We have always argued the right words matter. The new cognitive science of how language works now reinforces the importance of paying attention to language in its effects. Something that urgently needs to be done in relation to COVID-19. ‘Social Distancing’ and ‘Lockdown’ being two examples of language that has affected people in ways unanticipated by their authors and more than unhelpful for their audience.
The new science of language (based on embodied mental simulation and predictive processing theories, see the article - What are brains for? - in our theory blog ) demonstrates that when we hear or read a word we experience embodied simulations that inform us of the meaning of that word. Let’s take a simple example, the term ‘chocolate cake’, or if you would like to switch to a healthier embodied simulation, the word ‘strawberry’. You may not have been fully aware, but you will have accessed an embodied experience, or more accurately and embodied simulation associated with each these words to make sense of them. What do we mean by embodied experience or simulation? We mean some or all of the sensory experiences associated with each, what they look like, their colour, their shape, what they taste like, perhaps how they feel in the mouth, their smell. Indeed, your mouth might begin to water.
Additionally, these embodied simulations can bring forward broader concepts and contexts associated with the word or term. For example, the context where you last tasted a strawberry, or where you typically eat them, perhaps what you eat them with - cream, sugar, chocolate. We call this filling in, the filling in of information that is not in the dictionary definition of the word. It’s also useful to note that you have these sensory embodied simulations even if someone says “don’t think about a strawberry” or “don’t eat that chocolate cake”.
With this in mind let’s consider some of the language used in connection with COVID-19 in the UK. Starting with the word ‘social’, from the term ‘social distancing’. How do you typically feel, and what comes to mind when you hear or read the word ‘social’. What do you picture or recall? Take some moments to notice.
Now think about the word ‘distance, distancing’ and perhaps the term ‘keeping your distance’, or ‘being distant’. What’s the feeling, what do you notice, what comes to mind?
And so what happens when you combine them and think about the term ‘social distancing’? What happens? What was your experience when you first heard the phrase? For some people it was confusing, what does it mean you have to do, so what do you simulate in your mind, what can you picture doing? Also as you can see from the pictures above there is a natural contradiction - being social but being distant! For others it created the sense of isolation, after-all what does it typically mean when some is ‘being distant’ from you, and you need to be ‘distant from them’.
And then what if you add in the term ‘lockdown’. What is and was your response to this term, what’s the feeling, what comes to mind?
What’s it like to think about your home in terms of ‘going into lockdown’ at home? Does this change the way you think about home? For me I always wanted to spend more time at home, but if I think about being in ‘lockdown’ at home, I want to ‘escape’ I want my ‘freedom’ not to be at home, it makes me simulate being outside in all the other places I could be, to feel the sand on my feet on the beach, to smell the Cornish air as the spray from the waves drifts across the beach, and the cream scones at the cafe.
There are clear implications of not going to work, but is ‘lockdown’ the best phrase to be associated with your home? Particularly when you start to become aware of the subconscious embodied simulations that are being triggered, and particularly when these are combined with those triggered by the 'distance’.
No doubt none of the above was intended by the authors of these terms, but you can’t avoid triggering the subconscious embodied simulations, and so can’t help but create confusion or subtle or more intense negative emotions, if you don’t choose your words carefully.
Some Different Words and Terms
What if instead of asking people to keep their distance from each other, people were asked to give each other safe space?
What if instead of being asked to go into lockdown at home, people were asked to remain in the comfort and safety of their homes?
What if instructions were clear, and so what to ‘simulate’ was obvious? From and embodied simulation perspective, compare hearing ‘Social Distancing’ to the communications in some other countries.
Getting back to a new Normal - or a new Extraordinary
As we transition from the current situation we believe there is an opportunity to correct the damage done by clumsy language, but equally the opportunity to make things worse. Some of the language being used at the moment is accidentally but perfectly designed to trigger the behaviours we are seeing in the media.
As we move to the ‘new normal’ organisations have a significant opportunity. Getting the language right means carefully considering and paying attention to the embodied simulations being triggered. If it’s done well, and it is congruent with the actions being taken by the organisation, then there are real opportunities to create a ‘new extraordinary’ instead of a ‘new normal’.
If you want some help in assisting your teams in how to think about language and communications in this way feel free to be in touch.