In the first video in this series on intuition, I described a bunch of related concepts:
Experience is the foundation for tacit learning. Experiences span our sensory input, whether it be by word, image, feeling, touch, etc. When we learn tacitly, we build knowledge through our personal experience. Tacit knowledge is rarely documented because it is hard to communicate
Implicit learning relates to the unconscious process of building abstract knowledge, outside of rules-based representations. It can answer why and how we perform specialized tasks, for example
Explicit learning, conversely, is often well-documented and forms the basis of academic pedagogy at most levels of schooling
Intuition draws on tacit learning and often captures how we feel about the decision making process and/or possible outcomes. Intuition can inform decision making based on not only a gut feeling but also acquired expertise. Yet, intuition based on acquired expertise isn’t an analytical process; it is feelings-based
Last time, I left off with the question of how we can improve intuition to balance decision making. In this video, I propose meditation as a low-cost way to harness reflection, deepen experiences around that reflection, and ultimately strengthen intuition when we’re faced with making complex decisions. This video moves very quickly through these concepts, so I want to take some time here to explain more about what I mean:
First, we’ve established that our intuition is partly based on expertise, which is furthered by the depth and breadth of our experiences. I think it’s fair to argue that we can develop expertise on ourselves, i.e., on our personality, interests, weaknesses, strengths, etc., given a baseline amount of introspection. (AI will likely get there too in a meaningful way, but more on that in a future blog.) Intuition can also emerge from specialized knowledge and long-term experience in an occupational setting, of course.
Second, deepening and broadening our experiences – for example through a meditation practice – can offer a way to bridge between conscious reflective practices and the subconscious. Why is tapping into our unconscious state important? In dual-process theory, the unconscious state represents System 1, which is fast, automatic, driven by emotion, and used for everyday decisions. System 2, on the other hand, requires effort, can be slow and analytical, and assumes we are fully aware of the decision making process.
Third, and most importantly, intuition is often defined by researchers as thought and feeling emerging from System 1 to System 2 through an attention plane. That is, sometimes we pay attention to the thoughts subtly surfacing from System 1, and other times we are not able to detect them. There is a good reason why we would like to closely align Systems 1 and 2: System 2 depends on System 1, i.e., critical thinking builds on memorized knowledge and relies on fast, intuitive, and accurate decision making. If the veil between System 1 and System 2 is obstructed, it can result in fewer opportunities to capitalize on intuition.
Fourth, meditation, broadly construed, attempts to bridge Systems 1 and 2. While there are many meditation practices, and not all are the same, consider this quote:
For Zen the main point is that the entire structure of being, including its unconscious aspect, must be radically broken through. The aim of Zen is not for the unconscious aspect of being-whether personal or collective-to come to consciousness. The aim of Zen is, rather, the breaking-up of the very dualistic structure of consciousness-and-unconsciousness.
Richard DeMartino (1961)
Thus, if meditation can help obfuscate the boundary between System 1 and System 2, it stands to reason that our intuition may more frequently and clearly emerge in a variety of settings, including at work. A refined sense of intuition can then develop as a skill and help us make clear-eyed decisions that align with our analytical (System 2) and feeling-based (System 1) selves. That’s a good thing in my opinion for performance and productivity, for professional fulfillment, and for work-life balance.