Why invest in communication (Part 4)
Updated:
MAY 01, 2020
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Let’s quickly remind ourselves of the science behind communication and look at what neuroscience has to say on the subject.
Key Points
- Communication with clients must properly address the emotional aspects. Rationality can only work when our emotional side is taken care of and both are in line with each other.
Neuroscience and communication
Have you ever stopped to think about how we make decisions?
Did you know that we can scan our environment up to five times per second looking for signals that answer the question “Is this safe or dangerous?”.
Evolution has transformed us into walking scanners, alert to any threat that hinders us from transmitting our DNA to future generations and to anything that could help us.
We have inherited our brain from those who survived, a brain focused on survival. When we perceive something that we don’t like, our fight or flight signals light up. For instance, a scowl is enough for us to not want to work with someone, and a smile is enough to feel affinity towards someone.
The chemistry of communication
When we feel comfortable and secure with another person our brain is releasing neurotransmitters called dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin, among other chemicals ( 1 ).
- Oxytocin produces the feeling of feeling safe with others,
- Dopamine is the joy of “Hurrah, I did it!”,
- Serotonin produces the feeling of being respected. [...]
How does our brain work?
Dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin are controlled by something that all mammals have, the Limbic System (LS). It includes structures that are essential for communicating with our environment: the hypothalamus (specialized in coordinating our basic impulses and motivation), the hippocampus (specialized in memory) and the amygdala (specialized in emotional learning and responding quickly to stimuli) (Figure 1). The LS is surrounded by a large cerebral cortex (C) which houses logical and rational thought. [...]
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How to reference this publication (Harvard system)?
(2020) “Why invest in communication (Part 4)”, The C-Factor: Vet Skills in Communication - Veterinary Focus - Mar. 2020. Available at: https://www.ivis.org/library/veterinary-focus/c-factor-vet-skills-communication-veterinary-focus-mar-2020/why-invest-communication-part-4 (Accessed: 01 February 2023).
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