TED-ED: Do politics make us irrational? - Jay Van Bavel

The video discusses a study where math skills and political identity were tested using two questions. Despite being mathematically identical, political identity influenced the answers more than math skills. This highlights the role of partisanship, a cognitive bias where group identity affects perception. Partisanship can lead to cognitive dissonance, where individuals prioritize group beliefs over facts. This is particularly problematic in politics, leading to polarization and decisions not based on truth. Strategies to combat this include recognizing bias, fact-checking, and framing issues in relatable terms.

What was the main finding of the study regarding participants with strong math skills?

• They were equally likely to answer both questions correctly.

• They were more likely to answer the first question correctly.

• They were less likely to answer the first question correctly.

• They were more likely to answer the second question correctly.

What is partisanship broadly defined as?

• A strong preference or bias towards any particular group or idea.

• A neutral stance on political issues.

• A focus on individualism over group identity.

• An aversion to group identities.

How does cognitive dissonance manifest in group settings?

• By encouraging open-mindedness.

• By creating tension between incompatible thoughts.

• By reducing group cohesion.

• By promoting accurate perception of reality.

What can partisan-based cognitive dissonance lead to in politics?

• Creation of policies grounded in truth.

• Rejection of evidence inconsistent with party beliefs.

• Increased political unity.

• Acceptance of all evidence.

What is one theory explaining the increase in partisan polarization?

• Reduction in partisan news sources.

• Increased diversity in communities.

• Clustering in like-minded communities.

• Decreased reliance on social media.

What is a recommended strategy to resist the distortion filter of partisanship?

• Rely solely on intuition.

• Ignore new information.

• Make fact-checking a valued part of the culture.

• Avoid questioning assumptions.

How can you make someone more receptive to new information?

• By dismissing their values.

• By affirming their values and using their language.

• By presenting information in a complex manner.

• By ignoring their perspective.