GET ADEQUATE AFFECTIVE SUPPORT

Research shows that affective support including love, understanding, acceptance and encouragement has a positive effect on the brain. Cognitive and emotional processes are completely interactive and influence each other throughout a person’s life. A person’s cognitive level of development determines and influences the evaluation of the context of a situation and the way in which emotions manifest. Emotions, in turn, can motivate and facilitate cognitive processes. A learner’s emotional state has therefore a big influence on his cognitive processes, such as the level of attention during information processing. A learner who experiences a positive emotional state, such as happiness, processes information faster than one who experience a negative emotion, such as sadness. Life is challenging and the positive attitudes, acceptance and support of others can be an important contributing factor to the way you deal with problems. It is especially key people such as parents, siblings, teachers and friends who can help ensure that you have adequate affective support during difficult times. Make sure you get enough affective support from the key people in your life. If you feel safe and secure, you will feel less anxious with regard to new experiences and you will consequently experience more cognitive stimulation. Adequate affective support is very important and forms a crucial component of motivation, memory and the learning process.

Dr Ora Marx