Abstract
The current polarization in American society has resulted in numerous analyses based on various frames, including political affiliation, race, class, gender, religious beliefs, bias, implicit theories, and so forth. However, little consideration has been given to the cognitive-developmental aspects of how people end up espousing a particular set of beliefs and values. We provide an overview of the underlying cognitive processing heuristics and biases that operate when we input information, as well as the developmental processes underlying differences in the modes of thinking people use to seek, take in, analyze and evaluate information, and draw conclusions and take committed positions. We then argue that when viewed together, these processes provide an explanation of how people reach and adopt polarized positions. We point out that the nature of the underlying processes makes it very difficult to get people to “think differently.” Finally, we propose options from a cognitive-developmental perspective for potentially overcoming these difficulties and being successful in creating the “beginner’s mind.”
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Cavanaugh, J.C., Cavanaugh, C.K. (2021). Understanding Polarization Through a Cognitive-Developmental Lens. In: Sinnott, J.D., Rabin, J.S. (eds) The Psychology of Political Behavior in a Time of Change. Identity in a Changing World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-38270-4_7
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