Mindsets Shape Biology--Not Just Beliefs, But Mind Settings

Key Quotes

"Mindsets are quite literally settings of the mind. So they're settings, they're lenses, they're frames of mind which orient us to a particular set of experiences."

Dr. Crum explains that mindsets are not abstract concepts but rather concrete "settings" or "lenses" that shape how we perceive and interact with our experiences. This framing suggests that mindsets are something that can be identified and potentially adjusted, much like changing a setting on a device.

"Our mindsets change what we pay attention to. If you believe the world is dangerous, you're going to see more danger in the world. Our mindsets change how we feel and expect to feel emotionally. Our mindsets change what we're motivated to do and how we actually engage and behave in the world. And what our work has shown is that our mindsets also change our bodies; they change how our bodies physiologically prepare and respond to different things."

Dr. Crum highlights the multifaceted impact of mindsets, detailing how they influence our attention, emotions, motivation, behavior, and even our physiological responses. This demonstrates that mindsets are not merely passive beliefs but active drivers of our reality, shaping both our internal experience and external actions.

"What we found was that their ghrelin response differed in response to simply changing the mindset. And in particular, when they thought they were consuming the indulgent shake, their bodies' ghrelin levels dropped at a threefold rate compared to when they thought they were consuming a sensible shake. So, in essence, what this means is when they thought they were consuming indulgently, their bodies responded as if it had had more food."

This quote from Dr. Crum's milkshake study illustrates a key finding: the perception of food, rather than its objective caloric content, significantly impacts the body's physiological response. The mindset of indulgence led to a greater drop in ghrelin, the hunger hormone, suggesting the body anticipated more sustenance, thereby influencing metabolism.

"The best mindset to be in when you have cancer is the mindset that this is manageable. Contrast that to the mindset of this is a catastrophe; it's unmanageable. Another mindset that we've found is very useful for people going through cancer is the mindset that their bodies are capable."

Dr. Crum presents research-backed mindsets for individuals facing serious health diagnoses like cancer. She emphasizes that viewing the situation as "manageable" and believing in the body's "capability" are more beneficial than succumbing to a mindset of catastrophe or helplessness, as these perspectives can profoundly shape the patient's experience and potentially influence physical symptoms.

"The old setting was one that was focused on what the behavior, what am I doing? It's all about, I shouldn't eat this, I should eat that. And when you do that and you eat the thing you should but not the thing you want, you put yourself into a mindset of restraint... and that mindset, it turns out to be unhealthy physiologically with respect to hunger and signals and ghrelin. The new mindset was, okay, sure, like still try to eat healthy, still try to eat nutritiously, say, but the more important goal that I have is not focused on what I eat, but what mindset I'm in when I eat it."

Dr. Crum contrasts her previous restrictive mindset around food with her current approach of "indulgence." She explains that focusing on "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts" creates a mindset of restraint, which can be physiologically counterproductive. The new mindset prioritizes enjoying the food, regardless of its healthiness, which has proven more effective for managing hunger and cravings.

"The first thing that came to mind was all these delicious and indulgent words... I love baked goods. But also the baked goods are the luscious, delicious, mouthwatering sensations that you can get. And that's great. That's wonderful. And that's beautiful. That is actually a mindset of indulgence."

Dr. Crum connects positive language and associations with food to the mindset of indulgence. She explains that framing foods, even those typically seen as unhealthy, with words like "luscious" and "delicious" can shift our perception and enjoyment, aligning with the idea that our beliefs about food influence our experience and potentially our body's response.