In this episode, we discuss how exposure to disagreement changes how we think. Our guest’s research highlights the perils of consensus and the value of dissent for the quality of decision making and the creativity of solutions.

Charlan Nemeth is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at UC Berkeley. She has taught in the areas of persuasion, team decision making, scientific creativity, corporate culture and innovation. 

Her most recent book on decision-making, “In Defense of Troublemakers,” pulls together decades of research on influence processes with particular attention to raising the quality of individual and team decisions. 

Listen as Charlan and Greg talk about listening to the other side of a position, 12 Angry Men, groupthink, and diversity.

Mission behind her work & book

I think the most important message of our work and the book is that when you hear opposing views that come from a majority, this consensus thing we're talking about, it isn't just whether or not you follow it, which is persuasion. It's how are you thinking as a result? 

On the diversity of demographic and viewpoint

The only way that diversity of demographic works is if there’s some kind of a correlation between the diversity of the demographic and diversity of viewpoint.

What does diversity really mean

So if you just look at the demographics, they're very diverse. But that doesn't get you the stimulation that you're after, because what you really want is diversity of views. The only way that that diversity of demographic works is if there's some kind of a correlation between the diversity of the demographic and diversity of viewpoint. Namely, is it the case that if I bring, say different races that I'm going to hear a different viewpoint? Not if they're all on the same page and have the same motivations and the same ideology and whatever.

• Asch conformity experiments - Wikipedia
• Carl Wagner - Strathmore University Business School
• 12 Angry Men
• Alex F. Osborn & Brainstorming

• Faculty Profile at University of California, Berkeley
• Professional Profile at Social Psychology Network
• Charlan Nemeth’s Website
• Charlan Nemeth LinkedIn
• Charlan Nemeth on Twitter
• Charlan Nemeth on Facebook

• Charlan Nemeth on Google Scholar
• In Defense of Troublemakers: The Power of Dissent in Life and Business