Using Psychology to Create a Better World:Using Psychology to Create a Better World:Wisdom, Schooling, and SocietyWisdom, Schooling, and Society

Robert J. SternbergTufts University

University of Heidelberg

Organization of TalkOrganization of Talk

IntroductionBackground on WisdomThe Balance Theory of WisdomConclusions

How I realized the importance How I realized the importance of wisdom:of wisdom:

The advice I, as a mentor, gave my unlucky student

The advice my mentor gave me, as his lucky student

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Why do we typically think of

Einstein as INTELLIGENT?

Picasso as CREATIVE?

Solomon as WISE?

Some Exemplars of Notably Some Exemplars of Notably Wise LeadersWise Leaders

Winston ChurchillMahatma GandhiNelson MandelaMartin Luther King, Jr.Mother Teresa

Some Exemplars of Notably Some Exemplars of Notably Foolish LeadersFoolish Leaders

Adolph HitlerIdi AminRobert MugabeJoseph StalinGeorge W. Bush

Some Recent ConundrumsSome Recent Conundrums

The Iraq WarThe Darfur GenocideMeltdown in ZimbabweMcCain versus ObamaThe Worldwide Financial Meltdown

Why Smart People can be so Why Smart People can be so ““DumbDumb””

The unrealistic-optimism fallacy The egocentrism fallacy The omniscience fallacy The omnipotence fallacy The invulnerability fallacy The sunk-cost fallacy The ethical-disengagement fallacy

Will Increases in IQ Result in Will Increases in IQ Result in an Increase in Wisdoman Increase in Wisdom

Not Necessarily!Increase in IQ could even result in a

decrease in wisdom if schools and society:

Ignore wisdom, or even, Explicitly devalue wisdom, or Implicitly devalue wisdom by

emphasizing conventional intelligence at the expense of wisdom

Why Wisdom is Why Wisdom is EspeciallyEspecially Important in Current TimesImportant in Current Times

Humans have made enormous strides in technology, including destructive technology, without corresponding advances in their wisdom with regard to the uses of this technology (and perhaps with regard to anything else either)

This mismatch between the development of technology and the lack of development of wisdom places the world at enormous risk!

Is Wisdom Universal?Is Wisdom Universal?

Fundamental values (not necessarily beliefs) appear to be largely the same across the world’s great religions and ethical systems, for example, in their stressing, in relations with others:

1. Reciprocity (the Golden Rule)2. Sincerity3. Honesty4. Integrity5. Compassion

A CaveatA CaveatBecause wisdom involves the

infusion of values into judgments and decision-making, any presentation

regarding wisdom inevitably reflects the values of the

presenter

IQ (Academic/Analytical Intelligence)

Practical Intelligence

Creative Intelligence

Triarchic Intelligence

Successful Intelligence

Wisdom

My Path to Studying WisdomMy Path to Studying Wisdom

Why Intelligence and Wisdom Why Intelligence and Wisdom BothBoth are Necessary are Necessary

You need CREATIVE abilities to come up with ideas

You need ANALYTICAL abilities to decide whether ideas are good ideas

You need PRACTICAL abilities to make your ideas functional and to convince others of the value of your ideas

You need WISDOM to balance the effects of ideas on yourself, others, and society in both the short and long terms

Background on WisdomBackground on Wisdom

Dictionary definition: “The power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.” (Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 1997, p. 1533).

Wisdom MeansWisdom Means

Knowing what you know Knowing what you do not know Knowing what you can know (at a

given time and place) Knowing what you cannot know

(at a given time and place)

Philosophical Approaches to Philosophical Approaches to WisdomWisdom

In Platonic dialogues, there are three different senses of wisdom:

Sophia is found in those who seek a contemplative life in search of truth

Phronesis is the practical wisdom shown by statesmen and legislators

Episteme is found in those who understand things from a scientific point of view

Factors of Wisdom (1)Factors of Wisdom (1)

Factors of professors in four fields (art, business, philosophy, physics) (laypersons also sampled):

Reasoning Abilities– Has the unique ability to look at a problem

or situation and solve it– Has good problem-solving ability– Has a logical mind

Factors of Wisdom (2)Factors of Wisdom (2)

Sagacity– displays concern for others– considers advice– understands people through dealing with a

variety of people

Learning from ideas and environment– Attaches importance to ideas– Is perceptive– Learns from other people’s mistakes

Factors of Wisdom (3)Factors of Wisdom (3)

Judgment– Acts within own physical and intellectual

limitations– Is sensible– Has good judgment at all times

Expeditious use of information– Is experienced– Seeks out information, especially details– Has age, maturity, or long experience

Factors of Wisdom (4)Factors of Wisdom (4)

Perspicacity– Has intuition– Can offer solutions that are on the

side of right and truth– Is able to see through things – read

between the lines

Successful IntelligenceSuccessful Intelligence

a) Reach one’s goals in life, within the constraints of a social-cultural context

b) By capitalizing on one’s strengths and compensating for or correcting one’s weaknesses

c) Through a mixture of analytical, creative, and practical abilities

d) To adapt to, shape, and select environments

The (flexible and modifiable) ability to

CreativityCreativity

Skill in generating ideas that are– Novel– Good– Task appropriate

Why Successful Intelligence Why Successful Intelligence and Creativity are not Enoughand Creativity are not Enough

People can be: Creatively intelligent and, more

generally, creative (e.g., in generating novel, strategic targets for terrorist attacks)

Analytically intelligent (e.g., in assessing the advantages and disadvantages of those targets)

Practically intelligent (e.g., in delivering the attacks to those targets)

without being wise!

Why Knowledge and Experience Why Knowledge and Experience are Not Enoughare Not Enough

People can use knowledge and experience for good ends or for bad (as in the case of malevolent dictators and terrorists who use their knowledge of people and their psychology to oppress rather than to help others)

People thus can be knowledgeable without being wise

BalanceBalance

The Balance Theory of The Balance Theory of WisdomWisdom

Wisdom is1) The application of successful intelligence,

creativity, and knowledge2) Toward the attainment of a common good3) Through a balance among intrapersonal,

interpersonal, and extrapersonal interests4) Over the short term, and long terms5) Through the mediation of values6) By acting so as to balance adaptation to,

shaping, and selection of environments

 Successful Intelligence,Creativity, & Knowledge

Common GoodG O A L

Adaptation

 

Extrapersonal

SelectionShaping

Balance of interestsover short and long terms

Intrapersonal Interpersonal

Balance of responses to

environmental context VALUES

Wisdom as BalanceWisdom as Balance

Assessing performance for Assessing performance for wisdomwisdom

Successful intelligenceBalancing of interestsBalancing of time-framesMindful infusion of valuesBalancing of responses to the

environmentApplication of knowledge for the

common good

Problems measuring wisdomProblems measuring wisdom

Conflict-resolution problemsMoral-judgment problemsPersonal dilemma problems

Test ScenarioTest ScenarioCharles and Margaret are both engineers and have been

married for 5 years. Three years ago Charles was offered a job in Europe. Margaret agreed to quit her job in the U.S. and move to Europe with Charles. The job was an excellent career move for Charles. Soon after the move, they had a baby boy. After the birth, Margaret decided to start working again and, with effort, found a very exciting job that paid well and promised real security. Meanwhile, Charles was offered a transfer back to the U.S. Margaret feels she needs another year or two in her new job to meaningfully advance her career. She is also tired of moving. She has already given up a lot of time following Charles around. Charles knows that his wife’s job is as important his own but he thinks returning to the U.S. would help both their careers in the end. What should Charles do?

Developmental Trajectory of Developmental Trajectory of WisdomWisdom

The traditional modelWisdom develops only in adulthood, and especially, later adulthood

The fluid-intelligence analogue modelWisdom develops up to early adulthood, and then pretty much remains constant in middle adulthood, until it begins decreasing in later adulthood

The crystallized-intelligence analogue modelWisdom potentially develops more or less continually throughout the life span, although not necessarily linearly

WhenWhen should students first be should students first be taught to think wisely?taught to think wisely?

As soon as possible!

The Key to Teaching WisdomThe Key to Teaching Wisdom

The ends to which we apply our knowledge and the thinking processes that act on it, matter!

Different views of knowledgeDifferent views of knowledge

Conventional View:– Knowledge is static over space, time, and point of view

Dialectical View:– Knowledge can be dynamic over space and

time Dialogical View:

– Knowledge must be understood from multiple points of view

Key instructional processesKey instructional processes

Providing activities that draw upon wisdom

Modeling wisdomProviding instructional examples of

wisdomDialogical thinkingDialectical thinkingValuing wisdom

Two Models for the Two Models for the Development of Wisdom in Development of Wisdom in

StudentsStudents

Separate Instruction

Infused Instruction

Why Why ““Great Teachings,Great Teachings,”” Proverbs, Aphorisms and Proverbs, Aphorisms and

““Common SenseCommon Sense”” do not, in do not, in themselves, provide wisdomthemselves, provide wisdom

1. They sometimes contradict each other (e.g., “Out of sight, out of mind” and “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”)

2. They sometimes are plain wrong (e.g., “Spare the rod, spoil the child”)

3. The lessons they teach are often a matter of interpretation (e.g., “All’s well that ends well”)

Introduction to the Teaching Introduction to the Teaching for Wisdom Programfor Wisdom Program

What is wisdom? Why is wisdom important? Why conventional abilities and

achievements are not enough for a satisfying life

How wisdom is related to solving difficult and uncertain life problems

How wise decisions benefit people in ways foolish decisions rarely do

Why the path will be rockyWhy the path will be rocky

Entrenched educational structuresMay not raise test scoresDifficult to developPower structure chosen for IQ, not

wisdom

Is Our Educational System Wise?Is Our Educational System Wise?

The creation of

– Closed Systems

– Largely Arbitrary Social Stratifications

– Self-Fulfilling Prophecies