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Are you as open-minded as you think you are? People who rate themselves as highly adaptable often score as the most rigid during unconscious cognitive testing. In this episode of Changed My Mind, hosts Alex Chesterfield, Ali Goldsworthy, and Laura Osborne speak with political neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod. Zmigrod discusses her research into the link between cognitive style and political extremism, explaining how rigid thinking predicts dogmatism across the entire political spectrum. Zmigrod also shares how she changed her own perspective regarding the depth of her research after realizing that rigid ideology does not just shape political attitudes, but fundamentally sculpts a person's nervous system, perception, and everyday humanity. What you’ll learn: The Alternative Uses Test: How simple, unconscious creativity games predict whether a person leans toward stubborn ideology or moderate, flexible thinking.The Extremism Overlap: Why radical leftists and the radical right exhibit strikingly similar psychological profiles rooted in cognitive rigidity and emotional impulsivity.The Danger of Radical Campaigning: Why using binary, polarising tactics to rally a base damages individuals psychologically.The Myth of the Strong Leader: How society creates large-scale problems by incorrectly praising leaders who refuse to change their minds.The Violence Connection: How highly rigid minds fuse rapidly to group identities and are significantly more willing to endorse political violence. Buy Leor’s book, The Ideological Brain: How Rigid Beliefs Harm Our Minds & Bodies – And Why It Matters https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781405975148 Buy Alison, Laura and Alexandra’s new book, Poles Apart: Why People Turn Against Each Other, and How to Bring Them Together  https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781847942975 Subscribe to openDemocracy’s weekly newsletter: https://www.opendemocracy.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a 23-year career at the BBC, award-winning broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake changed his mind about the institution's capacity for change. In this episode of Change My Mind, Nihal speaks candidly with hosts Ali Goldsworthy, Laura Osborne, and Alex Chesterfield about his decision to leave public service broadcasting for a new role as Chief Storyteller at a major tech firm. He details the growing frustration and isolation he experienced as a person of colour at BBC North, explaining why he believes the corporation is currently "cosplaying at diversity" rather than enacting meaningful cultural shifts. The conversation examines the heavy personal toll of speaking out against institutional norms, the differences between genuine corporate accountability and public sector management, and why the political and media landscape relentlessly punishes leaders who actually change their minds. What we discuss in this episode: The Illusion of Corporate Accountability: Why Nihal believes the BBC operates on a culture of fear and self-preservation rather than facing the hard truths of profit, loss, and audience data.Tokenism vs. Inclusion: Nihal’s perspective on how public-facing diversity hires often mask a lack of genuine representation and support for young staff behind the scenes.The Backlash of Speaking Out: The intense right-wing media criticism and personal threats Nihal faced after publicly criticizing the overwhelmingly white demographic of his workplace.The Power of Admitting Ignorance: Why treating a political "U-turn" as a weakness destroys intellectual agility, and why the smartest leaders are the ones willing to admit when the facts have changed.The BBC’s Right of Reply: A breakdown of the BBC's official response to the issues raised, including their commitments to strengthening talent pipelines and reporting mechanisms.Learn more and get involved: Book a session during our new Office Hours to discuss how to navigate polarized times in your own organization: opendemocracy.net/depolarizationproject.Subscribe to openDemocracy’s weekly newsletter: https://www.opendemocracy.net/Buy Alison, Laura, and Alexandra’s book, Poles Apart: Why People Turn Against Each Other, and How to Bring Them Together: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781847942975 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Alex Chesterfield and co-hosts Ali Goldsworthy and Laura Osborne interview Julia Minson, a researcher on disagreement, about building receptiveness and improving conflict conversations through practice, realistic goals beyond persuasion, and concrete language changes. Minson describes her background in competitive ballroom dancing as a metaphor for opposing perspectives, and outlines the HEAR framework for “conversational receptiveness”: Hedging, Emphasizing agreement, Acknowledging the other view with true paraphrase, and Reframing to the positive. She discusses applying these tools in schools and other real-world settings, and research questions about reputational rewards for receptiveness. Minson also shares a rapid, emotionally complex series of belief updates on gender transitions for minors, influenced by Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s arguments and later by meeting a trans woman, highlighting how minds change through human contact and context. 00:00 Third Rail Belief Shift 00:17 Show Intro and Guests 01:36 Co Hosts Takeaways 03:58 Ballroom Dancing Origins 07:50 Training Receptiveness Habits 10:34 How to Disagree Better 12:57 Start Small Not Hot Topics 15:53 HEAR Framework Language 22:36 Where Research Goes Next 24:47 Campaigning Incentives Tension 27:29 Changing Mind on Transitions 36:03 Environment and People Matter 38:14 Who Should Be Next Guest 38:55 Hosts Reflect and Wrap Up Buy How To Disagree Better Dr Julia Minson https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781398725041 Buy Alison, Laura and Alexandra’s new book, Poles Apart: Why People Turn Against Each Other, and How to Bring Them Together  https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781847942975 Subscribe to openDemocracy’s weekly newsletter: https://www.opendemocracy.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In an era where scientific expertise is heavily scrutinized and algorithms trap us in ideological bubbles, how do we create the conditions for people to truly open their minds? In this episode of Changed My Mind, we’re joined by Dr. Emma Yhnell, Reader and Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion based at Cardiff University. Drawing on her experiences running clinical trials and teaching in large university lecture halls, Dr. Yhnell explores the emotional complexities of genetic testing and the vulnerability required to challenge the consensus. Plus, she opens up about her own profound shifts in perspective: why she completely re-evaluated why people at risk of terminal illnesses choose to avoid genetic testing, and the ethical dilemmas of encouraging young women into male-dominated science fields. What you’ll learn: The Information Avoidance Paradox: Why only 10% to 15% of people at risk for Huntington's disease choose to take a predictive genetic test, and the profound emotional and psychological reasons behind wanting to not know.Science Communication as a Superpower: Why making complex academic research accessible to the patients it is designed to help is just as vital as the research itself.Opening vs. Changing Your Mind: The critical psychological difference between completely reversing your stance and simply creating the cognitive headspace to entertain an alternative view.Embracing the Pushback: How intentionally creating spaces for experiential learning and critique empowers younger generations to confidently dissent from the group.Buy Alison, Laura and Alexandra’s new book, Poles Apart: Why People Turn Against Each Other, and How to Bring Them Together  https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781847942975 Subscribe to openDemocracy’s weekly newsletter: https://www.opendemocracy.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a political climate dominated by echo chambers, media polarization, and democratic backsliding, how do we actually get people to change their minds? In this episode of Changed My Mind, we’re joined by Saumitra Jha, professor of political economy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Citing financial experiments in Israel, Palestine, and post-referendum Britain, Professor Jha shares both historical insights and behavioural evidence on how to bridge deep societal divides. Plus, he opens up about his own profound shift in perspective: why he completely changed his mind on the relationship between global poverty and climate action. What you’ll learn:The Power of “Skin in the Game”: Why giving people small financial stakes to trade in conflicted markets appears to bypass cognitive biasSwords into Bank Shares: How historical societies used finance to successfully pacify deep caste and political conflictsThe Double-Edged Sword of Hero Worship: How the immense trust earned by a World War I General led his loyal network of soldiers straight into Nazi collaborationClimate Change is Not a Luxury: Why the traditional economic theory that environmental protection is a luxury reserved for wealthy nations no longer holds upBuy Alison, Laura and Alexandra’s new book, Poles Apart: Why People Turn Against Each Other, and How to Bring Them Together  https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8711/9781847942975 Subscribe to openDemocracy’s weekly newsletter: https://www.opendemocracy.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georg Baumert, head of the German Borderland Museum's environmental education division, discusses the impact of the Greenbelt, a stretch of unspoiled nature along the former East-West German border, on teaching history. He emphasizes the importance of authentic, emotional connections to historical events, especially for young children and how learning from them has changed his own mind. Baumert shares how the museum's approach, which includes oral history and outdoor learning, has evolved to better engage visitors. He highlights the ecological consequences of the border, such as the creation of unique biotopes, and the museum's role in connecting past and present events, including the refugee crisis and the importance of understanding historical dictatorships. The conversation also touches on the need for more museums to adopt similar educational methods and the potential for international collaboration. This series of Changed My Mind is supported by 1014 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest episode of Changed My Mind features Fernande Raine, CEO of the History Collab. We discussed the disillusionment of young people with democracy, emphasizing the need to make history engaging and relevant. She highlighted the failure of current history education to connect past events to contemporary challenges, leading to a lack of civic engagement. Raine shared her experience in Russia, where she observed a shift towards imperialism and a resistance to democratic change. She stressed the importance of intergenerational dialogue and the need for a systemic overhaul in education to foster civic skills. Raine also reflected on the challenges of changing one's mind and the necessity of collective action to safeguard democracy. This series of Changed My Mind is supported by 1014 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Katharina Weghmann, a partner in forensic and integrity services at EY, discussed her evolving views on the role of regulation, particularly in sustainability. She emphasized the importance of regulation in driving corporate sustainability and ethical practices, contrasting her past belief in free markets. Weghmann highlighted the influence of business schools on future leaders and the need for humility and intellectual curiosity in leadership. She also shared her journey from marketing to ethics, influenced by the 2008 financial crisis, and her work with whistleblowers, stressing the importance of effective regulation and support systems for those who speak out. This series of Changed My Mind is supported by 1014 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

World-renowned behavioural economist Cass Sunstein on why dismissing his friends' fears about democracy being at risk in the US was wrong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former advisor to the Foreign Secretary at the time of the Iraq War, Ed Owen, on why he now feels differently about the decision to go to war in Iraq.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Authors of Union: a Search for Common Ground on how an American road trip woke them up to the failings in the criminal justice system and the limitations of beloved media outlets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danny Finkelstein, associate editor of the Times and Conservative peer, talks to us about why being able to clearly see both sides of an argument is important but can also feel debilitating in a world that craves certainty. He shares his lessons from switching parties and why it is critical to reduce the cost of people changing their minds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Geoghegan, author of Democracy for Sale and investigative journalist, left Ireland as a young man desperate to get away but has returned in lockdown to find a country much changed. He tells us why, from his childhood bedroom, and explains the need to dig deeper into unaccountable money in politics, in the UK as well as the US. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helen Lewis, a journalist at the Atlantic and author of Difficult Women: the History of Feminism in 11 Fights, talks about how she came to question her previous liberal beliefs on prostitution, a former Labour MP who cried after receiving an apology for being deselected when she came out in the 70s, the limits of unconscious bias training, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Director of Change.org in the UK Kajal Odedra talks about realising no platforming tended to backfire, her changing relationship with her own identity and how Change.org's supporters come from a much broader base than most people imagine.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.