The enteric nervous system of our gastro intestines, or gut, has been described as the second brain which gives a different perspective on the idea of a “gut instinct.”
We rely on our gut instincts all the time, as do other mammals, birds, fish, and reptiles. Any sentient being, in fact, must rely on this body-mind feedback if it is to stay alive, which it does in part by avoiding pain and seeking pleasure. We are predicting machines, in a sense, anticipating each moment and its potential for pleasure over pain. We automatically and naturally create an amalgam of past experience and present body-mind input to this end.
Much of this capacity is inherent, passed down through the ages. Tests with babies crawling on a wooden table covered in a large sheet of heavy glass shows they stop at the point at which the glass extends beyond the table. Though they wouldn’t fall if they were to continue, they see the drop through the glass and instinct tells them to go no further.
It’s empowering that we can predict danger intuitively, without having to engage in brain-taxing ratiocination for each and every little step. But should we ever ignore the signals the body gives us? Do our gut impulses always lead us in the right direction?
Norbert Schwarz thinks the answer is yes and no. Schwarz is provost professor in the department of psychology and the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California and a co-director of the USC Dornsife Mind and Society Center. He is also the recipient of many awards including, “The Distinguished Contribution Award of Society for Consumer Psychology.”
