Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career GPS
Education
If you experience mixed feelings, you’re less likely to make biased judgments: New research
Excerpts from article by Eric W. Dolan, published in psypost.org
People who are ambivalent or tend to experience mixed feelings are less likely to fall prey to two common cognitive biases, according to new research published in the British Journal of Social Psychology. The findings indicate that being able to simultaneously see both the positive and negative sides of things has some psychological benefits.
“I think we live in a time where there is a lot of emphasis on ‘strong’ opinions and people who are very ‘certain’ about their stances, leading to division and polarisation,” said study author Iris K. Schneider, a professor of social and economic cognition at the University of Cologne.
“There seems to be very little room for the fact that many important issues are actually multi-faceted, with both positive and negative sides to them. Indeed, there is a little bit of bias against being ambivalent because it is seen as indecisive and uncertain. I believe that this is not justified and that there are benefits to being ambivalent because it provides a broader, more realistic view of the world.”
In four studies, Schneider and her colleagues examined the relationship between ambivalence and two cognitive biases. Two studies examined correspondence bias, also known as the fundamental attribution error, which describes the tendency to over-emphasize personality-based rather than situational explanations for another’s behavior. The two other studies examined self‐serving bias, meaning the tendency to attribute one’s successes to internal factors and one’s failures to external factors.
The study included 1,832 participants in total.
The researchers found that those who scored higher on the measure tended to display lower levels of correspondence bias and self‐serving bias. In other words, the higher people were in trait ambivalence, the less likely they were to favour internal over external attributions to explain another’s behaviour and the less likely they were to attribute their success more to themselves than to situations.
“I believe there are benefits to ambivalence, especially in a world that is so polarized,” Schneider said. “However, ambivalence can make some people uncomfortable because they feel that they are ‘wishy-washy.’
When you feel ambivalent, try and think of the word of Scott Fitzgerald, who said: ‘The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.’”
“If you want to try and bring more ambivalence in your life, try making pros and cons lists. We usually use them to make decisions, but trying to force yourself to come up with the positives and negatives of an issue can help you see the issue in a more nuanced way,” said Schneider.
(The study, “Benefits of being ambivalent: The relationship between trait ambivalence and attribution biases“, was authored by Iris K. Schneider, Sheida Novin, Frenk van Harreveld, and Oliver Genschow.)
Career
3 simple ways to stop what’s not working
Excerpts from article by Chris Westfall, published in The Forbes
Everyone wants to do well at work. We all want to perform at our best, growing and achieving in our careers. However, according to Katie Rasmussen, a researcher at West Virginia University, over 40% of the population turns this desire for growth into a career-limiting characteristic – a characteristic that can begin in childhood.
While there’s nothing wrong with most career ambitions, safely expressed and pursued, a certain personality trait can stop you in your tracks. It’s a trait that can torpedo your career, crush your relationships and bring a steady stream of struggle and frustration. In fact, Harvard Business Review says that this quality might be the cause of increased mental illness, brooding and anxiety. And it’s not just because of the pandemic.
When the desire for achievement morphs into the pursuit of perfection, there’s a dangerous self-deception at work. Namely, that perfection is attainable. Perfectionism, according to HBR, is a misleading trait.
Many believe that holding yourself to an impossible standard delivers motivation and performance, but research shows the opposite is true. The desire for perfection is a source of frustration, indignation and stagnation for many.
Here’s how to break free from the shackles of perfectionism, one imperfect step at a time:
1. Revise expectations
When your happiness relies on your own perfection, suffering is often the result. The world is full of imperfections – and so are we. But the perfectionist sees the world not as it is, but as an “all or nothing” binary place where happiness and disaster are the only options.
“There are studies that suggest that the higher the perfectionism is, the more psychological disorders you’re going to suffer,” according to Sarah Egan, a researcher from Curtin University in Perth, Australia.
Disguised as “working hard” or “striving for success”, perfectionism creates unrealistic standards that go beyond being diligent. Andrew Hill, a professor at York St. John’s University in the UK, says that “Perfectionism isn’t a behaviour. It’s a way of thinking about yourself.” Frustration, anger, and even depression can be the result of this unrealistic mindset.
Alignment is the antidote: accepting things as they are, and seeing that imperfection always exists. Understanding that nobody’s perfect, not even a perfect fool, is the first step towards forgiveness.
2. Stop projecting perfectionism
My wife is the perfect woman for me. But is she a perfect woman? I’ll leave it to you to decide, after you ask her if I’m the perfect man. Projecting expectations of perfection onto other people is both unrealistic and hurtful. In relationships, unmet expectations take a variety of forms: hidden, painful and unrealistic. Andrea Brandt, a PhD specialist on anger management, shares in Psychology Today, “You might expect your partner to know what you need without your having to tell them. Or you might expect your teenage child to make agreements and keep them all. But that isn’t how people work.”
How can we change the game? By bringing expectations into the open. And turning expectations into agreements. Share your desires and goals, don’t keep silent over what you might be able to co-create with your boss, your team or your family.
3. Let go
The pursuit of perfection often starts in childhood, when we are rewarded for a job well done. The child seeks approval, pursuing what he or she “should” do. But too many “musts” and “shoulds” can cause behaviours that can ultimately lead to a deep misunderstanding, as we grow into adulthood. Namely, that we have someone else to please – or that someone else knows exactly how we need to behave.
There is a place of freedom – freedom from perfectionism – that occurs when you change your relationship with all those “shoulds”. Ownership is the antidote. What happens when external obligations become internal objectives? What happens when the voice you are hearing isn’t a parent or teacher, but it’s your own? When your values and actions come from a place of ownership – what psychologists call “an internal locus of control” – the conversation inside your head changes. In fact, it can become more compassionate. Kinder. And more useful.
Striving for something is different than chasing perfection. Can you move forward with a deeper understanding and a clear distinction on which behaviours will serve you best? You don’t have to pressure yourself, or others, or rage against imperfect circumstances. Because, no matter how hard you try, people will still be imperfect (and that means you, too).
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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