Nov. 20: WSU researcher examines ‘bias blind spot’ in lecture

Ehrlinger-J-2013-80PULLMAN, Wash. – The “I’m right and you’re wrong” belief will be explored by Washington State University psychologist Joyce Ehrlinger at a free, public common reading lecture at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Todd Hall 116.

In chapter five of this year’s WSU common reading book, “Being Wrong,” by Kathryn Schulz, the author discusses the “bias blind spot” and credits a paper published by Ehrlinger and others in the May 2005 issue of Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

“Dr. Ehrlinger will use Schulz’s discussion as a launch pad to talk with students about the tendency for people to be blind to their own biases but keenly observant of bias of others,” said Karen Weathermon, co-director of the common reading. “She will talk about the social consequences of the bias blind spot as well as strategies to avoid the natural tendency to think ourselves as always ‘right’ but view others as often ‘wrong.’”

Read more about Ehrlinger and her research at https://archive.news.wsu.edu/2013/10/31/new-insights-into-role-of-belief-in-learning/#.UoprO5HTmfA

For more information on the common reading, visit http://commonreading.wsu.edu.

 

 

Contacts:

Karen Weathermon, WSU Common Reading Program, 509-335-5488, kweathermon@wsu.edu

Beverly Makhani, WSU Office of Undergraduate Education, 509-335-6679, makhani@wsu.edu