Groupish behaviour is motivated by a desire to shape the world so that future outcomes favor us more than they favor them. Another big idea explored in the paper is alport's contact hypothesis, which proposed interaction people who belong to different groups rereliably reduces prejudice. But only when that interaction isn't fraught with conflict.
New research suggests people on opposite sides of wedge issues want to listen to each other. We are each eager to hear differing opinions and understand opposing views, and when we do it can change our minds (at least a little), but only when we aren't triggered by the psychological phenomenon of reactance - one of several ideas we explore in this episode.
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