At some point in life, we all wonder why we have chosen to have opinions on certain topics such as abortion, political party, and religion. What causes us to make certain decisions when addressing controversial topics or even simple every day choices such as what color shirt or tie to wear? We all tend to seek out information that confirms what our current belief may be. We like to say that we are open to opposing viewpoints and opinions, but for many, that is not the case. Once we have found information that could negate our beliefs, we immediately stop the search and stick to our initial opinions. So what really causes people to change their minds?
An article published online titled “How Do We Change Our Minds? The Truth vs. Like-Minded Views,” says that in a recent study, 33 percent of the studied individuals considered opposing opinions and actively pursued critical ideas often shifted ways of thinking. This means by simply exploring something you may not be open to, you are automatically more likely to shift your opinions. Just by listening to a second opinion, possibly opposing your own, you may open your eyes to things you had never let yourself notice before.
Throughout our lifetimes we build emotional filters and frames. We may be raised a certain way, exposed to certain things, or simply very opinionated, which makes us frame the world in a certain light. We approach life decisions and situations with a mental sifter, only allowing ourselves to see what we want to see or have already opened up to. Our decisions are based off of these filters. We make sense of the world based on the lenses through which we see it. In order to change your mind about something, you have to adjust those frames and filters so that you may see new things. Say you were raised in a conservative household and based your opinions off of what a conservative culture taught you. All the sudden, you are thrown into a liberal environment and you now have no idea how to make sense of the world. Your frame has changed because your environment has changed. The mind is easily altered when a person experiences a significant change whether it be a new city, a new friend, a new job environment, or even a new family situation (divorce, illness, etc). In many cases, a person may reject this new experience in order to be steadfast in his or her beliefs and opinions.
When it comes to controversial topics such as abortion and gay rights, many people change their minds because they have an unexpected personal experience with the issue. For example, a pro-choice woman gets pregnant and has an abortion; following the experience, she realizes that she does not want women to attain abortions, and all the sudden her beliefs and opinions are dramatically changed. This all happens because she experienced an abortion first-hand. Another example is a homophobic individual becoming good friends with a homosexual, without knowledge of this person’s homosexuality. The two have a great friendship, and the homosexual finally informs the homophobe of his sexuality. The homophobe realizes he should not place judgement on homosexuality because he has a friend in that pool of society and realized that they maybe are not so bad. Being friends with a homosexual allowed that person to reframe his or her lenses to the world, allowing other viewpoints to surface. It does not mean that person is homosexual, it just simply means the judgement was released due to a personal experience.
By simply having an open mind to change and allowing yourself to experience new things, you will find that changing your mind is healthy. People should figure things out for themselves instead of following the social norms that surround them. Do not let your environment make decisions for you when it comes to your views. Explore the world, challenge yourself, and you will find your identity in ways that you never knew existed.
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