Outside domestic relations it is rare now to try to resolve disputes by

techniques including discussion of impacts from psychological tendencies.

Considering the implications of childishness that would be raised by such

inclusion, and the defects of psychology as now taught, this result may be

sound. But, given the nuclear stakes now involved and the many failures in

important negotiations lasting decades, I often wonder if some day, in some way,

more use of psychological insight will eventually improve outcomes. If so,

correct teaching of psychology matters a lot. And, if old psychology professors

are even less likely than old physics professors to learn new ways, which seems

nearly certain, then we may, as Max Planck predicted, need a new generation of

psychology professors who have grown up to think in a different way.

 

If only one lesson is to be chosen from a package of lessons involving

Social-Proof Tendency, and used in self improvement, my favorite would be: Learn

how to ignore the examples from others when they are wrong, because few skills

are more worth having.

 

Sixteen: Contrast-Misreaction Tendency

 

Because the nervous system of man does not naturally measure in absolute

scientific units, it must instead rely on something simpler. The eyes have a

solution that limits their programming needs: the contrast in what is seen is

registered. And as in sight, so does it go, largely, in the other senses.

Moreover, as perception goes, so goes cognition. The result is man’s