via Liane Jazmine Saludo, Pressroom PH
Each language decision impacts not only cognitive patterns but also the brain's information processing and gene expression. “Mema,” a Filipino term used to refer to a person who is just saying something to be heard. However, it can also be misused when the said person is actually, in fact stating relevance, but their word selections are beyond our comprehension.
Our brains prefer language that is familiar—something that is easy to grasp. This is backed by the “mere-exposure effect,” a psychological phenomenon that describes the tendency of individuals to develop preferences for things that they are used to. Some people may get consumed by this phenomenon that they expect to seek familiarity in all sorts of situations and form opinions toward others’ articulation: “Mema sabi lang ‘yan.”
We process emotional language faster—language that is simple yet personal. However, emotional language does not always mean positive feedback. It can impact stress levels as well. One’s comprehension is a complex and whirlwind process wherein one single word can rapidly cause the overscrutinizing of the overall thought, though one thing is for sure—people do really comprehend language based on emotions.
A study by Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman shows that emotions contribute to about 90% of decisions, though most people still think they decide logically. Nonetheless, the balance between emotional and logical processing aids in our daily communication and decision-making.
We all know that we must decide our words wisely. After all, these small decisions of ours can easily spark various opinions. One’s choice of words may not resonate with others, but does that mean the speaker is at fault?
No one is at fault as long as both the speaker and receiver maintain an open mind. We have to give our brains more credit, as it is possible to improve our communication habits due to their excellence in pattern recognition. Nevertheless, we must always remember that it takes thorough effort for change to happen—not just in our language decisions but also in our comprehension and opinion toward others.
