initial instructor training in the C-26D Metroliner, which I was flying out of Naples, Italy at the time, I was scheduled for a regular line mission to bring one of the admirals and his staff back Sigonella. It was my landing from the left seat and the aircraft was heavy. Because my last several flights had been at much lighter aircraft training weights, my “muscle memory,” i.e., my habit, for the power lever position had been reprogrammed to a lower power setting. I pranged the landing in, bounced the aircraft, and with max red face, opted for a go-around. On the next pass, I did not rely on habitual muscle memory, paid attention to the actual power setting, and made a smooth landing. Fortunately, the admiral was a “frequent flyer,” in fact he knew us by first name, and more importantly was an aviator himself. He was light hearted about the entire event, not doubt having made a similar mistake in his younger flying days.
But how are habits, be they good or bad, formed, and what pray tell, does this have to do with COVID masks?
Habitual Neurology
First, let’s take a look at some basic biology. The human brain is incredibly malleable, and in fact will rewire itself after injury. However, our own actions and thoughts can do the same thing. The first time we do any movement, or think any thought, a bio/chemical/electric link is established between neurons associated with that action or thought. As we continue to repeat that action or thought, the associated pathways are reinforced. Hebb’s Law, conceived by Freud, and summarized by neuroscientist Carla Shatz, essentially states that,
Neurons that fire together, wire together. [1]
The converse is also true. If neurons that had wired together are not used, in other words the action or thoughts associated with those pathways are not performed or thought, then the bio/chemical/electric link between the associated neurons weaken. Or,
Neurons that fire apart, wire apart. [2]
There are a couple of old adages that relate to habits. The first is, “Repetition is the mother of learning.” The second is something akin to, “I’m stuck in a rut.” The last is, “Use it or lose it,” referring to skills. When viewed from the perspective of Hebb’s Law, we see that these maxims have a very real basis in biology.
As we repeat something, it becomes easier and easier to do. Because the neural pathways become reinforced with repetition, we may well find ourselves “stuck in a rut” of habit, be that negative self-talk, grabbing a drink every day after work, or having difficulty adapting to a new aircraft. Similarly, if we quit doing something, whether that is smoking, doing a particular yoga pose, or stop beating ourselves up, it becomes easier and easier to not do or think that particular action or thought. It may take as little as 18 days or as much as 254 days of consistency to establish or break a habit.
It all might seem like common sense; however, my experience is that far too many fail to give any thought to the process, let alone even understand it on the very superficial level I’ve described it here.
The COVID Mask Habit
Now let’s turn our attention to the ever-present symbol of our day, the COVID face mask. 😷
I’ve written previously on the hazards of wearing them, including the fact that they tend to induce both hypoxia and hypercania, the later of which is associated with confusion, anxiety, and fear.
When humans are in one or more of these metal states, they are more likely to do things that they might not otherwise. Think back to last year of the build up of what I call "fear-porn" concerning COVID-19. People were confused, anxious, afraid. Now, mix in a deferential attitude toward authority, which I’ve previously written about. If a person was predisposed toward believing all the hype the media was throwing out about this virus and toward believing what the authorities said, be those Fauci or the state governor, how much easier would it have been to first put on the COVID mask when told to?
But once it was done the first time, neurons, which are associated with both the action of wearing the mask and the belief that the mask protected against the spread of COVID, fired and began to wire together. Because the mask induces hyercania, the confusion, anxiety, and fear associated with COVID, and life in general, is now heightened in this person. They are told to told done the mask again. Each time they do so the bio/chemical/electrical pathways associated with this act and belief are strengthened. Wash, rinse, repeat and soon enough wearing the COVID mask becomes … HABIT. Repetition is the mother of learning, after all.
Are we Stuck in a Rut?
The short answer is no. Just as we can establish good habits, we can unlearn bad habits. This is even more true if we have already learned a good habit, such as not wearing a face mask, but have replaced it with a bad habit, such as wearing a COVID mask. If a person has gotten in the habit of wearing one, the first time they go into a store or work without one may be difficult, even scary. However, the pathways associated with wearing a mask now start to weaken and those associated with not wearing a mask are starting to reform. Every time this person goes out without a mask, it becomes easier. The good news is that because a year ago, they were used to not wearing one, there are residual pathways and neural connections associated with that, so the “recovery” process, so to speak, is much quicker.
One of the best examples I know that illustrates and ties all this together, in an extremely vivid example, senza the COVID mask, is, The Backwards Brain Bicycle - Smarter Every Day 133.
At only eight minutes in length, I encourage everyone to watch it. Afterwards, take the damn mask off, change your habit, and stop participating in the stupidity!
Thanks for reading folks,
Namaste,
😊🙏
Mark
April 10, 2021
References (not hyperlinked):
[1] Doidge, Norman. The Brain That Changes Itself (James H. Silberman Books) (p. 63). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
[2] Ibid. p. 64
Bibliography:
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