Psychology of Actions: System 1 in Context and Micro-Context
How Our Brain’s Autopilot Handles the Big Picture and the Fine Print—Until It Doesn’t
Hey there, glad to be back after a bit of a pause. Too many things going on :)
In previous articles, we’ve explored how identities form without you realizing it, how they’re activated depending on the contexts, and even what happens when different contexts collide.
Here are the links for those articles:
How an Introvert Adapts Identities to Handle Social Interactions (Guest post by Trinh Do)
How Identity Forms Without You Realizing It (Explains the Identity Formation and Reinforcement Loops)
These articles build on the foundational articles on System 1 and System 2 Thinking:
The next logical article in this series was supposed to be "How to Recognize That Your Identity Needs an Upgrade?" But before I write that article, I want to introduce the idea of Micro-Contexts. You might wonder why. Well, it's because I feel the concept of micro-contexts would come in pretty handy in that article on recognizing the need to upgrade your Identity. So, without further ado, here we go.
Introduction
Let's paint a picture. Imagine yourself at work. You're in the middle of pitching that brilliant idea to your boss. You're confident, articulate, and professional.
Now let's switch scenes. Imagine yourself at dinner in a restaurant with your parents. Your mom asks you to pass the salt in the usual tone she usually does. These are widely different contexts. Right?
Your brain does a little pirouette here (I know, fancy word choice—but well, it felt right :)). It chooses the "confident professional you" in the first scenario and the "dutiful child you" in the second. The beauty is your brain does this effortlessly, smoother than shifting gears in a Formula 1 car. That's System 1 Thinking at work—your brain's autopilot.
But sometimes, System 1 does stumble. Especially when contexts and their finer nuances—what we’ll call micro-contexts—send conflicting signals.
Imagine this: your boss joins your lunch table at the office cafeteria. Suddenly, your System 1 hesitates. It's unsure whether to stay in "polished professional" mode or switch to "lunch buddy" banter. An awkward pause ensues. This is your System 1 caught in a bind.
In this article, I'll introduce you to the concept of micro-contexts and how, along with contexts, they shape System 1's automatic responses. And what happens when contexts and micro-contexts collide.
System 1 and System 2 Thinking, A Refresher
System 1 is our brain's automatic, fast, intuitive, and usually reliable mode of thinking. It's that unsung hero of our daily lives that governs the majority of decisions we make in a day.
System 1 helps you catch that ball coming at you without overthinking angles or velocity. But, it's also that culprit who instinctively waves back at someone who wasn't waving at you in the first place, and activates the embarrassment mode once you realize it (Yeah, this has happened to all of us. :)). From navigating a work meeting to deciding how to greet your neighbor, it makes life simple, and effortless.
System 2 is System 1's thoughtful counterpart. It steps in when a situation needs analysis or deliberation. Together, System 1 and System 2 keep you functional. But, System 1 carries the majority of the workload, especially when the context is familiar.
But what happens when System 1 Thinking meets the layered complexity of contexts and micro-contexts? Before we break this down, let's backtrack a little bit and understand contexts.
What are Contexts?
We play many specific roles in our lives. Contexts are the environments—like work, family, or social settings—in which we play those roles. Contexts provide the acceptable behavioral norms that guide System 1's quick decision-making process.
System 1 learns the patterns of each context through repetition and feedback. At work, it usually defaults to "professional and efficient you," while at home, it switches to your "laid-back and supportive" version.
You can liken these roles to those well-worn paths that make navigation smooth, intuitive, quick, and easy. Think of how you usually lower your voice in a library without even paying attention to it. That's System 1 adjusting to context.
But, within the larger contexts, there are layers—subtle cues, situational nuances, and micro-interactions. These are what I call micro-contexts.
While contexts set the stage, it’s the micro-contexts that fine-tune our System 1 behavior. And this is where things can get tricky.
Micro-Contexts: The Nuances within Contexts
If contexts are like a jigsaw puzzle, then micro-contexts are its puzzle pieces. Micro-contexts are the nuanced cues—like how you're being talked to, the tone of the conversation, body language of the person involved, etc—that refine System 1's responses.
System 1 is usually adept at adjusting to these finer details of micro-contexts. And, when the micro-context cues align with the broader context, System 1 performs flawlessly, like a symphony where every instrument is in sync.
We know System 1 learns through repeated exposures and patterns. It tunes its settings based on feedback loops in a lot of scenarios. System 1 is quick to extrapolate and adapt one micro-context within a context to another micro-context inside a different context. Over time, System 1 refines its automatic responses based on the micro-contexts and contexts. When cues remain consistent, System 1 thrives.
When Contexts and Micro-Contexts Clash
The trouble starts when micro-context cues conflict with the overarching context. System 1 tries to reconcile this mismatch. But, the result would surface in the form of hesitation and awkwardness. Let's unpack this with an example.
Let's say, off-late, you have been killing it at work. Your ideas are respected, appreciated, and complemented. Your boss highly regards your opinion. And so do your junior and senior colleagues. Naturally, this newfound confidence reflects in how you carry yourself. Your System 1 has made the corresponding adjustments in its automatic responses to the micro-contexts. You're more self-assured, more assertive.
Now imagine meeting two of your college friends on an evening after, let's say, six months. You and your friends are the broader context here. And System 1 tries to adapt based on how you usually are with your friends.
It's all laughs in the beginning. But halfway into this, the casual roast session starts. Friendly digs and banter start flying. This is a micro-context within the broad friends' context.
Earlier, your System 1 used to let the friendly digs and roasts slide unnoticed. But now, your System 1 isn't sure whether to allow the same digs and roasts to go unnoticed. It doesn't know if it should revert to an earlier "unperturbed by the friendly roast version of you" or stick to the "assertive at the workplace version of you."
This internal tug-of-war between micro-context cues leaves System 1 confused. And you feel irritation, anger, self-doubt, or a sense of something being just "off." All because the cues don't match.
Emotional Signals in Conflicting Micro-Contexts
When System 1 encounters clashing signals in micro-contexts and contexts, it sends out some emotional flares. They are subtle but undeniable. You might feel:
Irritation: When behaviors that once felt natural now rub you the wrong way.
Hesitation: When you’re unsure which version of “you” fits the moment.
Self-Doubt: When you question why something that used to be easy now feels so off.
These feelings aren’t random—they’re your brain’s way of signaling that its automatic responses are struggling to align.
How to Navigate these Clashes Between Context and Micro-Context Cues
By now you know System 1 Thinking does the heavy lifting in familiar contexts. And System 2 Thinking is the problem solver. It steps in when the autopilot isn't cutting it. So when the micro-context cues clash, it's System 2 that helps us recognize, reflect, and recalibrate.
I'll dive into how we can engage our System 2 in navigating these challenges and situations in the next article. For now, I'll leave you with this first step:
Start paying attention to how your System 1 adapts in various contexts and micro-contexts. Are there areas where it struggles? Recognizing is the first step towards recalibrating.
Concluding Thoughts: The Dance Between System 1 and Contexts & Micro-Contexts
System 1 is a marvel of efficiency. It adapts seamlessly to most contexts and micro-contexts. But, when it comes across conflicting cues, it can falter. This will leave you feeling off-balance.
The key takeaway? If you understand how System 1 Thinking operates in contexts and micro-contexts, you can recognize its strengths and limitations. But, System 1 doesn't have to go at it all alone. System 2—that deliberate and logical part of your thinking—can step in to guide your System 1 in moments of uncertainty and recalibrate its automatic responses.
That’s all for this week. Subscribe now and join me on this fascinating journey of intentional change.
Stay genuine! Stay authentic!
Nik Pathran
PS: I appreciate you reading. Thanks to the new subscribers!
Thank you for the read—loved the examples!