Steven Maier: Stress, Coping, Resilience and the Prefrontal Cortex

Steven Maier, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Psychology and Center for Neuroscience University of Colorado, Boulder

[wenmingliang]

Thank you very much for your wonderful research!

[MrCodename]

Thank you very much. This is very helpful.

[musselchee]

I'm late to the party 🤓 'Behaviour control'. Music to my ears. From my violent childhood I learned what not to do. From this talk I have just learned why I do what I do do in sticky situations, and I can do it quickly. THANK YOU for informing me. You da bomb! Before the talk ends, let me give you an example: There is a ruffian gang of surfers who control a particular suburb. The gang is mainly run by three brothers. The middle one is the main trouble maker. One evening as I was stepping out of a pub this particular brother came up the stairs and banged my shoulder with his. Past him I could make out about 20 of the gang's teenage prospectors. As he bumped me he said, 'You been picking on my mate'. I thought about it for a moment and replied, 'No, I havn't'. He bumped me again, 'Yes, you have. You been picking on my mate. Lets go around the corner'. Again I replied, 'No, I havn't'. I could see the prospectors were milling about, most were pretending not to notice. I noticed their age and knew this brother had promised them a show with me as bait. He bumped me a third time. Same accusation, same suggestion. However, by now I realised he wasn't going to let me go. So, exasperated, to his face I asked, 'When?!' He replied, 'Two weeks ago', which I did and didn't, depending on individual perspective. Internally, I exploded. I am aware of him and his cohorts and one of the ways this particular dips..t earns money. So I calmly asked, 'You teach kids how to surf during the day, don't you?'. 'Yeah. So what!' was his reply. I continued, 'And this is what you do at night'. Rage set on his face as he pointed a finger close to my face and he yelled, 'You're one of those intellectual bastards!' So then I offered my face for him to go for it. He's yelling, for me to go around the corner. He's swinging his arms in the air. I'm egging him on, offering my face, 'Go on. Do it'. After a moment the closer 'cannies' grab him, pull him down the short steps, lay him on the bonnet of a car, he's raving like a lunatic, punching the air and legs thrashing wildly about while being held down. Internally, I'm laughing as well as keeping a grip on my actual fear. I walk down the stairs and start walking home. A cannie blocks my path and suggests he and I go around the corner. I looked at his pretty, young face and replied, 'I think I better go home'. 'Yeah, you better', were his parting words. Pretty soon the whole incident was out of my system but I was breathing hard and deeply. My father's violent behaviour taught me the worst that could possibly happen, and, thanks to this talk, I now know it as a strength and not some random amygdala inspired reaction.