In the arena of ideas, mental gymnastics often takes the center stage. Each of us, irrespective of our political, social, or cultural leanings, has, at one point or another, found ourselves entangled in this competition of cognitive acrobatics. We twist and turn, stretch and leap, all in an attempt to reconcile our preconceived notions with the relentless onslaught of new information.
Mental gymnastics, however, is not an aimless dance of thoughts. Rather, it's a psychological tug-of-war, swayed by three potent forces - cognitive dissonance, confirmation bias, and motivated reasoning. Each of these forces can nudge us, sometimes quite subliminally, towards harboring contradictory, extreme and unhelpful viewpoints.
Let's take a spin through these three cognitive mechanisms, shall we?
The Dance of Cognitive Dissonance
Imagine you are a committed environmentalist living in the mountains of Colorado, and you just purchased a gas-guzzling SUV. In this situation, you might feel a certain psychological discomfort - you're dancing to the tune of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance, a term coined by Leon Festinger in the 1950s, describes the mental discomfort experienced when someone holds two or more conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes.
To reconcile the dissonance between your green ideals and your new gas guzzler, you might argue that the SUV is safer for your family, or perhaps it's a temporary necessity until electric models become more affordable. This rationalization, a textbook case of mental gymnastics, soothes the mental discomfort and allows you to maintain your self-image as an environmentalist.
Confirmation Bias: The Cheerleader Effect
Now let's consider confirmation bias. It's the cheerleader effect in our cognitive processes. Much like how cheerleaders bolster the spirit of their team, confirmation bias boosts our existing beliefs by encouraging us to seek out, interpret, and remember information that confirms our preconceived notions.
Consider the fervent cryptocurrency enthusiast who's invested heavily in Bitcoin. He dismisses negative news articles about Bitcoin's volatility and environmental impact as "FUD" (fear, uncertainty, doubt), but eagerly shares positive reports about its potential for high returns and decentralization. This is confirmation bias in action: selectively cheering for information that supports our existing beliefs.
Motivated Reasoning: The Tail Wagging the Dog
Lastly, we have motivated reasoning, which is akin to the tail wagging the dog. With motivated reasoning, our desires and emotions effectively drive our thought processes. We shape our reasoning to reach conclusions we prefer, often subconsciously, leading to beliefs that feel satisfying but might lack a firm grounding in fact.
An example might be a die-hard fan of a popular celebrity or supporter of a politician accused of wrongdoing. Despite significant evidence pointing to the person's guilt, the fan might dismiss the accusations as a smear campaign, going to great lengths to concoct alternative theories that exonerate their pick. Here, the emotional investment in the celebrity or politician motivates a biased evaluation of the facts, guiding the supporter to a preferred conclusion.
Navigating the Cognitive Arena
Understanding these three psychological mechanisms and their role in shaping our beliefs is vital for navigating our increasingly complex world. It helps us foster empathy, recognize our biases, and be open to changing our views based on new information. However, acknowledging these cognitive pitfalls is just the first step in this intellectual gymnastics routine.
To truly leverage this understanding, we need to challenge these biases actively. Media literacy, for instance, is an essential skill for today's digital citizens. Recognizing the signs of misinformation, diversifying our news sources, and critically evaluating the information we consume can help counter the effects of confirmation bias.
Encouraging balanced discussions and promoting empathy is equally vital. Conversations and debates need to transcend the "win or lose" mindset. They should be seen as opportunities to understand alternative viewpoints and refine our own. This culture of open dialogue can help manage cognitive dissonance healthily.
And finally, promoting self-awareness and humility can keep motivated reasoning in check. It's crucial to understand that we all have emotional investments and that these investments can cloud our judgment.
Signing Off: A Call for Cognitive Balance
So, what's the takeaway? How do we stick the landing after this whirlwind of cognitive gymnastics?
As we swing from the bars of cognitive dissonance, bounce on the trampoline of confirmation bias, and vault over motivated reasoning, it's critical to strive for cognitive balance. Recognizing these biases is not a destination but a journey—a continuous process of self-reflection and growth.
A recommended exercise for further exploration is the "Good, Bad, Better" (GBB) analysis. Take a belief or idea you hold and list ten good points, ten bad points, and ten alternative viewpoints. This exercise can be a powerful tool to challenge your biases, explore different perspectives, and cultivate a more nuanced understanding of complex issues.
Remember, the mental gymnastics arena is not a battleground. It's better to frame it as a gymnasium, where the goal is not to defeat an opponent but to improve our strength, flexibility, and balance. With practice, patience, and persistence, we can master this cognitive routine, one thought at a time.
So here's to the cognitive gymnasts in each of us. May we continue to bend, not break, in our pursuit of understanding. Now, that's a perfect ten!
P.S. You might wonder how I can write or why I might write an article like this? Well, I have a BS in Psychology and I was an Intelligence Officer in the Air Force.
I finished out my career as an Influence Operations (IO) officer where I dealt with propaganda, psychological operations, and all the other 'soft' non-kinetic capabilities of warfare. I participated in strategic and operational planning and execution of these capabilities in support of civilian authorities and homeland defense.
You might say I have a drive to get to the truth, not be deceived, and help others think clearly and make good decisions. After all, it's all part of trying to live the good life, in my humble opinion.
