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Brexit

Human psychology, the referendum and the aftermath

106 replies

sorenofthejnaii · 29/06/2016 18:01

It's fascinating. I wonder what the human psychologists are making of this.
How decisions were made and what influenced them. How much we justified them and then searched for data to justify them.

The role of soundbites to appeal to our view.
Looking at the same information but interpreting it relative to the views you hold.
Hindsight bias.
How people are reacting afterwards.

There must be a lot of people analysing the referendum and observing human behaviour afterwards. Social media must give a fascinating insight.

The Human zoo on R4 was fascinating in the run up to the referendum on how we humans behave.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b036tbly

OP posts:
Roonerspism · 03/07/2016 20:19

red it's interesting. I have wanted to Leave for years. Since the Eurozone crisis, certainly. So my mind was made up - completely.

I then watched the debates. I listened to the Leave camp. I read threads.

I came to the conclusion that both campaigns were so piss poor, there was no way Leave could win (there always being a bias to the current norm).

When the so-called financial experts where wheeled in, I could have bet my life savings Remain would win.

It just goes to show how different perceptions can be!

RedToothBrush · 03/07/2016 21:18

Rooner, yes definitely.

If I may give a comparison, I always find it curious that the BBC has in the past been criticised by opposing sides of a story for being biased.

Whilst I think the BBC, DOES have a lot of flaws and does have bias, I find it reassuring when that happens, as it suggests they are doing a fairly good job under difficult circumstances and pressures. (As I say I cavet this heavily, as the BBC still has very heavy bias in its reporting which I am fully aware of)

When this happens it shows something which is interesting: That people tend to view things that show things that don't fully agree with their position as biased against them.

There has been a lot of discussion over the last few days on MN of confirmation bias. I think the above its a sort of form of it.

What was going on, on MN during the referendum debate is easy to spot in retrospect.

Decision making is very much about the logical v rational and the heart versus heart. It was clear that during the referendum, things were getting heated, which is generally a sign that heart is doing well. Again - go with your gut was another phrase trotted out a lot which was a sign leave was ahead. There were few threads which were rational, calm and used phrases like 'on balance' which are more reflective of a head argument winning.

I do think in the heat of it all, and with your own emotive feelings about certain subjects it can be very hard to remove yourself from that, and look at things objectively. I think this is perhaps something I'm going to take from it all.

I'm glad you'd started a thread on the subject tbh. These things still do need to be debated, even if the referendum had passed. Things are far from a 'done deal' unfortunately under the circumstances. Its important for remainers to fully understand and to start seeing Leave as distinct separate groups rather than one. Its part of healing and its part of moving forward from this.

Changing minds is not about saying something once and someone doing an immediate U-turn. Its a general chipping away of reinforced entrenched points of view, until someone gets a slight glimpse of something a bit different and then decides to look a bit further. You can't just simply shove an opinion down someone's throat. You have to let people make up their own minds, and gently persuade them of something different. I think a few of us on both sides of the fence would do well to learn that better. Myself included.

MangoMoon · 03/07/2016 21:37

Its a general chipping away of reinforced entrenched points of view, until someone gets a slight glimpse of something a bit different and then decides to look a bit further.

Red, it was quite interesting to see that happen on MN - the immediate aftermath was very angry (Remainers) & very defensive (Leavers).

Over a couple of days people gradually started to become slightly calmer, that's when rational posts & viewpoints were heard and people dropped a lot of helpful links all over the shop (sociology & psychology of Brexit & an article on the Boston Effect were 3 that I was posting as much as poss).

Over the rest of this week, most people have really started to look at things from the opposing viewpoint; a thread called "what have you learned" (I think that's the title) was started, where a significant number of posters have said that they really 'get' the other side now, even if they still don't agree.
Also, many posters have pointed out that many of us do in fact share a common ideological goal but with different preferred routes to get there.

It has been a very privileged insight into how people tick, I think.

sorenofthejnaii · 03/07/2016 21:46

You can't just simply shove an opinion down someone's throat. You have to let people make up their own minds, and gently persuade them of something different

You'd have thought that society would have learned that by now. Nudge tactics and all that. But human beings keep making the same mistakes.

Sometimes I think we all need to press 'Pause' and tell those in charge just to reflect on what's happened. Reflect, contemplate and ask yourself what you think has happened.

OP posts:
Chris1234567890 · 03/07/2016 23:51

"It has been a very privileged insight into how people tick, I think."

I like that. I will just caveat though, that this evening, Ive had a nice weekend, had a bit of sunshine, havent had to hang over breaking news every minute, and taken possible what HRH advised, a moment to reflect. However, with Chilcot on wednesday, (and a big day for Wales....footy!) the labour leadership farce, the PM farce (DC really really should not have resigned!!!) , I can see my moment of calm contemplation is about to be short lived!!!

MangoMoon · 04/07/2016 00:37

Chris - Wales in the semis - who'd have thunk it!!

Very exciting times!!

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