Conscious Processes and Intelligence (with Richard Nisbett)

Jun 19, 2021 1h 15m 15 insights Episode Page ↗
Spencer Greenberg speaks with Richard Nisbett about the unconscious mind's role in judgment, the impact of environment and genetics on intelligence, the influence of interviews on hiring, and the appropriate use of cost-benefit analysis, including the sunk cost fallacy.
Actionable Insights

1. Leverage Unconscious Mind for Problem Solving

Start working on complex problems or papers early (e.g., first day of class) to allow your unconscious mind to process information and generate ideas. If stuck on a problem, take a break or sleep on it, as the unconscious mind can continue working and provide solutions.

2. Invest in High-Quality Pre-Kindergarten

Support or enroll children in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, as they lead to massive long-term benefits in IQ, high school graduation, college attendance, and reduced welfare dependence, with significant financial returns for society.

3. Avoid Unstructured Job Interviews

Do not rely on traditional 30-minute ‘get acquainted’ interviews for hiring, as they are worthless for predicting intellectual or social skills and can lead to biased judgments. Instead, prioritize objective evidence from application folders (GPA, recommendations, accomplishments) which are much better predictors.

4. Apply Explicit Cost-Benefit Analysis

Consciously and explicitly weigh all costs (economic, educational, emotional) against the benefits when making daily life decisions and policy choices, ensuring all factors are considered rather than just obvious benefits.

5. Beware of Sunk Cost Fallacy

Do not continue an activity, project, or relationship solely to justify past investments of time, energy, or money. Recognize that these ‘sunk costs’ are already gone and cannot be recovered by continuing, allowing you to make decisions based on future prospects.

6. Alternate Conscious and Unconscious Processing

For complex problems, alternate between letting your subconscious mull on an idea and then consciously checking, refining, and double-checking that intuition. This interplay between the two modes of thought is often the most powerful approach.

7. Engage in ‘Serve and Return’ Conversations

Actively engage in back-and-forth conversations with children, responding to their questions and expanding on topics. This interactive context is a powerful mechanism for vocabulary expansion and intellectual growth.

8. Understand Variability of Evidence

Recognize that the amount of evidence needed for an accurate judgment depends on the variability of the subject. For highly variable things (like weather or volcano activity), a small sample of evidence is insufficient to draw strong conclusions.

9. Curate Information Sources (Books)

Prioritize reading books that have been highly recommended by trusted individuals who have actually read them. This strategy helps avoid wasting time on potentially disliked books given the vast number of available options.

10. Use Sunk Costs for Positive Habits

Leverage the sunk cost principle to your advantage for forming positive habits, such as pre-paying for a gym membership or services. Knowing you’ve already invested money can motivate you to follow through, even if the payment is technically a sunk cost.

11. Recognize Unconscious Influence

Be aware that a significant portion of your behavior and decisions are influenced by unconscious processes, and you often fabricate explanations for them after the fact. This awareness can help you be more cautious about your own stated reasons.

12. Go with Your Gut for Aesthetic Judgments

For aesthetic or preference judgments, sometimes pure, unobserved processes (going with your gut) lead to more accurate choices than over-analyzing and verbally articulating features, as verbalization can swamp the true preference.

13. Reduce Stress in Children’s Environments

Minimize stress in children’s lives and environments, as stress has a significant negative impact on IQ and educational performance. Creating a stable and less chaotic environment supports intellectual development.

14. Teach Structured Thinking to Children

Engage children in activities that involve structured thinking, such as following recipes or explaining the rules of board games explicitly. These practices expose them to more words and systematic reasoning.

15. Consider Commitment in Relationships

When evaluating long-term relationships like marriage, consider the role of commitment mechanisms (e.g., marriage vows) that help navigate ‘periods of unlove.’ Do not solely apply a short-term cost-benefit analysis, especially when children are involved, as relationships can improve over time.