Today’s Co‐Sponsors Dedicated to enhancing local democracy through improved public communication and community problem solving
Martín Carcasson, CPD Director Professor, Department of Communication Studies
EMAIL: [email protected] CPD Projects, 2006‐2016 • Civic mission of schools •Poverty in Larimer County •Grade configuration of Poudre •PSD Student Think Tank facilitator group School District schools •K‐12 school improvement • Statewide dropout rate •Improving higher education through • Colorado Health Care Reform student‐faculty reciprocity • Student housing • Politics of food •Improving higher education •Issues surrounding aging • Childhood obesity •Early childhood education • Bicycle safety •On campus stadium proposal •Diversity Dialogues at CSU Diversity •Senior transportation Conference • Campus smoking •STEM education in K‐12 • School safety •Arts Engagement Summit • Bullying •UniverCity Connections (CSU/Old • Mental health Town collaborative project) •Nature in the City • School budgeting issues/school closures •Larimer County Landfill/Wasteshed • Medical Marijuana •Diversity and Inclusion in Fort Collins •Regional visioning process •CSU Innovation and Economic Prosperity •Water and growth issues •CSU parking and affordable housing Overview • Introduction • Presentation: A Mind Designed for Polarization •Table introductions and values discussion • Presentation: The Vicious Cycle of False Polarization and the Possibility of Authentic Engagement •Table discussions on authentic engagement •Close and gallery walk Purpose of Tonight’s Event DELIBERATION Purpose is to make tough decisions together
Deliberative Deliberative Debate Dialogue
DIALOGUE DEBATE Purpose is to foster understanding and Purpose is to evaluate quality of respect through conversation and arguments storytelling through clash and/or expertise Purpose of Tonight’s Event So what are we learning about brain science that’s relevant to deliberative engagement? What Are We Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? The Problematic We crave certainty and consistency We are suckers for the good v. evil narrative What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? The Problematic We crave certainty and consistency We are suckers for the good v. evil narrative We are tribal (prefer to gather with like‐minded) We filter & cherry pick evidence to support our views What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? Stages of motivated reasoning selective exposure / What and who we expose echo chambers/ ourselves to media bubbles What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? Stages of motivated reasoning selective exposure / What and who we expose echo chambers/ ourselves to Media bubbles confirmation bias, backfire How we interpret new effect, cognitive dissonance evidence How we interpret new evidence
“when we want to believe something, we ask ourselves, ‘Can I believe it?’ Then…we search for supporting evidence, and if we find even a single piece of pseudo-evidence, we can stop thinking.… In contrast, when we don’t want to believe something, we ask ourselves, ‘Must I believe it?’ Then we search for contrary evidence, and if we find a single reason to doubt the claim, we can dismiss it“ • Jonathan Haidt and Tom Gilovich What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? Stages of motivated reasoning selective exposure / What and who we expose echo chambers/ ourselves to Media bubbles confirmation bias, backfire How we interpret new effect, cognitive dissonance evidence
What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? Stages of motivated reasoning selective exposure / What and who we expose echo chambers/ ourselves to Media bubbles confirmation bias, backfire How we interpret new effect, cognitive dissonance evidence egoism, illusory correlation, How we make attributions and negativity bias tell stories https://ourworldindata.org/a-history-of-global-living-conditions-in-5-charts/ https://ourworldindata.org/a-history-of-global-living-conditions-in-5-charts/ https://ourworldindata.org/a-history-of-global-living-conditions-in-5-charts/ https://ourworldindata.org/a-history-of-global-living-conditions-in-5-charts/ https://ourworldindata.org/a-history-of-global-living-conditions-in-5-charts/ What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? Stages of motivated reasoning selective exposure / What and who we expose echo chambers/ ourselves to Media bubbles confirmation bias, backfire How we interpret new effect, cognitive dissonance evidence egoism, illusory correlation, How we make attributions and negativity bias tell stories heuristics, self‐serving bias, How we make decisions social proof What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? Stages of motivated reasoning selective exposure / What and who we expose echo chambers/ ourselves to Media bubbles confirmation bias, backfire How we interpret new effect, cognitive dissonance evidence egoism, illusory correlation, How we make attributions and negativity bias tell stories heuristics, self‐serving bias, How we make decisions social proof What we remember availability bias What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? The Problematic We crave certainty and consistency We are suckers for the good v. evil narrative We are tribal (prefer to gather with like‐minded) We filter & cherry pick evidence to support our views We avoid value dilemmas, tensions, and tough choices Ground Rules
•BE HONEST AND RESPECTFUL •LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND •ITS OK TO DISAGREE, BUT DO SO WITH CURIOSITY, NOT HOSTILITY •BE BRIEF SO EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE •THIS IS NOT A DEBATE, FOCUS ON SHARING AND LEARNING, NOT PERSUADING Values Exercise What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology? The Problematic We crave certainty and consistency We are suckers for the good v. evil narrative We are tribal (prefer to gather with like‐minded) We filter & cherry pick evidence to support our views We avoid value dilemmas, tensions, and tough choices What We Are Learning from Brain Science The Good We are inherently social and seek purpose and community We are inherently empathetic We are inherently pragmatic and creative We can overcome our bad tendencies and build better habits The Problem We Face Most of our methods for political talk primarily activate the negative aspects of human nature, and rarely tap into or nurture the positive. The Vicious Cycle of False Polarization
Individually developed subconscious biases negative interaction effects Negative Interaction Effects (i.e. Bad Process) Kathryn Shultz – Being Wrong
•First step: Ignorance assumption • Second step: Idiot assumption •Third Step: Evil assumption The Vicious Cycle of False Polarization
Individually developed subconscious biases negative interaction effects
the Russell effect
The Vicious Cycle of False Polarization
Individually developed subconscious biases Negative interaction effects
The Russell effect The Vicious Cycle of False Polarization
Individually developed subconscious biases Negative interaction effects
The Russell effect
Impact of the internet The Vicious Cycle of False Polarization
Individually developed subconscious biases Negative interaction effects
Overly The adversarial Russell political effect system Impact of the internet Drawbacks of an Overly‐Adversarial Political System •Often focuses on “winning” vs. solving problems •Zero‐sum game incentivizes “bad” communication, strategic research, and problematizes implementation •Often focuses on blaming (them) vs. taking accountability (us) • Relies on narrow value frames (thus avoids tensions) • Plays into flaws of human nature • Attracts/privileges organized, entrenched voices • Negative side effects like polarization, cynicism, and apathy (which then cause even worse communication) • Assumes a narrow role for citizens (citizens as voters, consumers, or spectators) The Vicious Cycle of False Polarization
Individually developed subconscious biases Negative Media focus interaction on conflict effects Implications of hyper-polarization: • “Anecdote wars” • Meanspiritedness
Overly The adversarial Russell political effect system Impact of the internet
The Vicious Cycle of False Polarization
Individually developed subconscious biases Negative Media focus interaction on conflict effects Implications of hyper-polarization: • “Anecdote wars” • Meanspiritedness • Assumption of negative motives • Conspiracy theories • Drowning out of legitimate concerns Overly The adversarial Russell political effect system Impact of the internet
What We Are Learning from Brain Science and Social Psychology?
Bottom line: The most powerful thing to help people overcome their biases and build community is genuine conversation with people they respect and trust. The Virtuous Cycle of Authentic Engagement
Opportunity for authentic engagement
Potential for Development collaboration of and co‐ mutual creation understanding
Refinement Building of of trust and opinions respect (i.e. learning) False Authentic False Polarization Engagement Harmony/ And Outrage Extreme Openmindedness False polarization/outrage How doweavoid? More passionate/sure minded What doesitinvolve? What What needs to be done to spark andsupportit? done to What needstobe Authentic Engagement characteristics/identicators? More civil/open-minded
How doweavoid? False harnony/extreme openmindedness harnony/extreme False
Traditional v. Facilitative Leadership
Traditional Facilitative • Strong opinion • Strong on process • Charisma • Trust and respect • Public speaking skills • Facilitation skills • Mobilization of the • Collaboration like‐minded between broad perspectives
Traditional v. Facilitative Leadership
Traditional Facilitative • Strong opinion • Strong on process • Charisma • Trust and respect • Public speaking skills • Facilitation skills • Mobilization of the • Collaboration like‐minded between broad perspectives