Anger Opens Your Mind
New research suggests that anger makes us more likely to consider a different point of view. So welcome that angry individual playing the role of devil’s advocate at your next meeting.
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A surprising new study suggests anger makes us more likely to consider a different point of view. “Imagine you’re in a room with four people, one is lip-snarling angry, the others are calm. Who would you consider most likely to think rationally? …It’s actually the angry individual…because they’ll be less prone to the confirmation bias — our tendency to seek out information that supports our existing views. …What are the real-life implications of this result? In a work meeting, if someone is angry, they might be the one best placed to play the role of devil’s advocate on behalf of the group.”
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