As I look back at my three years being a part of Theta Chi Fraternity, I sometimes ask myself what I would have done differently. While I can’t go back in time and change what’s already been done, I can point out lessons I’ve learned through observation and personal experience to new members.
I was born in Germany, have a Swiss passport, and have been to many different parts of the world. If there is one thing I can say, it’s that Purdue is filled with an unusually large percentage of intelligent people. If you go to Purdue, chances are that you are more intelligent than most average people around the world. With that being said, I thought I’d point out five common misjudgments I see intelligent people make all the time. Keep in mind that while these concepts may seem obvious, applying and recognizing them in everyday life can be challenging.
The Placebo Effect
Ever felt like you needed a little liquid courage to loosen up at a party? Maybe some Adderall to help you study better? Had a headache? Taking some Tylenol might have solved your problem. While all these drugs do have physiological and psychological effects on you, never forget the placebo effect. A study at Victoria University in New Zealand filled a bar with fake alcohol. After the experiment was over, “when students were told the true nature of the experiment…many were amazed that they had only received plain tonic, insisting that they had felt drunk at the time.” Case in point: you don’t need alcohol to enjoy being with people at a party, you don’t need Adderall to study better, and you don’t always need Tylenol to get rid of a headache. While some of these drugs may heighten or change your experiences, never forget that your attitude and beliefs can affect how much you enjoy or how well you perform tasks.
Hindsight Bias
We've all done it before, and we’ll probably do it again at some point in our lives. Hindsight bias is one of the easiest concepts on this list to identify in other people: “We should have brought an umbrella, it’s raining outside.” Hindsight bias is simply the act of looking back at an event and saying that you could have or should have made a better decision at the time. The one time Hindsight bias should be avoided is when critiquing others. I can’t tell you the amount of times I've heard Fraternity members telling exec board members “why didn't you do it that way instead?” The reality is that when you look back on a situation, it’s easier to analyze the situation right now versus when you were actually in the situation. If you weren't there and you've never experienced a similar situation, try to avoid judging people too harshly. Gathering legitimate information on a situation over opinions is the best way to stay objective and right in a situation.
Perceptively filling in gaps
The human brain is an amazing thing. People often times automatically fill in information without even knowing it. Just try reading this paragraph out loud: “Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef but the wrod as a wlohe.” As seen here, your brain can fill in gaps in information. This can be useful when interpreting spelling errors or other situations where you’re not given the full picture. Beware however; you do this with people as well. Never assume you understand people without first getting to meet them. I often see new members of Fraternities using snap judgments on each other and even on Alumni. I once heard a new member say “wow the Alumni don’t seem to care about us very much, they can’t even show up to meetings on time.” As it turns out, that same Alumni had gotten in a car accident two days prior to the meeting and couldn’t make it. If you don’t know all the facts, try avoiding judging people, especially members of your Sorority or Fraternity; if anything those are the first people you should be giving the benefit of the doubt to.
Over-complicating thoughts and tasks
Intelligent people often times utilize analysis and problem solving techniques like heuristics to come up with solutions to problems they face. They’ll often times attempt to define the problem, gather data and facts on the problem, develop solutions, and then implement those solutions. While there are hundreds of ways to analyze an issue, remember the acronym KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid. If you’re an Engineer working on a jet engine, then using a complex system to solve a fuel efficiency problem may be a good idea. If however, house members aren’t fulfilling their duties while you’re in charge of house cleaning, sometimes it’s just easier to address people directly versus sending out five house emails about the problem. Directly talking to Fraternity/Sorority members is almost always more effective over sending out arbitrary house emails and pointed GroupMe's. I like to remember a quote from Bruce Lee: “It is not daily increase, but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.”
Underestimating others around themselves
We’ve all been in groups where one person doesn’t quite seem up to par with everyone else. Don’t let this fool you! Everyone is ignorant in something, just like everyone is good at something. I know people who aren’t social or intellectual, but have the work ethic of five people. Never underestimate the roles people can fill. Looking at the strengths people have, and helping them build on those strengths almost always improves a house more than criticizing that same person’s weaknesses. See someone doing something wrong? Help give them a solution. It seems obvious, but next time you sit in a Chapter meeting, count the solution to complaint ratio of your meeting. Pointing out a problem is fine, but often times people forget to also point out solutions.
While these five common misjudgments aren’t the only mistakes intelligent people make, recognizing them and understanding them can help you avoid making similar errors in judgment in the future.
