Exploring the utility of state-level wise reasoning: New assessment and facilitation methods
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Date
2017-08-11
Authors
Brienza, Justin Peter
Advisor
Bobocel, D. Ramona
Grossmann, Igor
Grossmann, Igor
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
Wisdom is considered the apex of human development, exemplified in various cultural traditions
by optimal, balanced judgment and decision making that benefits others and the self.
Contemporary psychological accounts suggest that practicing wisdom through reasoning (i.e.,
intellectual humility, recognition of uncertainty and change, consideration of the broader context
at hand and perspectives of others, integration of these perspectives/compromise) can help
people to adaptively navigate everyday social challenges, yet large-scale empirical investigation
on this topic is lacking. In this dissertation, I introduce and validate a new method to assess
situation-specific wise reasoning. To encourage future research on the topic, I establish an initial
nomological network of individual differences around wise reasoning and show its relations to
fundamental constructs, including increased cooperation and reduced bias. I also show that
experimentally enhancing wise reasoning can result in more cooperative, balanced attitudes and
emotions (e.g., reduced attitude polarization; greater tolerance for outgroups). The findings
presented in this dissertation suggest that wise reasoning can help people to navigate everyday
social challenges. Implications for theory, future research, and practical applications for wise
reasoning are discussed.
Description
Keywords
conflict, wisdom, reconstruction method, balance, reasoning, bias, decision making