On Nov 21, 2007 3:44 PM, Andreas Ramos <andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > We can stick to our principles and say "that's irrational, and therefore > you've lost", but that doesn't go anywhere. They still believe their ideas > and we end up having to deal with that. > The question, then, is, indeed, how to deal with that, once we have realized that pointing out contradictions rarely results in persuasion, especially if done in a way that assumes the other is a fool. We might begin by considering, for example, Gary Klein's recognition primed decision process. Basically the process works like this. Faced with incoming information the brain employs a pattern recognition process, looking to memory for a model that fits the information. The first model that seems to fit is the one initially acted upon. As the action takes place, the pattern recognition process continues, checking for new information inconsistent with the first model. Small contradictions are ignored or taken into account by minor adjustments to the model. Past a certain threshold, however, the first model is rejected and replaced with another model that offers a better fit. Only after the fact, however, can all possible models be laid out side-by-side and evaluated by the canons of rational judgment. Instead, the decision maker is envisioned as having a stack of models from which the first (closest to the top) that seems to fit is chosen. If it is rejected, the next which appears to fit is picked up. Klein's theory was developed to account for decisions made in stressful situations where time pressure is severe, e.g., by firefighters, tank commanders, or currency traders. Arguably, however, it applies more broadly, since we all, after all, now live in a world where the flow of incoming information is overwhelming, to which we may add that, in the great majority of decisions we have only partial information to work with. Those of us who instantly respond to email are an excellent case in point. John -- John McCreery The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN Tel. +81-45-314-9324 http://www.wordworks.jp/ ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html