Fleas in a jar

Have you found yourself stuck in a situation despite you trying very hard to move out from it ? This might be because you are experiencing a phenomenon known as “Fleas in a jar”. It’s a behavior based on a very intriguing experiment of fleas learning the conditioned behavior. If you put the fleas in a jar and put a lid on it for 2-3 days. Fleas learn that jumping too high will only result in hitting their heads on the lid, so they begin to jump only as high as necessary to avoid hitting it. This continues even when the lid is removed and they could fly out but they don’t.

Sometimes, we as human beings also go through something similar as our society and environment conditioned us to think a certain way, behave in a certain way leading us to put ourselves limits on our own thoughts about our abilities. Many of us right now, right here, do not know reading this – Is it our own mental judgement or ‘societal conditioning’ ? This influence is strong – so much so that, it alters the underlying the consciousness and believes. This leads to two important concepts in behavioral psychology –

(1) Learned Helplessness –This phenomenon occurs when individuals become conditioned to believe that they are powerless to change their circumstances, and therefore stop trying to escape or improve their situation. Fleas fear that they will not be able to improve situation, it can be very well applied to daily experiences where we fear failure, shell ourselves in a comfort zone accepting learned helplessness in the situation. For example, in a scenario where an employee at a company has repeatedly applied for promotions over several years but has been passed over each time, despite having the necessary qualifications and experience. He accepts ‘Learned Helplessness Behavior’ – after repeated rejections, the employee begins to believe that no matter how hard he work, he will never be promoted. As a result, he stop applying for new positions, reduce his efforts at work, and refrain from taking on challenging projects or seeking professional development opportunities.

(2) Functional fixedness – Functional fixedness describes why we’re unable to use an object in ways beyond its traditional use. Functional fixedness is a phenomenon found in problem-solving psychology and affects an individual’s ability to innovate and be creative when solving challenges. The bias causes a person to look at a problem in only one specific way and it can prevent them from developing effective solutions to their challenge. Functional fixedness can impact all areas of one’s life, including their academic life, careers, and personal lives. For example, a couple is facing communication issues and feels that they are not connecting as they used to. They believe that the only way to improve their communication is through regular face-to-face conversations, however, it only further deteriorates the relationship. There can be different ways they can work on it – may be write letters to each other to describe their feelings, involve a trusted friend or higher a relationship therapist. Unless they try something different, situation might not work however functional fixedness that there is only one way stops them from trying something new.

So, how can one move beyond the “flea behaviour state” – predetermined irrational notions, socialised beliefs, unconventional thought processes, pessimistic view to situations and limited but consistent efforts….the answer work on enhancing your cognitive flexibility. 

Some of the below tips can help you with it –

1. Awareness and Reflection 

· Recognize Conditioned Beliefs:Begin by identifying beliefs and behaviors that may have been instilled through socialization or past experiences. Question whether these are truly your own or inherited from others.

· Self-Reflection: Regularly reflect on your thought patterns and decisions. Ask yourself why you think or act a certain way and whether there are alternative approaches.

2. Challenging Assumptions 

· Question Your Assumptions:Challenge the assumptions underlying your beliefs and behaviors. Consider whether they are based on evidence or are simply habitual.

· Seek Alternative Perspectives:Expose yourself to diverse viewpoints. Engage with people who think differently from you and explore new ideas, cultures, and experiences.

3. Cultivate a Growth Mindset 

Embrace Learning and Growth: Believe in the potential for change and growth. Understand that abilities and intelligence can develop with effort and experience.

Learn from Failures: View failures as opportunities for learning rather than as setbacks. Analyze what went wrong and how you can improve in the future.

4.  Experiment and Take Risks 

Try New Things: Step out of your comfort zone and try new activities or approaches. This can help break the cycle of routine thinking and encourage creativity.

Embrace Uncertainty: Accept that not all outcomes can be predicted. Taking calculated risks can lead to unexpected and positive outcomes.

You can reach out to Catalyst Psyche Inc, if you feel you are stuck in a situation and despite self-efforts unable to move ahead in life. We can help you help yourself to be see things more clearly and find cognitive flexibility.