Note- This part is in continuation with- 10 ways to make better decisions.
In the childhood days there was a jungle nearby our place. (We used to live 5-6km away from the Pune city. But now, after around 22 yrs after that incidence, our house is surrounded by concrete jungle.) Me and my friends used to go for hiking there.
In one late evening we were returning from a hiking expedition. It was dark, we were going downhill and we were in hurry to reach home. We all were afraid of parents scolding us for being late. So we were running fast through the bushes without much visibility, and then I jumped over a rock and landed in a thorny bush. My foot was protected by the shoes but my calf was all exposed. I was in so much speed and on the slope that I took 4-5 steps before coming to a halt.
When I stopped, I noticed my right calf was all bruised because of the thorns and there were three thorns still in my flesh. Later I dug out 2 thorns with needle but the third one was buried deep in to my calf. I didn't had heart and expertise to dig that much. So I decided to take doctors help. My mother took me to a nearby doctor. The doctor first gave me Anti-tetanus vaccine and some painkillers. Tried to squeeze the thorn out, while I was crying because of pain and trying to convince her that I have tried it and you have to operate it out.
But instead of listening to me she said, "This kid has too much imagination. I will give him some painkillers and if there is anything inside then there will be development of puss in the wound and the thorn will automatically come out." She also told us to cover the wound with corn cap.
In the childhood days there was a jungle nearby our place. (We used to live 5-6km away from the Pune city. But now, after around 22 yrs after that incidence, our house is surrounded by concrete jungle.) Me and my friends used to go for hiking there.
In one late evening we were returning from a hiking expedition. It was dark, we were going downhill and we were in hurry to reach home. We all were afraid of parents scolding us for being late. So we were running fast through the bushes without much visibility, and then I jumped over a rock and landed in a thorny bush. My foot was protected by the shoes but my calf was all exposed. I was in so much speed and on the slope that I took 4-5 steps before coming to a halt.
When I stopped, I noticed my right calf was all bruised because of the thorns and there were three thorns still in my flesh. Later I dug out 2 thorns with needle but the third one was buried deep in to my calf. I didn't had heart and expertise to dig that much. So I decided to take doctors help. My mother took me to a nearby doctor. The doctor first gave me Anti-tetanus vaccine and some painkillers. Tried to squeeze the thorn out, while I was crying because of pain and trying to convince her that I have tried it and you have to operate it out.
But instead of listening to me she said, "This kid has too much imagination. I will give him some painkillers and if there is anything inside then there will be development of puss in the wound and the thorn will automatically come out." She also told us to cover the wound with corn cap.
After two weeks, despite the corn cap, the wound healed. The doctor declared her victory to my mother, "See,I told you, this kid has all in his imagination, this kid is obsessed for getting operated, the healed wound is the proof that nothing is inside, our body doesn't accept foreign objects." (It was despite one can feel something deep inside if pressed a finger at the spot of the healed wound.)
But I knew from the pain and sensation that there is a thorn of at least 2cm length in my calf.
Then after a year of enduring the pain there come a competitor doctor and the first doctor closed her clinic. So again I convinced my parents to visit her and see if she can take the thorn out.
As we visited her clinic the new doctor immediately said, "We need to operate it out, and what you people were doing this long?" And after 3 days she operated the thorn out. And to our amazement the thorn was a little more than 3cm in length(1cm longer than my assessment).
My parents were speechless. And I was finally relieved from the pain.
There were mistakes done by everyone except the second doctor.
1) I was running faster than the safe speed in those conditions.
2) The first doctor diagnosed the situation totally wrong.
3) She again did a mistake of associating the healed wound as the proof of absence of the thorn.
4) My parents who believed the doctor more than me.
5) I didn't fought fiercely to get the thorn out.
I think this is a serious matter and we should analyse it so as to avoid such mistakes again.
Let's start with the first mistake-
Mistake No.1
I was running faster than the safe speed in those conditions.
That is why I landed in the trouble in the first place. But why I was doing the risky thing? I was doing it because everyone else was doing it, someone of our group started running, second followed, third saw 2 boys of our group running so he too joined them, 4th saw 3 boys running so he too followed, and this went on till we all were running. None asked if it was that necessary to run. No one did any compulsion on any one but still everyone complied.
This happens because of the default programming of our brain which is the result of thousands of years of evolution. Many animals also had the same default programming.
Our brain always try to save it's processing capacity by following shortcuts. These shortcuts used to make our life a lot simpler. For example if someone from a group saw a predator he would start running, otherwise there was no other reason for running. Then the most logical thing to do for everyone else is to run in the same direction first and think about it later. Because if one sees a running group mate and he starts thinking about why is he running? Starts looking for the cause then it would have been too late for him and he would become an easy meal for the predator. So obviously the animals without the default shortcut of running when one sees other running group mate fell pray to the predators first, thereby becoming obsolete. The one following the other running group mate thinks that the other knows some important thing which can make difference of life and death.
Then there is another thing that we feel safe in a group instead of living alone. Because it is the logical thing in the wilderness. In a group, different tasks can be divided to different members, so the group operates more efficiently than a lone organism. The group of organisms can even defend some deadly predators, sometimes even injuring the predator. So the predators are also a little afraid of groups of pray. Therefore the lone organisms first become pray to the predators.
So I didn't wanted to be left behind the group. That is one more reason I was running with everyone else.
And none consciously knew who started running first and what was his motive behind running. Even I don't remember if it was me or someone else who started running first.
In psychological terms this default behaviour of copying the behaviour of other group members to which we belong is called "SOCIAL PROOF BIAS".
Mistake No. 2
The first doctor diagnosing the situation totally wrong.
I don't really know why she misdiagnosed the situation. She was a surgeon, so she could have did some tests like X-ray or something to determine if there is really a foreign body inside my calf and then operated it out. But may be because of some preoccupation she wanted to dismiss my case as early as possible. Or may be she has a bias that kids have imaginary medical problems. Or may be she was taking me as a threat to her profession that a kid is telling her to operate, which she might have thought is her right to take that decision. Or it was unbearable for her that a kid is guiding her.
The answer can never be known.
Mistake No. 3
She associated the healed wound as the proof of absence of the thorn.
When she diagnosed that the healed wound is the proof that there is no foreign body inside, one can easily feel the thorn inside by pressing a finger at the place of the healed wound. She also felt it.
But still she wanted to be consistent with her earlier diagnosis so she persisted that there is nothing and everything is imaginary.
In psychological terms this default behaviour of being consistent with part behaviour is called "CONSISTENCY BIAS".
The simple explanation behind this CONSISTENCY BIAS is people don't trust others who are not consistent with the past decisions or opinions. But it is always better to change or modify our decisions when they are proven wrong.
Mistake No. 4
My parents who believed the doctor more than me.
When this happened I was 13-14 yrs. old and the doctor obviously had various degrees from medical colleges hanging on the clinics wall, plus a well equipped clinic representing professionalism plus she had a confident voice. She displayed every trait of a professional doctor. That is why my parents did the mistake of taking her word as a final word.
In psychology this default behaviour we generally follow is called "AUTHORITY BIAS". People tend to believe what an authoritative person says. People assume that the other person have more knowledge than themselves. And people look for the traits for the authority, not exactly the real authoritative person. This bias is hugely exploited by advertising professionals. Do you remember watching the TV commercial in which an actor in doctors suit and stethoscope sometimes accompanied by an actress in the nurse's get up recommending some product? Though we consciously know that they are actors and not the actual doctors but unknown to us our subconscious assumes they are doctors because of the visible traits we associate with doctors and it later prompts us to buy that product at the time of shopping. This association tendency is called "ASSOCIATION BIAS" in psychology.
So do not always trust what you see. Look beyond the visual clues. Use your common sense.
Mistake No. 5
I didn't fought fiercely to get the thorn out.
I was feeling very overpowered by the doctor and my parents. And while proving them that there is a thorn inside, I would have to bear the pain of they trying to feel it by pressing, the pain then used to ease after 4-5 days of such proving rounds with no positive outcome. So I decided to wait for some opportunity to come by. (And finally after one year of enduring pain the opportunity came as another doctor in our neighbourhood.) What a relief it was...!!!
I told you my story so that you can avoid such mistakes due to various BIASES and take the right decisions. And do remember that professionals also have BIASES so be vigilant to spot the wrong decisions taken by professionals. Use some common sense (samanya buddhi). When you see any proof that the decision is wrong or the decision is based on the wrong assumptions do change the decision, do not fall victim to the CONSISTENCY BIAS.
That's it for now.
See you again.. Have a nice day...
Sumit
The POWER is when,
You use ODDS,
To get EVEN.
But I knew from the pain and sensation that there is a thorn of at least 2cm length in my calf.
Then after a year of enduring the pain there come a competitor doctor and the first doctor closed her clinic. So again I convinced my parents to visit her and see if she can take the thorn out.
As we visited her clinic the new doctor immediately said, "We need to operate it out, and what you people were doing this long?" And after 3 days she operated the thorn out. And to our amazement the thorn was a little more than 3cm in length(1cm longer than my assessment).
My parents were speechless. And I was finally relieved from the pain.
There were mistakes done by everyone except the second doctor.
1) I was running faster than the safe speed in those conditions.
2) The first doctor diagnosed the situation totally wrong.
3) She again did a mistake of associating the healed wound as the proof of absence of the thorn.
4) My parents who believed the doctor more than me.
5) I didn't fought fiercely to get the thorn out.
I think this is a serious matter and we should analyse it so as to avoid such mistakes again.
Let's start with the first mistake-
Mistake No.1
I was running faster than the safe speed in those conditions.
That is why I landed in the trouble in the first place. But why I was doing the risky thing? I was doing it because everyone else was doing it, someone of our group started running, second followed, third saw 2 boys of our group running so he too joined them, 4th saw 3 boys running so he too followed, and this went on till we all were running. None asked if it was that necessary to run. No one did any compulsion on any one but still everyone complied.
This happens because of the default programming of our brain which is the result of thousands of years of evolution. Many animals also had the same default programming.
Our brain always try to save it's processing capacity by following shortcuts. These shortcuts used to make our life a lot simpler. For example if someone from a group saw a predator he would start running, otherwise there was no other reason for running. Then the most logical thing to do for everyone else is to run in the same direction first and think about it later. Because if one sees a running group mate and he starts thinking about why is he running? Starts looking for the cause then it would have been too late for him and he would become an easy meal for the predator. So obviously the animals without the default shortcut of running when one sees other running group mate fell pray to the predators first, thereby becoming obsolete. The one following the other running group mate thinks that the other knows some important thing which can make difference of life and death.
Then there is another thing that we feel safe in a group instead of living alone. Because it is the logical thing in the wilderness. In a group, different tasks can be divided to different members, so the group operates more efficiently than a lone organism. The group of organisms can even defend some deadly predators, sometimes even injuring the predator. So the predators are also a little afraid of groups of pray. Therefore the lone organisms first become pray to the predators.
So I didn't wanted to be left behind the group. That is one more reason I was running with everyone else.
And none consciously knew who started running first and what was his motive behind running. Even I don't remember if it was me or someone else who started running first.
In psychological terms this default behaviour of copying the behaviour of other group members to which we belong is called "SOCIAL PROOF BIAS".
Mistake No. 2
The first doctor diagnosing the situation totally wrong.
I don't really know why she misdiagnosed the situation. She was a surgeon, so she could have did some tests like X-ray or something to determine if there is really a foreign body inside my calf and then operated it out. But may be because of some preoccupation she wanted to dismiss my case as early as possible. Or may be she has a bias that kids have imaginary medical problems. Or may be she was taking me as a threat to her profession that a kid is telling her to operate, which she might have thought is her right to take that decision. Or it was unbearable for her that a kid is guiding her.
The answer can never be known.
Mistake No. 3
She associated the healed wound as the proof of absence of the thorn.
When she diagnosed that the healed wound is the proof that there is no foreign body inside, one can easily feel the thorn inside by pressing a finger at the place of the healed wound. She also felt it.
But still she wanted to be consistent with her earlier diagnosis so she persisted that there is nothing and everything is imaginary.
In psychological terms this default behaviour of being consistent with part behaviour is called "CONSISTENCY BIAS".
The simple explanation behind this CONSISTENCY BIAS is people don't trust others who are not consistent with the past decisions or opinions. But it is always better to change or modify our decisions when they are proven wrong.
Mistake No. 4
My parents who believed the doctor more than me.
When this happened I was 13-14 yrs. old and the doctor obviously had various degrees from medical colleges hanging on the clinics wall, plus a well equipped clinic representing professionalism plus she had a confident voice. She displayed every trait of a professional doctor. That is why my parents did the mistake of taking her word as a final word.
In psychology this default behaviour we generally follow is called "AUTHORITY BIAS". People tend to believe what an authoritative person says. People assume that the other person have more knowledge than themselves. And people look for the traits for the authority, not exactly the real authoritative person. This bias is hugely exploited by advertising professionals. Do you remember watching the TV commercial in which an actor in doctors suit and stethoscope sometimes accompanied by an actress in the nurse's get up recommending some product? Though we consciously know that they are actors and not the actual doctors but unknown to us our subconscious assumes they are doctors because of the visible traits we associate with doctors and it later prompts us to buy that product at the time of shopping. This association tendency is called "ASSOCIATION BIAS" in psychology.
So do not always trust what you see. Look beyond the visual clues. Use your common sense.
Mistake No. 5
I didn't fought fiercely to get the thorn out.
I was feeling very overpowered by the doctor and my parents. And while proving them that there is a thorn inside, I would have to bear the pain of they trying to feel it by pressing, the pain then used to ease after 4-5 days of such proving rounds with no positive outcome. So I decided to wait for some opportunity to come by. (And finally after one year of enduring pain the opportunity came as another doctor in our neighbourhood.) What a relief it was...!!!
I told you my story so that you can avoid such mistakes due to various BIASES and take the right decisions. And do remember that professionals also have BIASES so be vigilant to spot the wrong decisions taken by professionals. Use some common sense (samanya buddhi). When you see any proof that the decision is wrong or the decision is based on the wrong assumptions do change the decision, do not fall victim to the CONSISTENCY BIAS.
That's it for now.
See you again.. Have a nice day...
Sumit
The POWER is when,
You use ODDS,
To get EVEN.
