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Stress as an underestimated factor in the learning process
Stress is the most underestimated and misunderstood component of learning.
People need challenges in order to grow personally.
We even go to the gym for this reason.
Muscle growth occurs after an intensive physical challenge, such as weight lifting. The load must be greater than the muscle can withstand. This intensity of activity leads to slight tissue injury. Repair during the relaxation phase leads to an excess of muscle tissue, leaving the athlete better prepared for a similar challenge.
Physical challenges help to increase physical strength. Physical strength thus improves mental strength, well-being and self-esteem.
What works well in sport also works well in most aspects of professional development.
Why traditional learning methods don’t work for adults
Shared learning programs usually guide the learner step-by-step through the learning journey in a reassuring, friendly way. This is because such programs are ultimately designed to gain learner buy-in and people avoid stress and challenges.
But why don’t most courses include some kind of professional or personal challenge?
This is because learning programs draw their inspiration from the work of teachers in the classroom.
A little-known fact is that children learn differently from teenagers and adults.
Take, for example, the differences between the behavior of a soccer coach and a teacher.
The coach keeps an eye on the player. “That wasn’t good enough,” he says to the player after training. I know you’re capable of doing better; who do you think you are? Try harder next time.”
This works for a teenager or adult and both the coach and the athlete will see success after a while: Young people are able to understand the coach’s intention, but they are also able to take statements like “You’re not good enough” at face value.
A young mind cannot abstract in this way.
How the brains of children and adults learn differently
Because the young brain is wired for massive reception and learning, it functions very differently from the adult brain. In the EEG, children’s brains show a different wave pattern than adults. Children up to the age of seven have a dominant theta wave (higher amplitude and slower frequency) during the day. Theta waves are associated with a different type of information processing: the formation of knowledge, skills and habits. This could explain why young children learn foreign languages so quickly. Adults only show theta waves in their EEG during sleep and especially before falling asleep and when waking up.
Any educator who would do to a young student what the soccer coach did is unqualified for the job. That’s why teachers use an approach that has proven successful with school children.
And there are even more aspects of how school education influences the methods of adult education.
Teachers instruct us on how to acquire new knowledge and skills. We “install the software” to acquire new knowledge and skills as children, you could say. And this software is designed to help children learn things like reading, algebra and unfamiliar concepts and words.
The importance of challenges in the learning process
Adults need a special “learning program” that is tailored to their specific “wiring”.
The introduction of school-based learning processes makes it extremely difficult for adults to learn because adults tick differently.
Adults acquire knowledge through active participation, which involves trial and error and receiving feedback. However, making mistakes can be a stressful and embarrassing experience and therefore many people try to avoid situations that can lead to stress.
To illustrate this, let’s look at my experience of learning Spanish.
Although I attended numerous courses, I found it difficult to learn the language as I mainly use German at home and English and German at work. I also tended to avoid challenging situations that would put my Spanish skills to the test. For example, when running errands in Spain, I only use a few words and prefer to have in-depth conversations with my Spanish friends in German or English to avoid potential stress and misunderstandings.
Only by accepting the stress and discomfort of being embarrassed was I able to improve my Spanish. And when I forget to reflect on my language and am completely immersed in the conversation, I speak fluently.
An ideal learning program induces an “immersive flow”.
Flow – The optimal state for effective learning
However, studies have shown that people learn best when they are in a “flow” state of optimal experience. This process is similar to the way physical exercise helps build muscle by exposing it to stress.
Dealing with ever greater difficulties helps us to develop and improve our skills.
The concept of “flow”, introduced by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, describes this state of optimal experience where the individual is fully engaged and absorbed in an activity, leading to improved learning outcomes.
The “flow channel” is a learning state that lies between stress and boredom and requires a concrete, practical task and a balanced level of our skills.
We are fully engaged and not bored with such a focused activity. We are challenged, but not tense, worried or overwhelmed. In this state, we become completely absorbed in the activity and lose track of time and other distractions. The experience is often described as enjoyable, rewarding and energizing.
The balance between challenge and excessive demands
When the level of challenge exceeds our ability, discomfort and stress can result. Conversely, if the person’s ability exceeds the level of challenge, boredom and numbness can occur.
Boredom arises from the feeling that this moment is not enough.
We can become bored, listless and unmotivated if we are not sufficiently challenged in our work or learning activities. This lack of stimulation can lead to a sense of aimlessness and dissatisfaction with our current circumstances.
A lack of clarity of purpose can also contribute to negative stress. If we don’t feel that we are making a meaningful contribution to our work or to others, we may struggle to find motivation and direction. This lack of purpose can lead to feelings of disconnection and alienation, which may exacerbate negative stress and make satisfaction more difficult.
Being overwhelmed, but also underchallenged, leads to negative stress.
Therefore, the goal is to identify activities that fall in the flow channel and have a balance between challenge and skill level, leading to a sense of engagement, satisfaction and fulfillment. Adult learning is enhanced when these activities occur at the top of the flow channel.
The flow channel increases over time as we grow and our skill level increases.
As our skill level grows, we need to prepare ourselves to take on greater challenges. We have mastered the activity and the level of challenge is no longer stimulating enough to keep us interested, engaged and “in the flow”.
In order to stay in the flow, the level of difficulty should be increased in line with our growing ability.
“You can do better,” says the coach after training, always keeping in mind that the player remains in his flow channel: not overchallenged, but NEVER underchallenged, outside of necessary rest phases.
This can be achieved by trying to broaden responsibilities, taking on new assignments or tasks, or striving for a higher level of competence in practicing a particular skill.
Growth requires stress, but with moderation
So if you simply follow your natural instincts to stick to what you are good at to avoid change and stress, you will never grow as a person, and never experience the flow state where you are fully immersed in an activity and continuously growing.
To be successful, the challenge must grow over time.
If you want to learn and be in the zone, you can’t avoid stress.
The positive effects of flow on productivity and well-being are well documented.
Science proves that working in flow has a positive effect on mental and physical health.
In a meta-analysis by Sortheix et al, 2021, the results showed that experiencing flow was associated with a range of positive health outcomes, such as reduced stress levels, improved mood, greater life satisfaction and increased creativity and productivity. There were also improved outcomes for physical health, such as reduced inflammation and improved immune function.
Concentrated, effective work is therefore conducive to success, fulfillment and satisfaction. For this reason, developing expertise in an important endeavor is a recipe for happiness.
Stress is necessary for adults to experience flow and realize their full potential.
However, this is where the disclaimer comes in.
There is only so much pressure we can take.
If you want to know if you are bored or overwhelmed, think about your health. Anxiety, depression, malnutrition, headaches, sleep disorders and other health problems are just some of the negative consequences of long-term stress. And research shows that this can lead to serious health problems later on.
We want to prevent that.
Overheating the engine is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. Each of us only has one.
But take the opportunity to learn and develop your skills.
And find out how you can balance out stress.
Sources:
Lipton, B. (2005). The Biology of Faith: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles. Hay House, Inc.
Sortheix, F. M., Luhmann, M., Rackow, P., & Orth, U. (2021). Flow and well-being: A meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 605645
