The Power of Context: How to Manage Our Bias and Improve Our Understanding of Others
A social psychologist focuses on a very common yet rarely discussed bias called the "fundamental attribution error," showing how being aware of this bias can improve our day-to-day understanding of others. Social life involves making judgments about other people. Often these snap judgments turn out to be wrong when we overlook context. Social psychologists call this pervasive bias the "fundamental attribution error." This book explores the many ways in which this error creeps into our social interactions, frequently causing misunderstanding, hurt feelings, and negative treatment of others. Psychologist Daniel R. Stalder examines common examples of this error, from road rage and misinterpreting facial expressions to "gaydar," victim blaming, and prejudice. The common denominator in these diverse examples is that we falsely assume inherent traits or intentions while overlooking situational factors that might explain a person's behavior. Conversely in the actor-observer bias, we explain our own sometimes questionable behaviors by appealing to situational factors. For example, when you tailgate others, there's always a good reason, but when others tailgate you, they are obviously in the wrong. Stalder also reveals little-known information about classic studies of context, considers both the upsides and downsides to bias, and shares numerous strategies to reduce bias. Filled with interesting examples, new insights, and an abundance of research, this informative and entertaining book will help us understand each other and reduce conflict.
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The Power of Context: How to Manage Our Bias and Improve Our Understanding of Others
A social psychologist focuses on a very common yet rarely discussed bias called the "fundamental attribution error," showing how being aware of this bias can improve our day-to-day understanding of others. Social life involves making judgments about other people. Often these snap judgments turn out to be wrong when we overlook context. Social psychologists call this pervasive bias the "fundamental attribution error." This book explores the many ways in which this error creeps into our social interactions, frequently causing misunderstanding, hurt feelings, and negative treatment of others. Psychologist Daniel R. Stalder examines common examples of this error, from road rage and misinterpreting facial expressions to "gaydar," victim blaming, and prejudice. The common denominator in these diverse examples is that we falsely assume inherent traits or intentions while overlooking situational factors that might explain a person's behavior. Conversely in the actor-observer bias, we explain our own sometimes questionable behaviors by appealing to situational factors. For example, when you tailgate others, there's always a good reason, but when others tailgate you, they are obviously in the wrong. Stalder also reveals little-known information about classic studies of context, considers both the upsides and downsides to bias, and shares numerous strategies to reduce bias. Filled with interesting examples, new insights, and an abundance of research, this informative and entertaining book will help us understand each other and reduce conflict.
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The Power of Context: How to Manage Our Bias and Improve Our Understanding of Others

The Power of Context: How to Manage Our Bias and Improve Our Understanding of Others

by Daniel R. Stalder
The Power of Context: How to Manage Our Bias and Improve Our Understanding of Others

The Power of Context: How to Manage Our Bias and Improve Our Understanding of Others

by Daniel R. Stalder

Hardcover

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Overview

A social psychologist focuses on a very common yet rarely discussed bias called the "fundamental attribution error," showing how being aware of this bias can improve our day-to-day understanding of others. Social life involves making judgments about other people. Often these snap judgments turn out to be wrong when we overlook context. Social psychologists call this pervasive bias the "fundamental attribution error." This book explores the many ways in which this error creeps into our social interactions, frequently causing misunderstanding, hurt feelings, and negative treatment of others. Psychologist Daniel R. Stalder examines common examples of this error, from road rage and misinterpreting facial expressions to "gaydar," victim blaming, and prejudice. The common denominator in these diverse examples is that we falsely assume inherent traits or intentions while overlooking situational factors that might explain a person's behavior. Conversely in the actor-observer bias, we explain our own sometimes questionable behaviors by appealing to situational factors. For example, when you tailgate others, there's always a good reason, but when others tailgate you, they are obviously in the wrong. Stalder also reveals little-known information about classic studies of context, considers both the upsides and downsides to bias, and shares numerous strategies to reduce bias. Filled with interesting examples, new insights, and an abundance of research, this informative and entertaining book will help us understand each other and reduce conflict.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781633884014
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Publication date: 04/17/2018
Pages: 330
Product dimensions: 6.33(w) x 9.27(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Daniel R. Stalder is an award-winning social psychologist who is professor of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. His many publications cover biases, individual differences, and cognitive dissonance theory. He has been interviewed by the Atlantic, The Verge, NPR, and other outlets. He runs the PARBs Anonymous website ("Persons at Risk of Bias"), which discusses how to use social psychology to reduce bias and conflict. He has won several teaching awards and in 2016 received the Letters & Sciences Excellence in Research Award from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

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From the Introduction
(Continues…)



Excerpted from "The Power of Context"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Daniel R. Stalder.
Excerpted by permission of Prometheus Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Social Judgment and Error 7

Chapter 1 Speeches and Traffic Jams: FAE Basics 33

Chapter 2 Politics and Hearsay: FAE Applied 53

Chapter 3 Nonverbal Decoding: An Illusion of Insight 77

Chapter 4 What's in a Face? Photos Can Lie 107

Chapter 5 Social Roles: Popes Don't Bounce 135

Chapter 6 Driving with the FAE 159

Chapter 7 Interpersonal Conflict: Off the Road 181

Chapter 8 Victim Blaming 199

Chapter 9 The Individual Matters Too 217

Chapter 10 Pros and Cons of Being Biased: To Be or Not to Be 241

Epilogue: Rational Well-Being 269

Acknowledgments 277

Notes 279

Index 315

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