Our brains on communication.

Have you ever wondered how our brains communicate? What’s the science behind the art of language?

So, I’ll be writing this using language, “because I can”.

Lera Boroditsky just shared through the TED talk How languages shape the way we think…we all communicate with each other by transmitting super complicated, thoughts and ideas to each other.

Yes. We’re just making sounds when we exhale: tones, hisses, puffs → they create vibrations in the air → hits our ear drums → our brains take the vibrations → transmit into into thoughts.

So, did you know, when you tell me your stories and I actively listen to it, we share the “same brains”— same brain patterns, same brain responses in similar brain areas?

How does this happen?! To explain in the terms of 5 year olds….

First. I’m transmitting sound waves to your brain.

Second. your brain is now physically coupled with the sound wave I’m transmitting to your brain.

Third. Your brain and my brain — we have developed a common neural protocol.

This is what allows humans to communicate.

Our brain reacts by telling and listening to stories. Why we can all listen to the same story and share the same neural protocol — is called neural entrainment. Firstly, what’s physical entrainment?

Uri Hasson explains what’s physical entrainment first. Check out these 5 metronomes, and think of them as 5 brains. The brains are like people before they listen to the same story — clicking out of phase. As soon as the story begins, the metronomes are on the plank, the cylinders below rotate — the rotation vibration going through the wood, couple all the metronomes together. See more here

Going back to the brain for neural entrainment — it means, that communication happens on a common ground.

Our abilities to vocalize a sound and story — it is coupled to your brains. This coupling transmits my brain patterns, that have been due to my memories and my ideas, into your brains. That’s how strong speakers use this hidden neural mechanism, to convey strong ideas into your brains. You will think the way I think. The stronger and the more similar our brains become from this transmission, it means the stronger and the more effective the communication.

That’s also why kids, when brought up by parents as babies, they copy all our words and vocal tones, and how accents are learned.

As confusing as this all may sound — let’s be intrigued by the science of words and be coupled to other people, in our minds and out of our mouths. For we are all humans we have been gifted with the magical ability of ‘communication’. Keep using our throats, mouths, tongues to make tones, hisses and puffs, keep conveying ideas for:

The sum of all of us together, coupled, is greater than our parts

Cheers to reading this and that’s it to my weekly TED learning.

My inspirational references.

1. Lera Boroditsky: How languages shape the way we think
2. Uri Hasson: This is your brain on communication