Emotional Maturity and Group Survival Dynamics

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Another skill to speak to that seems to take a back seat to other more fun things in karate for self-protection is, “Emotional Maturity!” Emotions are the cornerstone of everything that happens to our species in every facet of life. Emotions are ‘honest’ and they speak to another perspective of emotion, that being “mood.” When people seem anxious, tense, angry or afraid, it is likely that something has occurred or is present that is making the person fell and act in certain ways. 

Emotions/moods are honest because they are driven by “autonomic and subconscious processes” in the brain. The part of our brain responsible for our emotions and those of other people is the amygdala. The amygdala is part of our limbic system. It is also that part that detects potential threats and dangers and then triggers the adrenal system that prepares our bodies for freeze, fight or flight, i.e., triggers the physiological responses to support our actions. 

Because emotions and moods are first experienced unconsciously we all will first “feel” that something is amiss or happening before we become consciously aware. This is where our heuristic intuition skills come into play. Those HI skills must be trained and practiced to attune us to our emotional responses that are triggered, think gut feelings, that trigger the chemical/adrenal dumps resulting in greater speed at which one cognitively understand that something hinky is going on. 

This is why we must understand our nature, human nature, so when we feel emotional and mood altering effects often from the behaviors of others we must listen, become aware and then process it properly to act or not to act. 

Emotions and Moods are “contagious!” This warrants repeating: Emotions and Moods are “contagious!” They pass from person to person subconsciously through mimicry and other means. It is nature’s group survival dynamic and we must be aware of it and understand it and its effects. When involving ‘negative emotions in particular’ we need to accept that the passing of negative emotions is more influential because of the group survival dynamic. One person with a negative emotion (anger, anxiety, fear, etc.) can infect a much larger group. People mimic others in their immediate vicinity: others will copy that behavior by experiencing that persons emotions and moods. 

Negative Moods and Emotions:

• fear; 
• anger; 
• hostility; 
• contempt; 
• anxiety; 
• sadness. 

Training and practicing and applying skills in regard to the group survival dynamic is when we develop skills through training that  are part of and participating in a situation comprised of two or more people, we will reason first from “feel,” then confirm our assessment based on observable, appropriate and justified indicators to achieve understanding followed by legal, appropriate and justifiable actions/behaviors. This is a process of achieving emotional maturity whereby we understand the how, why and what-for of emotions and moods so that we can resist the group survival dynamic from emotions and moods so that we may act in a way that deescalates a group dynamic from its more negative aspects. 

Van Horne, Patrick. “Left of Bang: How the Marine Corp’s Combat Hunter Program Can Save Your Life.” Black Irish Entertainment LLC. June 13, 2014. 

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