Different Ways to Look at the World

"On the surface, the following seems ironic in the Information Age. So many people these days grasp simplistic beliefs about complex issues and then double down on those beliefs in the face of contrary evidence. This isn't surprising at all from a psychological perspective. Rather, it's a result of too much information and too little time. Under stress, we typically adopt more rigid perspectives."

"Most viewpoints in the media are more emotionally based judgments than intellectual arguments. Emotional statements fare much better in the highly competitive market for attention. But they are subject to emotional contagion, which refers to the phenomenon in which a person unconsciously mirrors or mimics the emotions of those around them. Fear and anger are the most contagious emotions, due to their immediate survival significance. What's more, fear and anger are self-validating, which means they need no evidence to support them."

Too much information and too little time lead to simplistic beliefs about complex issues, with people doubling down despite contrary evidence. Under stress, perspectives become more rigid. Social media algorithms create echo chambers that reinforce superficial judgments and unquestioned assumptions. Emotional contagion, negative reactivity, adversarial thinking, indoctrination disguised as information, social cognitive biases, and exaggerated negative labels contribute to polarized viewpoints. Emotional statements outperform intellectual arguments in attention markets, leading to fear and anger spreading rapidly. Fear and anger are self-validating emotions that require no evidence, causing judgments to be accepted as truth without rational support.

Read at Psychology Today