Juxtacognition: Using the power of context and critical

thinking to foster intercultural development

Eric HaasScottsdale Community College

Obstacles:Obstacles:

Confirmation BiasConfirmation BiasDominant U.S. CultureDominant U.S. Culture

Worldview Backfire EffectWorldview Backfire EffectCognitive DissonanceCognitive Dissonance

Confirmation Confirmation BiasBias

2; 4; 52; 4; 5

17; 34; 3517; 34; 35

44; 88; 8944; 88; 89

Dominant Dominant U.S. CultureU.S. Culture

Individualism Individualism vs. vs.

CollectivismCollectivism

Fundamental Fundamental Attribution Attribution

ErrorError

ContextContext

Tolerance of Tolerance of AmbiguityAmbiguity

Cognitive Cognitive DissonanceDissonance

Worldview Worldview Backfire EffectBackfire Effect

(Cook & Lewandosky, 2011)

Belief Belief PolarizationPolarization

(Lord, Ross, & Lepper, 1979)

14(Batson, 1975)

(Hamilton, 2011)

(Hamilton, 2011)

•Group Identity

• Cultural Cognition (Kahan, et al., 2010)• Self-Affirmation (Cohen, et al., 2007)• Self-Affirmation Reduces Stress Response

(Sherman, et al., 2009)

2. What?2. What?

DialecticisDialecticismm

Ghandi’s Ghandi’s BlundersBlunders

Ghandi’s Blunders

• Wealth without Work• Pleasure without Conscience• Knowledge without Character• Commerce without Morality• Science without Humanity• Worship without Sacrifice• Politics without Principles• Rights without Responsibilities*

JuxtacognitioJuxtacognitionn

Expectations vs. Expectations vs. SupportSupport

Spaghetti vs. Spaghetti vs. WafflesWaffles

3. How?3. How?

ToolsTools

Example:Example:Similarities vs. DifferencesSimilarities vs. Differences

Example:Example:Color-blindnessColor-blindness

Example:Example:Unity vs. DiversificationUnity vs. Diversification

False False ContinuumsContinuums

4. What 4. What If?If?

QuestionsQuestions??

Thank you!

eric.haas@scottsdalecc.edu