Don’t imagine…

Elizabeth Kolbert, reviewing moral psychologist Kurt Gray’s book “Outraged” in the January 20 issue of THE NEW YORKER highlights some of the key points one should keep in mind when advocating for a cause. Kolbert writes: “[Gray] starts with the don’ts. A big one is: Don’t imagine that facts are convincing.”

She cites Gray’s 2011 study of people arguing about gun control: ”Strangers who were offered anecdotes were, it turned out, much more willing to engage with the researchers than those offered data were.”

Gray’s study concludes: “Sharing personal experiences instead of facts improved cross partisan perceptions…”