The Chimp Paradox, authored by Steve Peters (2013), presents a compelling exploration of the Human mind and its intricate workings. Peters, a psychiatrist most renowned for his work in elite sports psychology, introduces readers to a captivating model that delves into the complexities of the brain and its impact on emotions, behaviour, and decision-making.

The central concept of The Chimp Paradox revolves around the metaphorical representation of the brain as having three key components: the Human, the Chimp, and the Computer. The Human represents the rational, logical part of our brain responsible for analytical thinking and decision-making. On the other hand, the Chimp embodies the emotional, instinctive side that reacts quickly to situations based on feelings and impulses. The Computer stores and processes information, shaping our beliefs and automatic thoughts, so it can also be considered a kind of auto-pilot.

Peters provides a framework for understanding and managing the interplay between these components through this model. The Chimp Paradox introduces readers to the idea that internal conflicts often arise from the struggle between the rational Human and the emotional Chimp. By recognising and comprehending these internal dynamics, individuals can gain greater control over their reactions and make more informed decisions.

The book further explores the impact of these concepts on various aspects of life, including relationships, work, and personal well-being. Peters shares practical strategies and techniques to manage the Chimp, allowing individuals to optimise their cognitive processes and navigate the challenges of everyday life more effectively.
The Chimp Paradox has gained widespread acclaim for its accessible approach to understanding the mind and its applications in diverse fields, from sports psychology to personal development and now as a valuable approach within counselling practice. As we explore Steve Peters’ insights deeper, we will uncover the transformative potential of managing our inner Chimp and potential applications for one-to-one or group counselling.

For many clients, the notion that there is more than one voice within them will be immediately recognisable. If you were to ask clients, “Did you ever go back to someone following an interaction and say, ‘I probably over-reacted…’” most would be able to recall examples of this, and then we can investigate further- how were you able to come back and apologise?” Many of us would respond with, ‘I calmed down’ or ‘I thought about it, and when I was calmer, I went back’ and so on. This is a stark example of Chimp and Human behaviour as the emotionally driven and reactive Chimp will have, in all likelihood, been the part of us that reacted when we did whatever it was that we now regret! Later, the ‘I probably over-reacted, sorry’ part will be the Human response to something that was perhaps not helped by the over-zealous Chimp. It is often helpful to clients to realise this is part of us all, and alongside this, the therapist may choose to self-disclose (appropriately) to point out we all have a Chimp!
 
Strategy 1: Let the Chimp exercise.

In a given situation, for example, an upcoming test or exam, we may have some emotional responses to the forthcoming ‘threat.’ It is a threat to the inner Chimp if we stand a chance of looking bad, feeling inadequate, and feeling like we have failed, i.e., a Chimp needs to look competent and strong to maintain its place in the troop. So, when there is an emotional response, the Chimp will want to exercise to express all its feelings towards the threat, e.g.:

  • ‘I might fail’.
  • ‘What will others think of me if I fail?’
  • ‘I can’t do this!’
  • ‘Why am I like this!’

Strategy 2: Cage the Chimp with logic.

Might fail:

  • ‘It’s true I might fail. It is always possible.’
  • ‘I can only do the best I can under the circumstances. The rest is not in my control’.
  • ‘If I fail, I can handle it, work out what went wrong and move forward’.

What will others think:

  • ‘I can’t help what others think.’
  • ‘It’s what I think that matters.’
  • ‘People who care for me will be on my side, win, lose or draw…’

Strategy 3: Form a plan.

  • For instance, you could decide how you will think on the day of the test: ‘I’ve worked hard for this and done all I can under the circumstances; if it goes my way, great and if not, I will learn something from the day to help me get ready to retake the exam.’
  • ‘The Chimp might try to hijack me on the day of the test, but I will prepare my ‘auto-pilot’ for this- in the form of a flashcard which I have in my phone/memorised- we often do panic when there is a test and it doesn’t help, sometimes when people fail it turns out to be the best thing that could happen as It helps them move in a new direction or else builds resilience to get through next time- I am not failing… I am essentially developing.’

The Chimp is also helpful in alerting us to danger and problems and identifying our drives and needs; our job is to work with the Chimp using the ‘Human’ and the ‘Computer’ to create balance.

Peters is keen to point out that letting the Chimp exercise is not just a random activity but a calculated strategy based on scientific evidence. Essentially, when the emotional department of the brain expresses feelings externally (for instance, saying it out loud to yourself, telling another person or explaining it in a journal), the dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex assesses these ideas being expressed and begins to process via rational and logical thought (Barsaglini et al., 2014). When you think about this, it is a core part of all counselling therapies, i.e. saying out loud that which is perturbing us or provoking anxiety. When assessed by the dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex, the expression of feelings is then processed and stored in the Computer (the parietal system) as beliefs.

Use bananas and distraction to calm an anxious Chimp

A further couple of factors which can prove helpful in calming an anxious Chimp are distraction and bananas… in the case of giving the Chimp a banana, it can be as simple as telling it: ‘We will finish the next page/section/paragraph and then go for coffee’ this is especially useful when you engage in any procrastination or avoidance type behaviour concerning work or study. Your Chimp is particularly good at offering alternative solutions to anything boring or tedious that we have to do. The opposite is beneficial in distraction. Peters points out that research suggests distraction is the best policy with distressed children (a fact many parents and teachers will be able to confirm!). He tells us that comfort and support are helpful, but distraction is more effective. In adults, this becomes obvious when we think about the number of distractions clients (and ourselves) use to avoid unpleasant thoughts. This is the antithesis of an approach like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), as it represents experiential avoidance. However, in small doses, we can find distraction useful, and perhaps it is not a good strategy when it is the only one used to process difficult thoughts or feelings.

Chimp therapy in action

Tom has worked for a company for 30 years as a fly-in fly-out worker in the mines of Western Australia. He has been sent on ‘gardening leave’ following an incident at work. A manager who insists on employees standing in certain positions while talking to them (e.g. instructing them to be closer/further away, etc.) and lecturing them over micro-details of their jobs has set Tom off. Tom is generally quick to anger, especially when someone is treated unjustly, such as men speaking in derogatory ways to women or selfish behaviour in queues or on the freeway with other motorists.

One day, the supervisor refuses to accept Tom’s standing where he is comfortable and insists that he participate in a group huddle. This demand pushes Tom over the edge, and to avoid hitting the man, Tom takes out his anger on a nearby cabinet, denting the side in with his fist. All these instances of anger relate to someone not doing the right thing/not behaving respectfully, whether to Tom himself or others he feels protective towards. The notion of the Chimp as the basis of anger and also as an instinctively protective being serves well to help Tom understand where his behaviour comes from. He begins to experiment with the notion of having a Chimp and a Human and how the two differentiate; he starts to question the Chimp, ‘What happened the last time we did this?’ and the Chimp, in return, expresses embarrassment and shame.

The critical aspect here is, being that a Chimp is an animal that comes from a troop; it does not like to look bad in front of the other Chimps, and the shame and embarrassment that follow some of Tom’s ‘over the top’ behaviour serve to help keep the Chimp in check. Tom also starts to view interactions from other people’s Chimps/Humans. The boss, with his need to control (even irrelevant) factors in his employees, Tom sees as a need to dominate and be an alpha Chimp; he also realises that people are not all Chimps and that when they are driving on the freeway, some of them are reacting rather than thinking logically. They don’t know him, so none of their behaviour is directed at him. He begins to make stories up; they are in a rush, distracted or suffering some other problem, which means they are driving too fast, but this is not directed at him. He has the power to calm his own Chimp, telling himself, ‘This is ok, it’s not race or a competition, we can slow down, move and over and let this go…’ He uses rational thoughts to counteract irrational ones; for example, ‘everyone on the freeway should be respectful to me, and I can’t stand it when they are not’ is, of course, irrational. Tom builds the following rational thought from this: ‘I don’t like to when people are inconsiderate to me on the freeway, but I can stand it, and although I would like all people to treat me with respect, I accept some of them will not’ Tom responds in some amazement to how this new found perspective is changing many of his day to day interactions, including the driving but also waiting in queues, driving and calming himself when he is alone and becomes agitated by various worries or else interacting with others that trigger his Chimp. 

Further reading/Study

Peter’s original book, The Chimp Paradox, is perhaps the most accessible, but both The Path through the Jungle and My Hidden Chimp offer good insight into working with the Chimp, Humans, and Computers. Steve Peters is CEO of Chimp Management, with online groups, blogs, 2-day retreats and conferences all forming part of his work (see link below). The use of the model in day-to-day counselling, as we have covered in this brief article, makes it clear that people struggling to deal with themselves and others can apply the principles to their interactions and that there is a broad scope for practitioners to use the model within counselling work.
 
References

  1. Barsaglini, A., Sartori, G., Benetti, S., Pettersson-Yeo, W., & Mechelli, A. (2014). The effects of psychotherapy on brain function: A systematic and critical review. Progress in neurobiology, 114, 1-14.
  2. Peters, S. (2021). A Path Through the Jungle: A Psychological Health and Wellbeing Programme to Develop Robustness and Resilience. Mindfield Media.
  3. Peters, S. (2013). The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Program to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence, and Happiness. TarcherPerigee.
  4. Peters, S. (2023). My Hidden Chimp. Kings Road Publishing.