Our expectations can influence how we interpret the world around us from "summary" of The Invisible Gorilla by Christopher Chabris,Daniel Simons
When we encounter the world, our brains don't just passively take in information like a camera lens recording a scene. Instead, our minds actively construct our perception of reality based on a variety of factors, including our expectations. These expectations can color how we interpret the sensory input we receive, shaping our understanding of the world around us. Our past experiences and beliefs play a crucial role in shaping our expectations. These mental templates guide our attention and influence what we notice and remember. For example, if we believe that people from a certain group are unfriendly, we may be more likely to interpret their actions in a negative light, even if they are behaving neutrally or positively. Moreover, our expectations can create a self-fulfilling prophecy, where we inadvertently influence others to conform to our beliefs through our behavior. If we expect someone to be hostile based on their appearance, our guarded demeanor may provoke a defensive response in them, confirming our initial expectations. Furthermore, our expectations can lead us to overlook or dismiss information that contradicts our preconceived notions. This phenomenon, known as confirmation bias, causes us to seek out evidence that supports our beliefs while disregarding or rationalizing away evidence that challenges them. In this way, our expectations act as a powerful filter through which we perceive the world, shaping our reality in ways that may not always align with objective truth. By becoming aware of the influence our expectations have on our interpretations, we can strive to approach the world with a more open mind and a willingness to challenge our assumptions.
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