Ripple Effect

 A person spends most of the time in pleasing others directly or indirectly. Many a time we might think that the choices made by us are our individual choice but that is not true always. For example, most of the songs in our playlist are not because we like the song but it mostly depends on the factor that person who would be listening to the song might like it. That means our decision and mood is dependent on the people around us. It depends on how they behave. 

A colleague in state of melancholy drags your mood in the same state, no matter how good you started your day. This is due to a factor known as emotional contagion. It is a phenomenon where mood and state of mind of a person in a group trigger the same emotions/behaviour in another person. 

Now, let us understand it a very simple and common example. At least once in a lifetime we all have gone near water and threw the stone. What do we see? A series of disturbance or wave in a circle. In physics, we call it “Ripple Effect”. This is the same phenomenon that happens with our brain.

Social comparison theory state that people compare there need and with those of others and act accordingly. Being a social animal, the human mind has developed a tendency of adaptability according to the nature of survival. This instinct causes our brain to function and behave accordingly. 

The very latest example in the recent time is #Metoo movement that triggered a worldwide movement against molestation. 

What really happens that our mind is triggered by activity and we tend we behave in a certain way. And also, why does our mind does not react to certain activity or behaviour? Does our mind decide, when to react and when not to? This is all due to our brain. Through, the evolution of human, our brain has been trained to find a pattern, be it in finding constellation, solving sudoku or connecting with emotions. Ours brain reacts on the things with which it can relate itself or find a pattern. And it ignores all the information/activities that seem irrelevant to our brain.

The part of the brain which controls our choices, decision, mood and behaviour is “sub-conscious mind”. It is one of most powerful part of our brain and controls and defines a lot of our behaviour, mood, personality, emotions and decisions.

So, next time when your mood changes due to another person, just remember it is consequences of the ripple effect.