Psychologists Off the Clock 438. The Hypocrisy Trap with Michael Hallsworth
We’ve all rolled our eyes at someone's behavior, only to realize, uncomfortably, that we’ve done the same.
Join Yael in this conversation discussing this very common human experience with Michael Hallsworth, the author of The Hypocrisy Trap. Michael breaks down the nature of hypocrisy, including its historical origin and why it is such a prevalent issue in our lives and in politics.
You’ll also hear how societal norms and personal biases can play into our confrontations with hypocrisy and take away effective strategies to minimize it in your daily interactions.
Check it out if you want a new take on this age-old problem and why understanding it can lead to more authentic and trusting relationships.
Listen and Learn:
- Understanding hypocrisy as a judgment we make about inconsistencies
- The surprising origin of the word “hypocrite” and how its meaning evolved
- Why hypocrisy isn’t always bad and how to balance consistency and context in our actions
- How calling out hypocrisy can backfire, creating more of it, and making the term lose meaning, while revealing surprising insights about human behavior
- Why we’re often blind to our own double standards in relationships and how our perception of intentions gives us more leniency for ourselves than for others
- Why a level of hypocrisy is inevitable in democratic politics
- Is tolerating some political and personal hypocrisy necessary, even when it feels uncomfortable to do so?
- Strategies to understand, reduce, and respond to hypocrisy, and learning why shifting how we view inconsistency can lead to less cynicism and more meaningful change
Resources
- Michael’s Website: https://www.michaelhallsworth.com/
- The Hypocrisy Trap: How Changing What We Criticize Can Improve Our Lives on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9780262050944
- The Hypocrisy Trap on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hypocrisy-Trap-Changing-Criticize-Improve
- Practical Wisdom by Kenneth Sharpe and Barry Schwartz: https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9781594485435
About Michael Hallsworth
Dr. Michael Hallsworth, author of The Hypocrisy Trap. Michael has spent two decades applying behavioral science to real-world problems, teaching at places like UPenn, Princeton, and Columbia. And he's taken all that academic knowhow to help design better policies and services for governments and organizations around the world.
Related Episodes:
- Episode 48. Practical Wisdom
- Episode 51. The Psychology of Political Division
- Episode 362. Adult Bullies and High Conflict People
- Episode 392. Outraged with Kurt Gray
- How to Change with Katy Milkman
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