Inquisitive vs. Curious - When Did Curiosity Kill the Cat? | Language and Performance Ep 4

Explicit content warning

05/03/24 • 32 min

You’re not going to want to miss out on this one. You might think that curiosity and inquisitiveness are the same thing, but there is a significant difference between how it feels to be on the receiving end of both of these mindsets. The goal of this week's podcast is to improve the quality of our conversations by leaning into curiosity, and away from inquisitiveness. Inquisitiveness is important in research and for finding solutions, however, there are times when too much inquisitiveness can create a disconnect in your relationships. Have you ever noticed when people emotionally detach and become robotic and logical when the conversation starts to become difficult? When you feel like someone has gone "cold", it’s because it’s a fight or flight response called “Feigning” that protects us from a perceived emotional threat. Many people think they are being calm, cool, and collected when the reality is that they have emotionally left the building.

Curiosity can be both positive and negative. Partial knowledge often creates a desire to learn more and master a subject, while complete knowledge or complete ignorance can stunt the motivation to pursue further understanding. The allure of potential rewards and the release of dopamine drive our pursuit of knowledge. Speaking of dopamine, it plays a significant role in curiosity. We explore the effects of curiosity on the brain and how it relates to the anticipation of reward.

Ever noticed how people often lose curiosity after achieving their life goals, such as landing a dream job, buying a house, or starting a family? It may be that the expected dopamine reward of achieving these goals has been fulfilled. Many individuals stop wanting to learn new things and simply try to ride out the next 15 to 20 years of their lives,but promoting healthy curiosity and inquisitiveness in all stages of life is vital for our own mental health and for maintaining strong relationships.

We encourage listeners to reflect on their default communication styles during difficult conversations. We should all strive to identify when we might be engaging in excessive questioning and aim to be better communicators.

TIMESTAMPS
Curiosity vs Inquisitiveness (00:13)
Engaging vs Inquisitive Communication (01:01)
Inquisitiveness in Relationships (02:03)
Two Types of Curiosity (03:12)
Curiosity in Relationships (05:06)
Inquisitiveness as a Protective Strategy (06:44)
Curiosity and the Brain (10:27)
Complacency and the Loss of Curiosity (15:05)
The Importance of Continuous Learning and Curiosity (18:59)
Emotional Engagement, Conversation and Communication (25:57)
Curiosity and Inclusiveness in Leadership (29:40)
Reflecting on Communication Style (30:26)

Previous Episode

Wait…that’s normal?! | Power Differentials Ep 4

In this episode, we talk about something that often gets overlooked in sports culture: the normalization of negativity. Athletes deal with injuries and intense pressure all the time, but we don't always talk about it openly. We are going to explore how this affects their mental health and performance, and why it's so important to address these issues in the sports community.

We discuss some of the unspoken rules in sports and the relationships between coaches and athletes. We'll talk about what healthy coach-athlete dynamics look like. We dive into the psychological aspects of power and control in sports. We'll examine the narratives surrounding these ideas and how cultural norms and biases impact sports psychologists' work. Next, we'll explore some of the more normalized aspects in sports. We'll discuss how emotions are connected to sports rules and identify some strange but accepted practices in the world of sports.

Then, we take a look at elite amateur sports and how emotions are often disregarded in favor of focusing on performance. We'll explore the five common beliefs about emotion and why they can be detrimental to athletes' mental health. We also talk about how emotions are often misunderstood and how expressing them shouldn't be seen as a weakness. Emotions and sportsmanship go hand in hand, but there are often misconceptions about how they should be expressed.

Next, we emphasize the importance of acknowledging and expressing our emotions in a healthy way, regardless of gender. Speaking of gender, we discuss some of the contradictions in expressing emotions based on gender. Men often feel pressure to hide their emotions to avoid appearing weak, while women face restrictions in expressing anger because it's seen as too masculine. We'll challenge these ideas and highlight how expressing our emotions is actually a positive thing.

There are mixed views on physical punishment in sports. Some coaches believe that yelling and hitting motivate players to perform better. We'll talk about the different forms of punishment that athletes endure, such as running laps or doing suicides. We'll also touch on how this negative association can impact athletes' attitudes towards cardio. Conditioning is a skill required for success, and it shouldn't be turned into a negative experience.

We explore manipulative tactics from coaches, such as scapegoating players, a practice can breed resentment and anger among teammates, and can erode trust and hinder team performance. On the other hand, effective teams foster a competitive spirit among teammates and aim to improve each other's skills. We'll explore the importance of understanding the distinction between healthy competition and unhealthy comparison.

Moving on, we have a discussion about body image and eating in sports. We'll talk about conditioning and training and how they influence body image and eating habits. We specifically discuss the cultural demand for a certain body type in sports, particularly focusing on hockey twenty years ago. Mat, our skinny white ginger, has personally experienced body shaming. We get his take on this and also touch on the extreme measures athletes sometimes take to achieve their desired body image.

Lastly, we'll talk about the mindset of athletes who continue training despite injuries and emotional struggles, as well as not wanting to appear weak.

https://edvance.ca/res/pub/PDFS-Documents/Bootcamp-2022/Sinden-2013-The-Sociology-of-Emotions.pdf

TIMESTAMPS:
Unspoken Rules in Sports (00:13)
Exploring Power and Control in Sports (01:05)
Normalization of Emotion in Sports (02:34)
The Evolution of Emotional Expression in Society (04:17)
Emotion and Sportsmanship (06:13)
Contradictions in Expressing Emotions Based on Gender (08:03)
Emotions, Performance and Flow State (09:08)
Balancing Logic and Emotions (13:36)
Misconceptions of Mental Toughness (15:57)
Conditioning and Punishment in Sports (20:08)
Manipulative Tatics and Team Dynamics (23:25)
Body Image and Eating in Sports (27:25)
Study on Athlete's Training and Emotions (30:33)
Training Despite Injuries (31:31)

Next Episode

Neurospiciness in the Workplace | Business and Culture Ep 5

Ready to spice things up? If you've been keeping up with social media, you know that neurodivergence (or as we like to call it, neurospiciness) is one of the hottest topics online right now. So this week on The Mindbuffs Podcast, we're starting a new series called Neurospiciness in the Workplace. Our goal is to help create inclusive work environments where people with neurodiversity can thrive. In this episode, we'll be discussing disabilities commonly seen in workplaces, such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism, and OCD.

Understanding neurodiversity can be complex and it's an ongoing learning process. And, while you can reference credible sources like Google Scholar for more information, HR personnel may not always have the same level of knowledge and support as an expert in the field.

Raising awareness is an important step when educating employees and employers on how to improve work-life balance for these neurospicy individuals. For example, a study by JP Morgan showed that people diagnosed with Autism work 48% faster and are 140% more productive than their neurotypical peers. Unfortunately, the National Autistic Society reports that 85% of autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed.

Understanding is key to challenging the stigma surrounding mental health and neurodiversity. Once we understand the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals, such as feeling different and the anxiety that can come from the extra effort required by some people to meet educational and work expectations. This can leave people feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, many people hide their conditions to avoid judgment.

Let's overcome the stigma attached to Neurospiciness and recognize everyone's unique strengths. Finding passion and support in your work or education is crucial. Employers, check in with your staff or employees to identify their interests and strengths. Let's break down the barriers and prioritize our mental health, at home, in public spaces, and in our workplace.

TIMESTAMPS

Understanding Neurodiversity in the Workplace (01:04)
Commonly Seen Disabilities in the Workplace (02:42)
Canadian Discrimination Laws (03:16)
Challenges Faced by Neurodivergent Individuals (05:15)
Link Between ADHD and Misdiagnosed Depression (06:59)
Hiring People with Different Perspectives (09:14)
Unique Thinking / Creativity Among People with ADHD (13:43)
Clinical Therapy in Business (14:32)
Understanding Dyslexia: Beyond Flipped Letters (15:36)
Dyslexia and Autism: Unique Strengths and Stigma (17:33)
Understanding Autism Spectrum (18:37)
Neurospiciness and Giftedness (22:57)
Neurodiversity in the Workplace (25:08)
Balancing Perspectives and Decision-Making (28:06)
Discussion on Athletes' Mental Health (30:02)
OCD and its Misconceptions (31:28)
Identifying Ideal Team Members (33:25)
Passion and Neurodiversity (34:57)
Practical Tools for Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace (36:36)