The Consistency Blindspot

[rousseau]

I was reading a book called '50 Psychology Classics' recently, which quickly summarizes 50 great pieces of psychology.

One of the psychological processes I read about that I thought worth mentioning is the 'consistency' blindspot. I can't remember the specific name of the theory or the psychologist as I don't have the book handy, but the basic gist of the theory mentioned that there are certain facets of our behaviour that are mostly automatic and conditioning driven (we have little control over them).

One of these blindspots is that people tend to like to be consistent: if they hold one theory in their mind for a prolonged period of time they are more likely to stick with that theory. If a salesperson gets them to mention that they are interested in a product they are less likely to do an about face and change their mind.

So at it's core people tend not to change their minds about things, which is a huge problem when successfully navigating the world. If you decide to go to an expensive restaurant that you can't afford, it's better for you to change your mind and cancel then to go through with it to save face, that type of thing.

Anyway, I also highly suggest checking out that book .. with psychology there's no real need to read a 300 page book on a concept that can be summed in a page or two, and it presents a lot of great ideas like this.

 

[Jarhyn]

I'll have to disagree. The consistency blind spot has game theoretic value in a diverse population.

Oftentimes the rightness of an idea is context-dependent, and there are ways it is right in a different context, or if it were more fleshed out. We should be as much interested in finding how an idea is right as we are in showing why it is wrong.

 

[rousseau]

I'll have to disagree. The consistency blind spot has game theoretic value in a diverse population.

Oftentimes the rightness of an idea is context-dependent, and there are ways it is right in a different context, or if it were more fleshed out. We should be as much interested in finding how an idea is right as we are in showing why it is wrong.

Yea, agreed, but the ability to contemplate the rightness or wrongness of something shows an ability to see outside of the blind spot. You could become aware that you were succumbing to the blind spot, contemplate your options, and continue on anyway. The more important point is that you're open to changing your mind about things, which broadens your life possibilities.

 

[Angry Floof]

Nowadays it's called compartmentalization. I agree that if you're aware of it and accept that you're not exempt, you can then step back and compare your various compartments of values and beliefs and therefore change your mind, refining your world view toward reality and away from unexamined bias.

If you're not aware that you compartmentalize, you're probably the douchebag who supports imprisoning potheads but loves to go on about your god-given freedom to blow away your fellow human beings with a gun, or you're too busy having an affair to be concerned about your sick wife or your dwindling voter base.

 

[Jarhyn]

But having an idea recognized as wrong rather than having a zealot keeping the idea as noxious might have it remain as, well, noxious... but it also keeps it in circulation that it might act in the synthesis of a not-wrong idea. 'It could be aliens' is almost always wrong, but having it be a cultural element allows us to give it a passing consideration before dismissal; if the blind spot didn't exist, the idea may end up in a dustbin and see no consideration even if it were the right answer. At the expense of one nutter in the society that nobody otherwise pays attention to, we keep that idea circulating for when it is needed.

 

[rousseau]

But having an idea recognized as wrong rather than having a zealot keeping the idea as noxious might have it remain as, well, noxious... but it also keeps it in circulation that it might act in the synthesis of a not-wrong idea. 'It could be aliens' is almost always wrong, but having it be a cultural element allows us to give it a passing consideration before dismissal; if the blind spot didn't exist, the idea may end up in a dustbin and see no consideration even if it were the right answer. At the expense of one nutter in the society that nobody otherwise pays attention to, we keep that idea circulating for when it is needed.

You make a valid point, and I agree that there is value in the tendency, but as individuals I think there is more value in being aware of the tendency. Just as a lack of the tendency might kill the facilitation of right ideas, the presence of the tendency can also facilitate wrong ideas, but being aware of your own thought process in this context adds more executive functioning to it, and hopefully better all around decisions.

The difference between the two points is someone who acts blindly versus someone who acts deliberately.

 

[Jarhyn]

Well, as an individual, I am glad I recognized that my animal needs to be kept on a short leash most times. But I am glad for and do not resent those for whom the psychological arrangement is reversed.

 

[Angry Floof]

Well, as an individual, I am glad I recognized that my animal needs to be kept on a short leash most times. But I am glad for and do not resent those for whom the psychological arrangement is reversed.

You don't have to resent people to understand that a little honest self inquiry makes the difference between conscience and doing whatever I'm driven to do because I believe my unchallenged rationalizations for it.

Some people really do live their entire lives by whatever thoughts and reactions rise up out of their asses into consciousness. The world is full of their creations: war, abuse, ideological disease. They are the reason this discussion board even exists. I'm guessing even you feel resentment about that from time to time.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I believe that people are always ready and willing to change their minds in the face of new evidence. That's been my opinion for a while now and I'm not going to be changing it.

 

[fromderinside]

Well, as an individual, I am glad I recognized that my animal needs to be kept on a short leash most times. But I am glad for and do not resent those for whom the psychological arrangement is reversed.

You don't have to resent people to understand that a little honest self inquiry makes the difference between conscience and doing whatever I'm driven to do because I believe my unchallenged rationalizations for it.

Some people really do live their entire lives by whatever thoughts and reactions rise up out of their asses into consciousness. The world is full of their creations: war, abuse, ideological disease. They are the reason this discussion board even exists. I'm guessing even you feel resentment about that from time to time.

Rationality is nice, but, it is only nice. It isn't reality nor the Rosetta Stone for behaving and getting along. The whats we are were compiled long before we became aware of some of what we are. So rationality sits atop this mass of sensing, going toward moving away from seeking avoiding, getting along, satisfying any number of urges, and making tools.

Our animal needs are not kept on a short leash. Left alone, Jarhyn, we are likely to become very irrational very quickly. Your recognition is mostly a social thing since the primary threat to us is us. We have mechanisms that go off when others act as if we, ourselves, were acting, that we consult before we decide anything important to us is a survival sense.

We may be the most sentiently evolved but we are also the most evolved cheaters. Its not yin-yang but it is balance of a sort almost everywhere within and about us.

So those terms like 'honest', 'inquiry', 'conscience' are value markers, not much more, which bias us toward this and away from that in our continuing "fuck your buddy" (some call it prisoner's dilemma) game with whomever you happen to be near. Is t seems we are constituted of a socially driven set of notions and ideals, which are themselves modeled on what those who do better, on average, than we over some period of time seem to be doing (Kings and courts, Churches,Political Organizations, social groups, militaries, etc, which we tailor toward to get along.

Those urge outcomes, war and the like, Hylidae, are the pre-constituents of what our society is now which is why this discussion board is so flagrantly juicily contradictory and interesting. We all have a piece of it and we are pretty sure our piece is the correct one, ergo such as the consistency blind spot. I think it is good that we probably have such.

 

[Angry Floof]

I disagree with that last comment. I'm never sure my view is correct. At best, I can say that any iteration of my world view is a bit more honest than it was before. Oh, wait, never mind. "Honest" is a value marker to you, so I won't bother to explain what that means in terms of questioning one's own beliefs and motives and how resulting actions play out in the world.

 

[fromderinside]

Honest is a self judgement. So, yes it is a personal value marker. What that mean is in terms of questioning ones own beliefs and motives is one carries one's views forward against what one thinks one believes. Doing so is the only way ton 'question' ones values against whatever it was that brought that conjecture into one's consciousness.

We can't honestly evaluate how our actions play out in the world since we are part of the theater.

 

[Kharakov]

We can't honestly evaluate how our actions play out in the world since we are part of the theater.

Yeah. Every mass murder brings us closer to a "peaceful" conclusion. That only the ultra privileged get the best stuff in life (is that a tautology?).

Especially if you're a willing slave to the privileged classes that held you down until you couldn't get up, and then made it look like it's your fault so that you will be a willing servant.

Guess what one of the methods of manipulation into menial labor is?

Raising up a talented poor person by manipulation, making them rich and popular, and showing you that it is you that lacks a certain something. This helps them make you satisfied with menial jobs, although you could just as easily do the easy fun jobs that they have. They actually will trip you up on purpose to hold you down and make you think that you are not as good as them, using various means at their disposal. They also engage in back handed back stabbing, tripping you up with various illusory weaknesses they have led you into believing you have. You don't- they trip you up on purpose, with many different means at their disposal, that you are not even aware of. Anyway... venting off, ehh? Not like this will ever go anywhere, or be seen by anyone.