How To Let In New Perspectives

The Science of Happiness

With the U.S. election swiftly approaching, the political divide can feel overwhelming. But what happens when we recognize the limits of our knowledge?

Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/83a5wbkp

Episode Summary

When we internally acknowledge the limits of our knowledge, we create space to engage with other points of view. Allowing new perspectives in can help us better assess arguments, and decrease hubris. We will hear from psychologists Tania Israel and Daryl Van Tongeren about embracing opinions different from our own.

How To Do This Practice

Reflect on an issue you feel strongly about. Ask yourself the following questions when listening to someone’s opinion that differs from your own:

1. How can other people help me to develop a broader or deeper understanding of this topic?
2. Whose story isn't being told here?
3. What's the perspective I'm not seeing?
4. Check in with yourself as you're reading the news, are you just saying, “I agree with that perspective” or are there moments in which you can say, “This challenges me.”

This episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, as part of our project on “Expanding Awareness of the Science of Intellectual Humility.” To learn more, go to ggsc.berkeley.edu/ih.

Today’s guests:

Our guest host today is Allison Briscoe-Smith, a psychologist and Senior Fellow at The Greater Good Science Center.

Tania Israel is a psychology professor at UC Santa Barbara and author of the new book Facing the Fracture: How to Navigate the Challenges of Living in a Divided Nation.

Daryl Van Tongeren is a psychology professor at Hope College and author of the book Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World.

• Learn more about Allison Briscoe-Smith: https://tinyurl.com/p3eexvkf
• Take BerkeleyX: Bridging Differences by Allison Briscoe-Smith: https://tinyurl.com/58z9vmvb
• Read Facing the Fracture: How to Navigate the Challenges of Living in a Divided Nation, by Tania Israel: https://tinyurl.com/yeyw7k6j
• Read Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World, by Daryl Van Tongeren: https://www.darylvantongeren.com/books

Science of Happiness Episodes like this one:

A Way to Make Work More Meaningful: https://tinyurl.com/mtpay9jw

The Questions to Ask Yourself in an Argument: https://tinyurl.com/3uajhp4t

When It’s Hard to Connect, Try Being Curious: https://tinyurl.com/nhzj52vc

Making Difficult Interactions More Respectful: https://tinyurl.com/bddafcrw

Happiness Break Related Episodes:

A Meditation For Connecting In Polarized Times, With Scott Shigeoka: https://tinyurl.com/y6e4vdsd

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