When you’re trying to make an argument for (or against) something, you need to construct a claim to get your listeners to believe what you’re saying. And there are few better ways to do this than to say something that your listeners already believe to be true. Like other cognitive biases, we often rely on … Read more
When I was 28, I got laid off from my favorite full-time job. I left work that day in tears, thinking my professional life was over. I felt betrayed by my colleagues, with whom I had become extremely close. My boss, a big sister of sorts, all of a sudden felt like a stranger. I … Read more
I have a good friend who recently gave birth to her fourth child, a baby boy. She and her husband waited until he was born to find out the sex of the baby, and the results came as a surprise to friends and family, as many had bet on their final child being a girl. … Read more
Think about the last time you listened to someone talk who was really angry. Whether they were venting to you or they were speaking to a crowd, I’m willing to bet that they sounded very convinced that their opinion or feelings represented some kind of truth. I’m also willing to bet that they were trying … Read more
What was your first impression of your current best friend? What about your partner? Your boss? Did these initial assumptions end up being spot on? Maybe, but I know several people whose first impressions of the person they ended up marrying was NOT one that had them imagining the future. But others, the moment they … Read more