Beyond Groupthink: Cultivating Curiosity & Independent Thinking in Group Settings
Beyond Groupthink: Cultivating Curiosity & Independent Thinking in Group Settings
Get 3 sets of pragmatic strategies that you can listen to or watch
This issue is a bit different. Below are several short videos on how to promote curiosity and principled dissent. Below each one I include a bit of supportive research. Enjoy and share it with someone you know.
I. How to Have That Difficult Conversation (59 minutes)
I couldn’t wait for this interview to drop. Over the course of a hour, Dr. Abigail Henson and I get into the weeds of how societal norms can be reformed (we both have a special interest in fixing the criminal justice system). We discuss: (1) curiosity as an antidote to overwhelming anxiety, (2) how curiosity can be used to improve conversations, and (3) tangible tools for becoming more psychologically flexible.
Very soon we will have a live Q&A on these topics and anything else you’re interested in. Get the date and link by subscribing here.
And if you want research on how curiosity and creativity operate together, make sure to read the work of one of my favorite scientists— here.
II. Getting Support for Unconventional Ideas (45 seconds)
You've got an idea that is different from the rest of the group, and you're in a group setting that is risk-averse. How do you get your point across without causing a riot? Well, a bunch of brainy scientists have given us some insights.
The first step, according to their research, is pretty straightforward and can be easily grasped through a quick video. So, kick back and check out this clip from The Blueprint Podcast featuring Dr. Erik Korem.
If you're itching for more, listen to the whole episode right here.
For all 7 Steps for Persuasive Principled Dissent, click here.
And if you want research on how persuasion operates differently when in the minority as opposed to the majority, here is one of my biggest scientific influences — here.
III. Using Curiosity to Improve Conversations (2 minutes)
Smartphones. They're a hot topic, sparking a flurry of debates that are lighting up the Substack newsletters of
….. well, just about everyone. But let's narrow the focus a bit.In this bite-sized clip, I'm diving into the peculiar ways our tech toys meddle with face-to-face interactions. I'll share my own strategy for keeping those exchanges playful and interesting.
If your curiosity is piqued and you're itching for the full story, you can catch the entire episode of the Decidedly Podcast right here. Watch it, listen to it, soak it in:
While it does await replication, do check out this research of ours on how curiosity can breed intimacy among strangers. Download it here:
Todd B. Kashdan is an author of several books including The Upside of Your Dark Side (Penguin) and The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively (Avery/Penguin) and Professor of Psychology and Founder of The Well-Being Laboratory at George Mason University.
