Sudden Influence: How Spontaneous Events Shape Our Lives

By Michael A. Rousell and Michael Rousell

Book Overview

All of us, writes psychologist Michael Rousell, are subject to Spontaneous Influence Events, (SIEs), when seemingly minor moments have truly life-changing effects. Rousell, who has studied such events across decades, shows us how SIEs--which occur when we are emotionally charged--trigger an intense response and activate a mental state of extreme suggestibility. He explains how SIEs disarm our instinctive defense mechanisms and rational thinking processes, leaving us open to instant adoption of new beliefs. In this unique book, he looks at the neurobiology of this spontaneous change. He details how we can recognize Elevated Suggestibility States or teachable moments, then use that knowledge to create positive SIEs for ourselves and those we love. And he explains how we can undo the damage of negative SIEs that may be haunting us, holding us back, or hurting us.

Songwriter Carly Simon recalls an emotionally intense high school episode when her boyfriend referred to her stammer as charming. Simon regards that moment as a turning point for her self-esteem, and so her future. Other celebrities share similar, seemingly minor moments with truly life-changing effects. Tennis champion Venus Williams recalls one of her sister's pep talks when her words changed my life. Basketball star Shaquille O'Neal credits an offhand remark by his mother as the words that changed everything for me. All three cases illustrate a Spontaneous Influence Event, or SIE. In this book, psychologist Michael Rousell, who has studied such events across decades, shows us how SIEs--which occur when we are emotionally charged--do occur for most of us, for better or worse. These events trigger an intense emotional response and activate a mental state of extreme suggestibility. There is thus fertile ground for statements about our worth, abilities, and potential to be implanted solidly in our minds, leading to success or failure, often without our completely comprehending the effect and why it occurred.

Rousell explains how the sudden impact of these SIEs disarms our instinctive defense mechanisms and rational thinking processes, leaving us open to instant adoption of new beliefs. In this unique book, he looks at the neurobiology of this spontaneous change, why the events occur, how to defend against the negative among them, and how to manage or promote positive SIEs. He also explains, through common vignettes, how and why the brain encodes SIEs to be triggered again and again in memory at later dates. Finally, Rousell details how we can recognize Elevated Suggestibility States or teachable moments, then use that knowledge to create positive SIEs for ourselves and those we love. And he explains how we can undo the damage of negative SIEs that may be haunting us, holding us back, or hurting us.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0275993213
• ISBN13: 9780275993214
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Praeger
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Get an insight on how your life is shaped....

Like it or not our environment have tremendous effect on our lives, the way we live as well as our self image. This book describes our susceptibility to those moments in high emotional state where something positive may lead to a personality seeing the world with hope and positive expectation, and negative events can devastate lives and lead to self-defeating personalities. Think about how your personality has been shaped by past experiences, as you ponder it, you might notice having flashback of moments with our interaction with people of authority(parents, teachers, etc), people that had high influence in your lives, and if those were events of joy, then you're probably feeling good now, but if you remember the negative experiences, then you might want to question how those events(people) shaped your outlook on life... The book is an excellent guide to get to examine your life and get insights that might enlighten you and sometimes even disturb you as you'll realize how your past experiences combined with your neurology created the "you". Now the author didn't just speculate here, he backed it up with contemporary research and also implemented neurobiology and evolution to explain his notions. And at the end he also provides a practical guide to help you harness your positive emotions! Now whatever I have said did not do justice to the author since I have only mentioned a slice of what's offered in this book. There's a breath of knowledge to be learned and applied that can help you in all areas of your life. so I definitely recommend it!!