From TIME · Joan M. Cook · · 2m
How to Keep an Open Mind
Being willing to hear different views expands knowledge, creativity and relationships. Here's how to practice it.
In brief
Being willing to hear different views expands knowledge, creativity and relationships. Here's how to practice it. Open-mindedness, rooted in intellectual humility, improves learning, creativity, empathy and relationships by widening exposure beyond echo chambers. Originally reported by TIME.
Why we resist new views
People naturally get defensive when their views are challenged by friends, colleagues or journalists. The tighter we hold our beliefs, the more we restrict our ability to connect and expand our thinking.
What open-mindedness means
Open-mindedness is related in part to intellectual humility, recognizing one's own imperfections as a knower, and appreciating others' thinking strengths.
The benefits of listening
Research shows that taking in new information helps us widen our knowledge base, increases creativity and psychological well-being, enhances professional development, facilitates empathy, improves relationships, and widens social networks.
The trap of echo chambers
When we only stay within comfortable social media algorithms and tight in-person circles, we get stuck in echo chambers, reinforcing what we already think we know and limiting exposure to new experiences.
Expanding your latitude of acceptance
Psychologists call increasing openness our latitude of acceptance, meaning a willingness to non-defensively consider ideas that others hold. This does not guarantee we change our minds, but shows we are ready to listen.
Start with easier topics
Being open-minded is harder on subjects near our hearts, like religion and politics.Start with lighter topics: are dogs or cats better companions?Should you watch new films at home or in cinemas?Is pineapple on pizza acceptable?
Assume good intentions
It helps to assume that people with alternative views from our own have good intentions. When we vilify people who think differently, we are less able to be tolerant and open to understanding.
Practical strategies that work
Awareness training teaches about cognitive biases like confirmation bias. Perspective-taking involves imagining another person's experiences. Perspective-getting means non-confrontationally asking others to share their outlooks and views.
Skills for difficult conversations
People can learn to navigate difficult conversations by engaging face-to-face rather than side by side, asking open-ended curious questions, and using receptive language such as expressing uncertainty and acknowledging mistakes.
When to hold your ground
These interventions do not always work and can backfire.Some views may go deeply against our core values, and that is okay if we choose not to bend on those.
In short
Open-mindedness, rooted in intellectual humility, improves learning, creativity, empathy and relationships by widening exposure beyond echo chambers.
