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Cognitive Dissonance -- Why it's hard to admit to being wrong
We all have a hard time admitting that we're wrong, but according to a new book about human psychology, it's not entirely our fault. Social psychologist Elliot Aronson and co-author Carol Tavris say our brains work hard to make us think we are doing the right thing, even in the face of sometimes overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Consider the extreme case: if everyone in the whole world believed something there would be no question at all as to the validity of this belief. It is for this reason that we observe the increase in proselytizing following disconfirmation.
We all have a hard time admitting that we're wrong, but according to a new book about human psychology, it's not entirely our fault. Social psychologist Elliot Aronson and co-author Carol Tavris say our brains work hard to make us think we are doing the right thing, even in the face of sometimes overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
Consider the extreme case: if everyone in the whole world believed something there would be no question at all as to the validity of this belief. It is for this reason that we observe the increase in proselytizing following disconfirmation.