In addition to listening for facts, I want to be an “active interpreter” who resolve ambiguities through active perception instead of educated guesses. I sometimes forget that active perception and the construal process is needed beyond voir dire. Although it is difficult “to take in vast amount of information from multiple sources simultaneously,” recognizing fallacies such as confirmation bias and biased assimilation will help. As lawyers, we are trained to constantly question information that is “inconsistent with expectations or beliefs,” but I do not scrutinize actions and viewpoints of others that align with my own. Why? Because I feel more comfortable when experiences confirm my thoughts and ideas. The confirmation fills my insatiable need to be “right.”
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When engaged in a heated debate over an issue I am passionate about, my tendency is to ignore data that contradicts my claim, tear down the opposing side’s arguments, and bolster my own. By doing this, I am losing an opportunity to not only better understand the facts, but to address those weaknesses and ultimately benefit my client. In other words, I plan to actively consider the opposite of my positions, point-by-point and seek out opposing viewpoints. This process will allow me to take a more objective view of the facts and, more importantly, my underlying
When engaged in a heated debate over an issue I am passionate about, my tendency is to ignore data that contradicts my claim, tear down the opposing side’s arguments, and bolster my own. By doing this, I am losing an opportunity to not only better understand the facts, but to address those weaknesses and ultimately benefit my client. In other words, I plan to actively consider the opposite of my positions, point-by-point and seek out opposing viewpoints. This process will allow me to take a more objective view of the facts and, more importantly, my underlying