The Power of Mindful Learning (6 page)

We obtained a copy of the Series 7 preparation and testing
materials and chose a twelve-page chapter to rewrite. Our selection was guided by two criteria: first, the material had to be
obscure enough that our research participants would be unfamiliar with it, and second, understanding the material had to be
crucial to passing the test. The chapter was rewritten so that all
statements originally expressed in absolute terms now conveyed
a more conditional meaning. For example, the original text read, "Municipal bonds are issued by states, territories, and possessions of the United States, as well as other political subdivisions.
Such political subdivisions would include counties, cities, special
districts for schools, waterworks, sewers. Public agencies such as
authorities and commissions also issue municipal bonds.") The
more conditionally written text reads: "In most cases, municipal
bonds are issued by states, territories, and possessions of the
United States, as well as other political subdivisions. Such political subdivisions may include counties, cities, special districts for
schools, waterworks, sewers, and other public purposes that may
require the issuance of municipal bonds. Public agencies such as
authorities and commissions may on occasion issue municipal
bonds for a wide variety of public projects in addition to those
mentioned above." As another example, the original text read,
"For local jurisdictions such as cities, the most common taxing
power is on property. An ad valorem tax on the assessed value of
real estate is the source of funds the local government uses to
support its expenses and debt (GO bonds). School taxes are also
charged at the local level." The mindful text read, "For local
jurisdictions, which could be counties and cities, the most common taxing power may be on property. An ad valorem tax on the
assessed value of real estate is probably the source of funds the
local government uses most often to support its expenses and
debt (GO bonds). Of course, there are other ways a local jurisdiction can obtain money, one of which is through school taxes."

Harvard undergraduate students served as subjects. They
were randomly divided into two groups. Half received the
original version of the material, and half received the more conditional version. Students studied the material for twentyfive minutes and then took a two-part test. The first part
tested creative use of the learned material. The second part
tested students' grasp of the factual material through a multiple-choice format. In addition, we asked questions to determine whether the students liked the material they studied.

In the test of creative use of the material, students were
asked, for example, to "write as many different purposes for
municipal bonds that you can think of." The multiple-choice
test asked such routine factual questions as "Which of the
following supplies money to a local jurisdiction? (a) ad valorem taxes; (b) school taxes; (c) parking tickets; (d) a & b; (e)
a, b, & c."

Both groups performed similarly on direct tests of the
material, but when creative use of the information was
required, subjects who had studied from the mindful text
clearly outperformed the other group. For our first example, for
instance, students who had read the mindful text supplied six
answers, whereas those who had read the original gave only
four. For the tax question, 100 percent of the group instructed
mindfully gave the correct answer (e), whereas only 36 percent
of the other group answered correctly. In addition to outperforming the comparison group on the questions requiring some
creative use of the information, the mindful learning group
tended to like the material more.

To consider another example, imagine reading a programmed text on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In
very small steps, one by one, it teaches you how to rescue an adult. You've got it down pat. Another part just as methodically
teaches you how to rescue an infant. You know all the required
steps. A week after reading the text you are at a friend's pool
when her seven-year-old daughter gets in over her head and
needs CPR. There's not much time. What do you do? Now
imagine that you learned each step of the original lesson conditionally, that is, with a sense that it might have to be adapted
rather than as mindlessly sequential. Contrast your quandary in
these two cases. You might now be better prepared to adjust to
this new situation and more adequately adapt the steps to suit a
fifty-pound child. Which way would you want to learn the lesson? How should we teach it?

In Switzerland there was once an old count. He
had an only son, who couldn't seem to learn a thing.
The father said.- "Listen, my son. I've tried and
tried, but I can't drum anything into your head.
You will have to go away. I'm sending you to a
famous teacher; let him see what he can do with
you. "The boy was sent to a strange city, and spent a
whole year with the teacher. Then he returned
home, and his father asked him: "Well, my son,
what have you learned?" "Father, "be replied, "I've
learned what dogs say when they "Heaven
help us!" the father cried. "Is that all you've learned?"
I'll have to send you to another teacher. "After a
year the boy returned home. "Well, my son, what have you learned?"
"Father, I've learned what the birds say." The father flew into a
rage. "You good for nothing!" he cried, `wasting all that precious
time and learning nothing. I'm going to send you to a third teacher
and if you don't learn something this time, I won't be your father any more. " When the son returned home his father asked him: 'My
son, what have you learned?"He replied: "Dear father, this year I've
learned what the frogs say when they croak. " The father grew
angrier than ever, jumped up, and called all his servants, and
dolt is no longer my son. I disown him. Take him out into the
forest and kill "They took him out into the forest, but when it
came time to kill him they let him go.

The boy wandered from place to place. After a while he came to
a castle and asked for a night's lodging. "Very well, "said the lord of
the castle. "If you are willing to spend the night in the old dungeon, you may stay, but I warn you, you will be facing great danger, for the place is full of wild dogs that bark and howl night and
day. At certain hours a human must be brought in to them, and
they devour him on the spot. "The boy, however, was fearless. `Just
give me some food for your barking dogs,"he said, `and take me
down to them. They won't hurt me. "Since he himself insisted, they
gave him food for the wild dogs and led him down into the dungeon. The next morning, to everyone's amazement, he came up safe
and sound and said to the lord of the castle: "The dogs have told me
in their language why they are living down there and bringing
evil upon the country. They are under a spell and forced to guard a
great treasure that is in the dungeon. They will know no peace
until someone digs it up, and I have learned by listening to them
how it can be "All those who heard him were overjoyed, and
the lord of the castle promised to adopt him as his son if he performed the task. Down he went again and brought up a chestful of
gold, and from that time on the howling of the wild dogs was
never heard again.

Some time later the boy, now a young count, took it into his head
to go to Rome. On the way he rode past a marsh where some frogs
were croaking. He pricked up his ears, and when he heard what they
were saying he grew thoughtful and sad. At length, he arrived in
Rome. The pope had just died, and the cardinals couldn't make up
their minds whom to choose as his successor. In the end they agreed to
wait until God sent a sign. Just as the young count entered the
church, two snow-white doves flew down and perched on his shoulders. In this the cardinals saw a sign from heaven and asked him on
the spot if he wanted to be pope. At first, he was undecided, for he
didn't know if he was worthy, but at length he said, "Yes. "Then he
had to say Mass. He didn't know a single word of it, but the two
doves, who were still perched on his shoulders, whispered it all into
his ears.

The Three Languages

THE BROTHERS GRIMM

From kindergarten on, if not before, we are all told to pay
attention. Although no one feels it necessary to explain what
this means, we gradually learn that it means being still and
focusing only on the matter at hand. Should our focus wander,
call it getting distracted.

As Grimms'tale suggests, however, when children or adults
are distracted they are paying attention to something else.
Whether it's soap falling into the bathtub, an apple falling from
a tree, or the peculiar way an insect moves across the floor, small attractions may lead to bigger ideas. Being distracted, in
short, means otherwise attracted.

Sometimes, however, we want to pay attention, but find it
difficult, as when we have trouble becoming involved in a book.
Many on-the-job accidents, from airline disasters to accounting
mistakes, result when individuals are distracted from the task at
hand. It may help to understand why such problems are widespread if we recognize that when we are distracted, we are
attracted to something else. From this perspective very different questions come to mind: What is so attractive about the
alternative stimulus? What can we learn from that attraction?
Can we add the attractive elements to the stimuli to which we
want to attend?

Sometimes we are stressed and want distraction. When
thoughts about an impending divorce, an operation, or a move
to a new city prove anxiety provoking, we often seek relief by
trying to occupy our minds with other things. We may find
temporary relief, but if the issue in question is important to us
our minds find a way back. Rather than trying to think about
something else, a more effective strategy may be to think about
the problem differently. In research Irving Janis, John Wolfer,
and I conducted we taught people about to undergo major
surgery to reframe the hospital experience.' We asked the group
to view the experience from a more adaptive perspective, to
attempt to notice the advantages of being in the hospital. Having time to take stock of goals or to get in touch with family and
friends who had been taken for granted or even a forced weight
loss can be seen as an advantage. The potential advantages vary from person to person. Patients in this group felt less stress, took
fewer pain relievers and sedatives, and left the hospital sooner
than did patients who were not given this preparation. The
desire to be distracted was the desire to be otherwise attracted.