Chapter 10: Co-Thinking

Question 1

Collective Knowledge

Answer 1

• most things we know transmitted to us from others
• culture is a form of collective knowledge (inherited culture)

Question 2

Evolutionary Mismatch

Answer 2

when traits that were once useful/advantageous become burdensome/harmful in a rapidly changing environment

Question 3

Group Pitfalls

Answer 3

• tend to adopt beliefs and practices familiar to us
• familiarity (from families, social circles, communities)
• conformity is easy

Question 4

In-group bias

Answer 4

tendency to think positive things about groups to which we belong and negative things about groups to which we do not belong

Question 5

Mere Exposure Effect

Answer 5

• the tendency for repeated exposure to create positive associations
• people tend to associate familiarity with goodness and truth

Question 6

Group Polarization

Answer 6

• the tendency for like-minded groups to get more extreme when their members are primarily exposed to each others views
• each members views then shift toward toward the consensus view

Question 7

Steps to Mitigate Group Pitfalls

Answer 7

• promote a group culture of encouraging dissent and showing appreciation for constructive criticism
• encourage all kinds of diversity in the groups composition
• ask for opinions in a manner that reduces the pressure to conform

Question 8

Communities of Knowledge

Answer 8

• credentials = evidence of expertise
• experts affiliated with institutions can voice a consensus of experts

Question 9

Three Features That Indicate a Reliable Community of Knowledge:

Answer 9

1) a structure of incentives that reward accuracy

2) a shared methodology that is responsive to evidence

3) a culture of open-minded inquiry