Is this a mental shift?

[Arvax]

I usually am just fine with doing chores like vacuuming and do them without complaint, but I had a moment today where I felt quite strongly that there were more important things to do. When I was talking to my mom, she said I sounded kind of confrontive. I have had this happen where I talk uncharacteristically sarcastic or aggressively. I was wondering if this was a mental shift.

 

[SoothsayerSasha]

I have had this happen where I talk uncharacteristically sarcastic or aggressively. I was wondering if this was a mental shift.

Simple answer: If you felt the situation had influence over your kin-type(s) to some degree, your unconscious reaction or conscious behaviour could very well have been a mental shift.

Long answer: I propose it is more subjective a definition, i.e. when you attribute characteristics that are more 'kin-like' than 'human-like' surfacing. To first differentiate whatever 'human-like' is, in regards to what you refer to as 'uncharacteristic', one must try to understand how their perceived behaviour fits in to their personal identity as a human and go from there.

Personal experience: I might growl under my breath at something that seems pointless I am asked to do and sometimes attribute that to frustration of my kin-type. Perhaps I'll stare in awe at something I haven't seen before, and tilt my head like a raven to inspect and then continue on thinking about it as I would normally as human. My 'mental shifts' easily come and go in daily life which is why I consider myself contherian ('constantly shifted' to some degree)

 

[Arvax]

In that case, I have had a mental shift before. I once found myself mapping out how to swipe a piece of jewelry from a farmers market stand. I didn't do it, but I was impressed by how I noticed all the details of where everyone was looking, the timing it would need, especially how confident I was I could pull it off. I had to tackle down that part of my mind before I got in trouble. I am not a kleptomaniac in any way, and I still am boggled where that expertise came from.

 

[SoothsayerSasha]

I had to tackle down that part of my mind before I got in trouble. I am not a kleptomaniac in any way, and I still am boggled where that expertise came from.

To manipulate a situation in order to come out ahead is an important concept of survival - mental exercises are a healthy part of our sentience in order to learn without doing, so you have no need to explain yourself!

The situation reminds me of what I call a 'sensory' shift, a subset of a mental shift (like in a meditative mind state) where I might become hyper-aware or focused in the mindset of a kin-type.

 

[Shezep]

Those might be mental shifts in a general way, but they sound like things that humans also do or think about. I probably wouldn't count it unless it was distinctly nonhuman. Otherwise it's just a mood or a mental exercise.