#90: Perceptual errors at work - part 8

Did you know that the order in which you receive information can influence how you interpret that information? This was demonstrated by Solomon Asch in 1946. Listen carefully:

If I describe someone as intelligent, industrious, impulsive, critical, stubborn, and envious, what impression do you form? Most people don't have a problem with the description critical; they tend to view critical as meaning that she made good use of her intelligence. And stubborn suggests that she stuck to views that, because of intelligence, were probably correct.

If I describe a person as envious, stubborn, critical, impulsive, industrious and intelligent, what would you think? Having learned that this person is envious and stubborn, most people view the fact that he is also intelligent as suggesting that he is crafty or sly. Did you?

Yet, the descriptive words are identical, only their order differed.


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

James can be heard on Public Radio, 88.9 FM WCVE, Richmond VA.
Monday - 7:19am and Saturday - 8:19am