Binary Thinking

Published: Oct. 21, 2020, 7:59 a.m.

Many decisions are binary: should we wear a face mask or not? We discuss how this might affect our thinking more broadly and whether it drives polarisation.\n\nThis podcast investigates binary thinking, looking at why and in what situations we have a tendency to think in absolute terms. We debate the advantages and pitfalls associated with binary thinking, and consider whether some of us are better at handling ambiguity and uncertainty than others. Finally, we discuss ways of managing our own and others\u2019 binary thinking. Does that sound interesting - yes, or no?\n\nA few things we mentioned in this podcast:\n- Cognitive Engineering Podcast: Polarisation\nhttps://soundcloud.com/aleph-insights/polarisation\n- Ambiguity intolerance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiguity_tolerance%E2%80%93intolerance \n- What drives ambiguity intolerance: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/tolerance-of-ambiguity \n- Ambiguity intolerance and politics https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcpy.1176 \n- Hofstede\u2019s cultural dimensions: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries/\n- Three types of Binary Thinking, Spenser Greenberg https://www.clearerthinking.org/single-post/2020/06/23/Learn-the-three-types-of-binary-thinking \n- Rhetological Fallacies, Information is Beautiful, David McCandless https://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/rhetological-fallacies/ \n\n\nFind more Cognitive Engineering episodes here https://link.chtbl.com/SQeIgc44