culture

Three Myths of Behavior Change.

Jeni Cross who is a sociology professor at Colorado State University, talks about the three Myths of Behavior change. In these notes below I’ve ignored the SOM jargon and instead written about how the research applies to values. I could find five main takeaways from the 3 Myths.

MYTH 1. Information is enough to change behavior.

If we speak to what folks value by making things tangible, personalized and interactive this is far more likely to change their mind than simply supplying them facts.
Also, because folks are also loss averse, that is, they don’t want to lose value they already have, they are far more likely to change their behavior if it means they won’t lose value.

MYTH 2. Changing attitudes changes behavior.

You can actually set qualitative behavioral expectations to change behavior and attitudes.
You can also change behavior by speaking to what folks already value.

MYTH 3. Folks know their values.

Social norms influence behavior far more than folks give credit for. If you speak to folks value of social norms, then you’re far more likely to change their behavior than they give credit for.

TOPICS:

Cultural Values

David

Intellectual Discussion and Dialectic.

Finding Agreement, Quality and Beauty in the World.

When two people discuss a concept intellectually – naturally there will be disagreement. What then?

In the two and a half thousand years since Socrates and the Ancient Greeks what two people aim for has been the truth. Disagreement has immediately implied that what one person thinks is false and therefore wrong, while what the other person thinks is true and therefore right. The way to determine this right and wrong has been to logically argue about what is true and what is false. Each participant in this dialectical discussion – using the rules of logic – determines the truth by watching for things like contradiction and consistency from their interlocutor. If someone is inconsistent, or shows contradiction, then what they are saying is false and thus the person demonstrating the contradiction is right. Quality, Values and Morals in these discussions are unimportant. Truth and logical consistency is the focus, not Quality or Values or Morals.

But of course – this isn’t how things are. Quality, Values and Morals do exist and *are *very important. Values actually create our ideas and opinions. And so if we are to ever reach agreement, we will not find it simply with the aid of logical consistency (although it helps). If we only keep our eyes on logical consistency we will be forever stuck in muddy water at the bottom of a waterfall – not in the clean water at the top. Unless we explain, beautifully, the values, the morals which form the quality of our opinions we won’t get anywhere but be stuck with a bunch of meaningless, valueless, truths.

This is true not just of one or two discussion – but of all discussions – everywhere. Why do people value the things that they do? Why do some people call one thing moral, while another group call something else moral? Of course, in these discussions there will be disagreement. But unless there is an openness to this disagreement, an openness to see something better, an openness to even try the values of another, an openness to be honest with yourself about your own values – then things will stay the same and not get any better.

TOPICS:

cultural-values intellectual-morality culture self-improvement

Soyen Shaku Image

– In the morning before dressing, light incense and meditate.
– Retire at a regular hour. Partake of food at regular intervals. Eat with moderation and never to the point of satisfaction.
– Receive a guest with the same attitude you have when alone. When alone, maintain the same attitude you have in receiving guests.
– Watch what you say, and whatever you say, practice it.
– When an opportunity comes do not let it pass by, yet always think twice before acting.
– Do not regret the past. Look to the future.
– Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child.
– Upon retiring, sleep as if you had entered your last sleep. Upon awakening, leave your bed behind you instantly as if you had cast away a pair of old shoes.

Soyen Shaku

Wikipedia Link

TOPICS:

self-improvement _quote dhyana