Science says why people always think they're right

The reason for this is that your heels may dig in while heating. discussionAccording to new research Published in a magazine on Wednesday Pro Swan: You don't know all the facts, but believe you do.

“On average, most people do this,” said study co-author Angus Fletcher, a professor of English at Ohio State University. luck.

That's only half the truth, ma'am.

In this study, 1,261 adults were divided into three groups and read an article about a hypothetical school lacking adequate education. water. One group read an article that simply stated why schools should merge with schools that have enough water. The second group of articles only stated reasons to maintain separation and hope for other solutions. A third control group read all the arguments in favor of integrating schools and maintaining segregation.

Fletcher's findings showed that the two groups that received only half the facts (only pro-merger or only anti-merger) believed they had enough information to make a good decision. showed.

He calls this phenomenon the “illusion of information sufficiency.” People rarely stop to consider what information they are missing, and instead confidently assume that the facts they have are sufficient to fully understand the situation. That's what I am.

But what surprised Fletcher most was that “people were willing to change their minds.”

Once everyone was given the other half of the argument, their opinions changed to be on par with a control group who had both sets of facts to begin with. Seeing how easily the participants changed their mindset, Fletcher believes the findings could be useful in everyday life. disagreement—Both big and small.

stay curious

Curiosity about all sides of an argument helps resolve it collision Not surprisingly, Fletcher says: And the most important place to use curiosity is in interpersonal relationships.

“There's a lot of unnecessary stuff.” anger“It's aggression, frustration and resentment in a relationship based on complete misunderstanding,” says Fletcher. “When you feel irritated with someone, take a step back and think about how much you really know about the situation.”

What made this study more understanding between different groups was having access to all the facts. General consensus was more easily reached when each group reviewed new information independently. Fletcher hopes more people can apply this lesson to everyday disagreements.

He recommends that if you find yourself arguing with a loved one or colleague, stop and get curious about why they think the way they do.

“There's a good chance you'll uncover something that changes your perspective,” Fletcher says.

Arguing about laundry? It's kind of like politics

Fletcher believes that most of our conflicts stem from simple misunderstandings. For example, being able to use your curiosity during small conflicts, like when you keep getting angry at your partner for doing the laundry wrong, will help you during larger, more difficult conversations.

“Be aware of misconceptions that are causing unnecessary stress,” says Fletcher. “Then you will be in a better position to have a serious discussion about substantive disagreements.”

These more substantive and deeper discussions are often political in nature. Practice being curious about why people think it's right to do laundry one way rather than another, or cross the road when a car honks and wonders if your child isn't paying attention. If you take the time to make sure you've stopped to ask someone why you believe their actions on a big issue, and then take a moment before asserting your point of view based solely on facts. It might be a good idea to stop and take a look. you I had it. By doing so, those around you may also be more inclined to understand your side.

“They can have more honest and deep conversations about politics and are more likely to benefit,” Fletcher said. “That's optimistic, but I think it's also true.”