Snap judgments are a biological necessity handed down from our ancestors. Often a glance was the only thing they had to go on when sizing up their surroundings and calculating risk. But in our modern world, it’s a little odd to be lugging around baggage full of biases that shape and warp our perception.
We shouldn’t question every experience, but sociologist Janis Prince, PhD suggests that we try to be occasionally conscious of the flawed or problematic ideas our unconscious might be hinting at.
The next time you find yourself rushing to judgement, about a customer or a colleague, try asking yourself these questions:
• What other explanations are there for this situation?
• How might I feel if I were the other party in this situation?
• How might the other party describe this situation, if they were recounting it?