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Jax Wechsler | UX Australia Design Research Conference 2022
Sticky Design Studio | [email protected]
Neuroscience
& Design Research
Photo by Moritz Kindler on Unsplash
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My Sweet Spot!
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Topics we will cover
• Neuroscience, Body & Mind
• Polyvegal Theory, Cognition & Behaviour
• Co-regulation & Embodied Self-Awareness
• Strengths, Visioning & Change
• Re
fl
ective Practice & Learning
• Creative Cognition
Photo by John Anvik on Unsplash
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BEING
BEING DOING
IMPLICATIONS
FOR DESIGN
PRACTICE
THEORY
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Acknowledgements
Standing on the shoulders of giants
•Stephen Porges
•Deb Dana
•Amanda Blake
•Alan Fogel
•Ann Betz
•Richard Boyatsis
•Coaches Rising
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Neuroscience
any or all of the sciences which deal
with the structure or function of the
nervous system and brain.
Photo by Fabio Santaniello Bruun on Unsplash
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Photo by Fabio Santaniello Bruun on Unsplash
Neuroscience is a young science,
and is evolving very quickly!!!
Neuroscience
any or all of the sciences which deal
with the structure or function of the
nervous system and brain.
Science is just one of many ways of knowing
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Nervous System
The network of nerve cells and
fi
bres which
transmits nerve impulses between parts of the
body.
We all have a nervous system. That’s the
foundation of our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and
behaviours.
Photo by Raphael Schaller on Unsplash
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Descartes
Cogito, ergo sum
’I think therefore I am’
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Descartes
But actually….
Cogito, ergo sum
’I think therefore I am’
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The brain and body are
inseparably interwoven via
the nervous system.
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Intelligence & Consciousness
is distributed throughout the body
The brain and body are
inseparably interwoven via
the nervous system.
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Polyvegal Theory,
Cognition & Behaviour
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“The nervous system
is at the heart of our
lived experience.”
- Deb Dana
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Polyvegal Theory : Neuroception
“Internal Surveillance System” - Deb Dana
INNER
WORLD
OUTER
WORLD
BETWEEN
RELATIONSHIPS
Neurological mechanisms involved in perceptions of safety, danger or life threat
Adapted from the work of Stephen Porges & Deb Dana
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AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
Polyvegal Theory : Hierarchy
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AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
Polyvegal Theory : Hierarchy
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Mobilisation
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
>> FIGHT/FLIGHT<<
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AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
Polyvegal Theory : Hierarchy
PARA-SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Mobilisation
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
>> FIGHT/FLIGHT<<
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AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
Polyvegal Theory : Hierarchy
PARA-SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
PARA-SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Mobilisation
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
>> FIGHT/FLIGHT<<
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AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
Polyvegal Theory : Hierarchy
DORSAL VAGUS
System of Immobilisation
PARA-SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Immobilisation
>>FREEZE<<
DORSAL VAGUS
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Mobilisation
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
>> FIGHT/FLIGHT<<
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AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
Polyvegal Theory : Hierarchy
PARA-SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Immobilisation
>>FREEZE<<
DORSAL VAGUS
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Mobilisation
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
>> FIGHT/FLIGHT<<
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AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
System of Connection
System of Mobilisation
Polyvegal Theory : Hierarchy
PARA-SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Mobilisation
System of Immobilisation
>>FREEZE<<
DORSAL VAGUS
VENTRAL VAGUS
>>SAFETY<<
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
System of Mobilisation
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
>> FIGHT/FLIGHT<<
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System of Connection
System of Immobilisation
>>FREEZE<<
DORSAL VAGUS
VENTRAL VAGUS
>>SAFETY<<
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
SYSTEM
PARA-SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
VENTRAL VAGUS
DORSAL VAGUS
System of Safety + Connection
System of Mobilisation
System of Immobilisation
SAFETY Health, growth, re
PROTECTION through ac
PROTECTION through d
ADAPTED from Deb Dana
System of Mobilisation
HYPO - AROUSAL
HYPER - AROUSAL
Polyvegal Theory : Hierarchy
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
>> FIGHT/FLIGHT<<
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States of dis-regulation
DORSAL VAGUS
SYMPATHETIC
NERVOUS SYSTEM
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CONNECT PROTECT
Disregulation :
fi
ght/
fl
ight or freeze
Regulation : homeostasis
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Neurobiology of Disregulation
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Implications for Design Research
• When we perceive threat, our nervous systems gets disregulated.
We show physical signs - you can notice this in self and others
• People who have experienced trauma may perceive threat often and
easily fall into disregulated states impacting their cognition.
• When we perceive threat and are in disregulated states, our cognitive
capacity, creativity and ability to work and be together is negatively
impacted
• Feeling safe is important for how we relate and how we think
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What if your neurophysiology could
support safety and connection in
others?
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Co-regulation &
Embodied Awareness
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“Micro-moment to micro-moment, below the level of
our conscious awareness, we are continuously
broadcasting to the world our nervous system’s state,
all the time, and other nervous systems are picking it
up. We are then receiving from the biology of the
people around us these messages, again below the
level of awareness.”
- Deb Dana
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We are linked
Nervous System to Nervous System
Our Nervous systems co-regulate.
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Embodied awareness allows us
to respond creatively and
responsibly in the moment.
Self-awareness is embodied
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Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash
Embodied self-awareness
is a journey….
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Manage your own
embodied response
> Try slowing your breathing down,
> Try speaking slowly
> Speak in a gentle calm, voice
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Meeting distress
You can help someone move through anxiety and come back
to the present moment by inviting them to
(1) feel their in and out-breath
(2) name some objects in the room
(2) wiggle and feel their toes
(4) name 3 things they are hearing
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You help regulate the
bodies of those around you!
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What I am sensing in my body?
What state is my nervous system in?
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Implications for Design Research
• A regulated nervous system enables creativity and higher level thinking
• Being in a regulated state, can in
fl
uence others bringing them into a regulated
state too.
• Don’t freak out if someone else is in a disreglated states. Bring your self into
regulation.
• In work and in play, it is good to become familiar with your own autonomic
states and
fi
nd ways to bring yourself back into regulation eg Taking deep
breaths, Feeling into the sensations of your body.
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Neuroscience,
Visioning & Change
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Activating openness to change
- Richard Boyatsis
Vision
Relationships
Strengths
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Positive
Emotional Attractors (PEA)
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Negative
Emotional Attractors (NEA)
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Appreciative Inquiry
Being strengths based
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Visioning practices
Photos from Social Design Sydney Co-Design Workshop with Liz Sanders in 2018
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Implications for Design Research
• Do not begin a project focused on the problems if you want to seed change.
• Incorporate visioning exercises into your stakeholder and participant
engagement. Co-design and making are playful ways to envision.
• Focus on strengths - Consider Appreciative Inquiry as a strength based
research approach for interviews and workshops.
• Creating visions for the future stimulates creativity and openness for change
• Make sure you keep returning to the vision!
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Reflective Practice
& Learning
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Learning is Neuroplasticity
The brain's ability to change and adapt as a
result of experience.
Learning builds on and changes existing
neural networks.
Learning requires practice through
strengthening of new neural pathways.
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Learning only occurs when a learner can execute all four
stages of the model.
Requires re
fl
ective practice.
Kolb’s Learning Cycle
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Re
fl
ective Practice
Donald Schon
• Donald Schon. The Re
fl
ective Practitioner
• Re
fl
ection-on-action is re
fl
ected after a particular
incident/situation, we analyse, review, and evaluate
• Re
fl
ection-in-action re
fl
ects on the behaviour that
happens
• Knowing in action - tacit knowledge
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Re
fl
ection-on-action
Re
fl
ection-in-action
knowing in action
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What have I learned today?
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Rest and Space
The brain needs spacing. It needs time
to process and re
fl
ect on learning.
The value of rest and daydreaming for
learning and cognition is can not be
underestimated.
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Default and Task
Mode Networks
Two ways of thinking
Two networks in the brain
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Default Mode Network
• Di
ff
use attention, this is what the brain does
at rest.
• Appears to be the default mode of the brain
when we’re not engaged in the world out
there.
• Higher creativity and openness to new ideas
• The background network that helps us
understand ourselves and others
• Helps us be wise
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Emotion & Learning
Learning is strengthened with it occurs
in the presence of strong emotion.
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How might you stimulate
emotion when sharing your
research to encourage learning?
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• Create time for re
fl
ection about your practice alone and with your
team - turn it into a ritual
• Create spaces in your research process for rest - engineer space
between tasks for people to be in the Default Mode Network
• Appeal to emotion when presenting your research as it stimulates
learning
Implications for Design Research
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Creative Cognition
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6 Keys for
Creative Cognition
• (Trust & Safety)
• Listening
• Humour & Play
• Trust
• Novelty
• Externalisation
•
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Listening
encourages creativity in others
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Humour & Play
• Stimulates learning, creativity & cognition
• ‘Connect’ not ‘protect’ mode
• Positive Emotional Attractors
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Externalisation
• Expands cognition
• Encourages learning
• Supports communication &
collaboration
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Novelty
• Stimulates Learning
• Positive emotional Attractors
• Creativity, collaboration and problem
solving
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Generative Design Research
Visioning, play, novelty, externalisation
SRC: Liz Sanders
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Implications for Design Research
• Ensure people feel safe
• Ensure people feel heard : this encourages creative thinking
• Consider utilising objects and making to extend cognition and increase
creativity and problem solving capacity
• When designing generative design research activities and workshops (co-
design) consider using novelty, play, humour, externalisation to encourage
creativity
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Cultivate Your
Self-Awareness
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Your presence and self awareness is important for
Design Research and for your life!
A pathway to self awareness is through your body.
• Can become present in the moment
• Notice states of dis-regulation in yourself and others
• Enhance connection with others
• Create safety through co-regulation
• Increase our presence in the moment
• Respond (!) and pivot in the moment
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When we work through the body we engage with the
fundamental life energy that animates and shapes
who we are. When we connect with this core energy
we contact a vast reservoir of wisdom, compassion,
and intelligence that we’ve neglected. “
- Richard Strozzi-Heckler
“
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Thanks!
Jax Wechsler
[email protected] | @jacwex
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinewechsler/