Most of our decisions are not as rational as we think. We are influenced by many factors that we are not aware of. But it has its upsides, says psychologist Richard Nisbett.
Every year it becomes more and more obvious that we cannot keep track of most of the processes that take place in our head. This is the central problem of modern psychology. More and more research suggests that we are delusional in understanding what actually causes certain of our decisions and actions. We may not even suspect the true causes.
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Experiments prove that the opinion of absolutely any person can be changed, and this can be done in such a way that he does not suspect anything. He will assume that his point of view has remained the same as at the beginning of the conversation. But you will know the truth, because you tracked the course of the experiment and presented the participant with the information and those assessments that should push him in a certain direction.
Thus, the context – and above all the social context – has a huge impact on us. But we usually don’t realize it. If we meet for the first time for a cup of coffee, you will probably think: and he is a great guy, you should get to know him better. But if the coffee is cold and even ice cold, you are more likely to find me arrogant and aloof. Similarly, your judgment will be affected by the room temperature and color scheme. People on a blue or green background seem more creative, but stay away from red (unless you’re talking about a dating profile).
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These patterns also apply in cases where the decisions being made are socially significant. Often we are mistaken in determining how big the role of situational, random factors in our behavior is. Here are some examples.
People are more likely to vote against abortion than for it if the voting takes place in a church building. And judges are more likely to decide to grant a prisoner’s request for parole if they had lunch beforehand. If you ask a hungry judge why he turned down the petition, he will give you a dozen reasons. At the same time, being well-fed, he will see no reason to refuse exactly the same treatment.
There is one important idea that social psychologists have learned well: what people do of their own free will turns out to be much more effective than anything we can get from them with a carrot and a stick. The best way to change people’s behavior is to create conditions in which their behavior will change on its own. This method can be not only more efficient, but also cheaper.
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- “It’s easier for those of us who have a high level of intelligence”
I recently attended an international economic forum. There were economists, psychologists, political scientists, statesmen and businessmen. Our common task was to find a way to convince people to act in the public interest. During the discussions, the word “stimulate” was used several times. Usually this meant some kind of monetary reward or, conversely, a fine. I think that such incentives are not only ineffective, but can backfire. Why offer people money for something they wouldn’t do without it? And if we talk about punishment for some actions, this only proves that they are attractive to people and will be attractive in the future.
California recently saved millions of dollars and tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with one simple trick. It was decided to stick special labels on the doors of those who consume more electricity than their neighbors. Costs immediately decreased significantly – just because of the sticker. Thus, our natural desire for conformity is not necessarily harmful. It can also motivate us to behave more responsibly.
Richard Nisbett is a social psychologist and professor at the University of Michigan (USA), author of Mindware: Tools for Smart Thinking (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2015). The material was prepared on the basis of his interview for the Big Think project.