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Blind Spots VIII — How to Handle Our Blind Spots
Monday, April 11th, 2011
Robert Wechsler
Max H. Bazerman and Ann
E. Tenbrunsel, the authors of the new book Blind
Spots:
Why
We
Fail
to
Do
What's
Right
and
What to Do about It (Princeton University
Press), present several ways of dealing with the many problems they
raise in their book.
One solution is to align what they call our "want" and "should" selves, that is, our self-interested and our public-interested feelings, by becoming aware of our blind spots, that is, by recognizing our vulnerability to our own unconscious biases.
"If you find yourself thinking,' I'd never do that' and 'Of course I'll choose the right path,' it's likely your planning efforts will fail and you'll be unprepared for the influence of self-interest at the time of the decision. One useful way to prepare for the onslaught of the 'want' self is to think about the motivations that are likely to influence you at the time you make a decision."
One way of doing this is to practice your responses to ethical situations. "When you are able to project yourself into a future situation, almost as if you were actually in it, you can better anticipate which motivations will be most powerful and be prepared to manage them."
By doing this, you arm yourself with accurate information about your most likely response "so that you can engage in proactive strategies to reduce the probability that your 'want' self will exert undue pressure at the time of the decision and increase the odds that self-interest will dominate."
The authors also recommend what they call "self-control strategies." They recommend that people put in place "pre-commitment devices" to help them follow a desired course of action (think piggy bank for savings).
They recognize the problem of how our commitments escalate, how reluctant we are to walk away from a course of action once we've decided on it. Therefore, they feel it is best to hold off making a public commitment, and they recommend that people share their pre-commitment ideas with an unbiased individual whose opinion they respect. The combination of putting all the options on the table, brainstorming them, and openly considering the ethical aspects of each option is a good one. Abstract, System 2, "should" thinking is more likely to dominate if one does this.
Such a discussion should also consider how others will feel (your spouse or parents as well as the public) and how you would feel if your decision were to appear on the front page.
Another way to deal with our blind spots is training that helps us identify and correct the distorted feedback we give ourselves, emphasizing the psychological mechanisms that lead to inaccurate recollections and unethical behavior.
The authors also discuss techniques to help people accurately recall their behavior, including immediate feedback that warns of the likelihood of distortions and reminds us how bias might have affected our recollection. The authors call this "ethical debriefing." As with the process that precedes decision-making, ethical debriefing works best with a trusted friend or colleague who plays devil's advocate.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
---
One solution is to align what they call our "want" and "should" selves, that is, our self-interested and our public-interested feelings, by becoming aware of our blind spots, that is, by recognizing our vulnerability to our own unconscious biases.
"If you find yourself thinking,' I'd never do that' and 'Of course I'll choose the right path,' it's likely your planning efforts will fail and you'll be unprepared for the influence of self-interest at the time of the decision. One useful way to prepare for the onslaught of the 'want' self is to think about the motivations that are likely to influence you at the time you make a decision."
One way of doing this is to practice your responses to ethical situations. "When you are able to project yourself into a future situation, almost as if you were actually in it, you can better anticipate which motivations will be most powerful and be prepared to manage them."
By doing this, you arm yourself with accurate information about your most likely response "so that you can engage in proactive strategies to reduce the probability that your 'want' self will exert undue pressure at the time of the decision and increase the odds that self-interest will dominate."
The authors also recommend what they call "self-control strategies." They recommend that people put in place "pre-commitment devices" to help them follow a desired course of action (think piggy bank for savings).
They recognize the problem of how our commitments escalate, how reluctant we are to walk away from a course of action once we've decided on it. Therefore, they feel it is best to hold off making a public commitment, and they recommend that people share their pre-commitment ideas with an unbiased individual whose opinion they respect. The combination of putting all the options on the table, brainstorming them, and openly considering the ethical aspects of each option is a good one. Abstract, System 2, "should" thinking is more likely to dominate if one does this.
Such a discussion should also consider how others will feel (your spouse or parents as well as the public) and how you would feel if your decision were to appear on the front page.
Another way to deal with our blind spots is training that helps us identify and correct the distorted feedback we give ourselves, emphasizing the psychological mechanisms that lead to inaccurate recollections and unethical behavior.
The authors also discuss techniques to help people accurately recall their behavior, including immediate feedback that warns of the likelihood of distortions and reminds us how bias might have affected our recollection. The authors call this "ethical debriefing." As with the process that precedes decision-making, ethical debriefing works best with a trusted friend or colleague who plays devil's advocate.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
---
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