Psychology Playtime: Don’t Think About Polar Bears
Dr. Carla Engelbrecht is an expert in educational technology and CEO and Founder of Betweened, expertly curated, family-friendly entertainment (iOS and Android). Her writing focuses on helping caregivers connect with kids through technology.
Cognitive psychology is teeming with playful experiments that we can explore with children, helping them understand the intricate workings of our brains. These activities not only spark curiosity but also foster engaging discussions about our mental processes. The Don't Think Challenge is a simple and intriguing experiment that illustrates the sometimes ironic nature of our thoughts.
The Challenge: Don't think about a polar bear for 60 seconds. You can choose any object, but for our purposes, we'll stick with the classic example often used in psychological studies: the polar bear.
The Outcome: What happened during the challenge? Did the image of the polar bear keep popping into your mind, despite your efforts to suppress it? If it did, you've just experienced a common psychological phenomenon firsthand.
This outcome is explained by the "Ironic Process Theory," first described by social psychologist Daniel Wegner in the 1980s. Wegner's theory suggests that our attempts to suppress certain thoughts only make them more persistent. This experiment demonstrates how our brains aren't always under our conscious control, especially when it comes to not thinking about something. It’s a quirky yet effective way to show that trying not to think about something can bring that very thing to the forefront of our minds.
This playful challenge not only illuminates a curious aspect of cognitive psychology but also offers a gateway to discuss how this phenomenon appears in everyday life. For instance, consider the classic scenario during long road trips when someone mentions waterfalls just as you're trying not to think about needing a bathroom—a surefire way to make the thought stick! Or, when someone advises, "Don't worry about it," and suddenly, that's all you can focus on.
These everyday examples can help children see the practical implications of the Ironic Process Theory in their own lives. Discussing these scenarios can deepen their understanding of how our minds work and demonstrate that sometimes, the more we try to suppress a thought or a worry, the more prominent it becomes. This can be a comforting lesson, showing that such experiences are common and perfectly normal. Engaging children in this way helps them relate complex psychological concepts to their personal experiences, enriching their learning and encouraging thoughtful reflection about their own thinking processes.
Dr. Carla Engelbrecht is a highly-selective mom, product leader, and internationally recognized expert on children’s education and entertainment technology. As founder of Betweened, she's on a mission to transform entertainment for kids and their families. If you haven’t already, sign up for the newsletter to get more articles like this or enjoy our free 60 minute video on how to manage when technology goes sideways.
