THE THOUGHT PARADOXICAL
Supplements for mental well-being
The arguments often fail to resolve conflicts, while it is possible to solve them, changing attitudes. The best way to change minds is not to tell people that they are wrong or that wrong, but tell them that they are right. Scientists have discovered that agree with people can be a surprisingly powerful way to shake the strongly held beliefs.
Researchers have shown that people who showed extreme ideas and have received confirmations from others about their opinions, they reconsidered their position and have become more receptive to other points of view. And 'what emerges from a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study was conducted by Eran Halperin, a psychologist at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya in Israel.
Scientists have carried out a study on one of the issues under discussion and conflict in the world, the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, in which people from both sides maintain strong beliefs that make it difficult to compromise, as years of failed negotiations have shown.
The scientists, led by students Halperin Boaz Hameiri and Roni Porat, recruited more than 150 Israelis and exposed half of them in the video linked to the conflict with the Palestinians, based on values that many Israelis have a heart. The other half of the group, however, has watched TV commercials neutral (control group).
But instead of emphasizing how the conflict was in contrast with the values of the Israelis, the videos shown have illustrated how the conflict was consistent with the beliefs of many participants. "For example, the fact that the Israelis are now the most moral in the world is one of the fundamental beliefs of Israeli society," said Halperin. So when the researchers showed participants a video which claimed that Israel should continue the conflict so that its citizens can continue to be defenders of morality, people have reacted with anger. After several exposures to video on Israeli issues, the attitudes of the participants have softened considerably; have reported an increase of almost 30 per cent in their willingness to re-evaluate their position with respect to the participants in the control group. This shift persisted one year after the study had ended.
In addition, more and more people exposed to the so-called paradoxical thought experiment reported that they had voted for moderate parties - those who favor reconciliation measures, such as evacuation of some Israeli settlements in the West Bank - demonstrating that the experiment has not only led to a change of mentality, but also to changes in behavior.
Traditional approaches to change attitudes deeply rooted have proven ineffective; Numerous studies have shown that people deal with information that challenges their beliefs often has no effect, or even strengthens their initial position.
But the thought seems paradoxical to encourage people to re-evaluate their beliefs precisely because creeps through the system of psychological security that protects our deepest beliefs, without tripping the alarm.
Although the method needs further validation in laboratory, Halperin sees the paradoxical thinking as a potentially useful tool for the promotion of peace / delete conflicts.
Source: Worldhealth
Supplements for mental well-being