Carol Tavris - Mistakes Were Made But Not By Me

The Innovation Show

Carol Tavris - Mistakes Were Made But Not By Me The Psychology of Self-Justification with Carol Tavris In this episode, Aidan McCullen interviews Carol Tavris, co-author of 'Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me),' to explore the intricacies of cognitive dissonance, self-justification, and memory. They investigate why humans find it difficult to admit mistakes, even in the presence of irrefutable evidence. Through numerous case studies and real-world examples, they discuss the implications of these psychological mechanisms in areas as varied as personal life, law enforcement, and political decision-making. The conversation tackles how these insights can apply to everyone from parents and judges to business leaders and law enforcement, emphasizing the significance of humility, critical thinking, and the human tendency to rewrite personal histories to fit current beliefs. 00:00 Introduction to Self-Justification 01:14 Welcoming the Author: Carol Tavris 02:17 The Premise of the Book 03:06 Understanding Cognitive Dissonance 08:44 Memory and Self-Justification 14:43 Confabulations and False Memories 23:02 The Pyramid of Choice 32:42 Law Enforcement and Wrongful Convictions 37:58 The Importance of Correcting Interrogation Methods 38:33 The Impact of Miscarriages of Justice 38:55 Examples of Recognizing Mistakes 39:52 The 1980s and 90s Hysteria Over Child Abuse 40:21 The McMartin Daycare Scandal 41:06 Flawed Child Interrogation Techniques 42:58 A Case of Misunderstanding: Daddy's Pee Pee 44:53 The Emotional Toll of False Convictions 47:39 The Pyramid of Entrapment and Justification 48:48 The Influence of Bias in Decision Making 50:32 The Role of Pharmaceutical Companies in Medicine 52:06 Moral Choices and Life Decisions 54:55 Understanding and Living with Cognitive Dissonance 01:03:17 The Power of Admitting Mistakes 01:06:58 The Allure of Victim Narratives 01:08:40 Alien Abductions and Hypnagogic States 01:14:17 The Importance of Understanding Human Frailties Find Carol here: That Sarah Silverman interview: Carol’s books: psychology, cognitive dissonance, self-justification, memory, mistakes, humility, ethics, law enforcement, interrogation, wrongful convictions, trauma, alien abductions, confirmation bias, leadership, decision making, self-concept, Carol Tavris (author), Aidan McCullen (host), Elliot Aronson (co-author), Leon Festinger (researcher on cognitive dissonance), James Thurber (author of The Wonderful O), Richard Feynman (scientist and quote source), Mary Carr (memoirist), Joseph Allen (wrongfully convicted), Ronald Reagan (Bitburg cemetery incident), Shimon Peres (comment on Reagan's mistake), Sarah Silverman (Louis C.K. controversy), Louis C.K. (comedian involved in controversy), Jeffrey Cohen (research on political bias), Lee Ross (naive realism), John Mack (psychiatrist on alien abductions), Susan Clancy (researcher on alien abductions), Rich McNally (memory scientist), Antonin Scalia (Supreme Court Justice), Clarence Thomas (Supreme Court Justice), Auburn Blooming (oncologist and co-author)