Where are you going? And in going, are you aware? Join neuropsychologist Robert Backer as he explores the intersections of mind-body health, psychological phenomena, and cultural trends.
"My hands were clammy," John recalled. "I felt lightheaded, jittery -- completely stuck. I had just been laid off and sat outside my office, trying to decide what to do next. Part of me wanted to run away. Part of me wanted to do nothing. And part of me wanted to fix it -- now -- before things got worse."
Like John, a twenty-something encountering perhaps his first major life challenge, we often feel both anxiety and apathy battling for control when life throws curveballs. What we do next determines everything.
"Fortunately, I called my friend Adam, a no-nonsense guy. 'Looks like you need to find something better. Start there. Hope you figure it out in time to pay your bills,' he said bluntly. That was the nudge I needed. I spent the next few hours searching job sites and sending out applications. By nightfall, I had real options. That frenetic afternoon led to a career shift I never expected -- but ultimately needed."
Researchers asked 1,001 participants to play a game in which they had to guess a winning color. Players bet on red, blue, or green and, after selecting their choice, were told whether they would receive a reward or not. Each color's odds changed each round, and players had to adapt.
Why would a game like this make people anxious or apathetic? The key to the study lies in the players and not the game itself. Researchers surveyed participants and selected the top and bottom 25 percent of most or least anxious and apathetic players, which allowed them to view how even subtle differences in perception can shift decisions under uncertainty.
Anxious participants saw the game as unpredictable and frequently switched their choices, trying to stay ahead of change. Apathetic ones saw it as random and stopped exploring new options, sticking with familiar choices even when losing.
The experiment mirrors real life. At the precipice between anxiety and apathy, there is a perceptual divide. Anxious people view their environment as uncertain but attempt to account for it by doing more. Those who are apathetic don't believe their actions will make much of a difference and disengage.
At the core, the difference is agency -- the belief that our actions matter.
In the brain, volatility -- so long as it's not overwhelming -- can often be the catalyst for learning.
Apathy, in contrast, can conserve energy -- but at the cost of missed opportunities. Of course, sometimes taking "a step back" or "taking a day" might be the right move -- it all depends on your circumstances.
The authors remarked, "If outcomes seem random and beyond our control, expending energy to explore may seem futile, and focusing on what we know seems rational."