Activity:
Identify Some of Your Irrational Beliefs
Egocentric thinking comes from the
unfortunate fact that humans do not
naturally consider the rights and needs of
others, nor do we naturally appreciate the
point of view of others or the limitations in
our own point of view.
We become explicitly aware of our egocentric thinking
only if trained to do so. We do not naturally recognize
our egocentric assumptions, the egocentric ways in
which we use information, the egocentric ways in which
we interpret data, the source of our egocentric concepts
and ideas, the implications of our egocentric thought.
We do not naturally recognize when we are operating
from a self-serving perspective.
As humans we live with the unrealistic but confident sense that we have fundamentally
figured out the way things actually are, and that we have done this objectively. We
naturally believe in our intuitive perceptions—however inaccurate. Instead of using
intellectual standards in thinking, we often use self-centered psychological standards
to determine what to believe and what to reject. Here are the most commonly used
psychological standards in human thinking:
- “IT’S TRUE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT.” Innate egocentrism: I assume that what I believe is true even though I have never questioned the basis for many of my beliefs.
- “IT’S TRUE BECAUSE I WANT TO BELIEVE IT.” Innate wish fulfillment: I believe in, for example, accounts of behavior that put me (or the groups to which I belong) in a positive rather than a negative light even though I have not seriously considered the evidence for the more negative account. I believe what “feels good,” what supports my other beliefs, what does not require me to change my thinking in any significant way, what does not require me to admit I have been wrong.
- “IT’S TRUE BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED IT.” Innate self-validation: I have a strong desire to maintain beliefs that I have long held, even though I have not seriously considered the extent to which those beliefs are justified, given the evidence.
- “IT’S TRUE BECAUSE IT IS IN MY SELFISH INTEREST TO BELIEVE IT.” Innate selfishness: I hold fast to beliefs that justify my getting more power, money, or personal advantage even though these beliefs are not grounded in sound reasoning or evidence.
Since humans are naturally prone to assess thinking in keeping with the
above criteria, it is not surprising that we, as a species, have not developed a
significant interest in establishing and teaching critical thinking standards by
which to live It is not surprising that our thinking is often flawed.
Now identify at least one belief you hold in each of the categories above.