bumpyride Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Bomber's threads are healthy because they contain more than a few members who are not afraid of speaking up when they have differing views. I've seen quite a few threads that have become a little heated when discussing certain topics--bindings, board construction, technique, walk/ride mode, hardboot/softboot etc. It helps to offer those differing opinions which gives us pause to think that maybe were're not always right and or the prevailing opinion is not always right or at least there are other alternatives. I encourage anyone that is hesitant to voice their opinion, to do so. It creates healthy discourse, and enlightens us all. The reason for this thread is to congratulate you all, especially after reading this By Elizabeth Landau CNN (CNN) -- You're in a room with 10 other people who seem to agree on something, but you hold the opposite view. Do you say something? Or do you just go along with the others? Imaging techniques help scientists look at the basis for principles of social psychology in the brain. Decades of research show people tend to go along with the majority view, even if that view is objectively incorrect. Now, scientists are supporting those theories with brain images. A new study in the journal Neuron shows when people hold an opinion differing from others in a group, their brains produce an error signal. A zone of the brain popularly called the "oops area" becomes extra active, while the "reward area" slows down, making us think we are too different. "We show that a deviation from the group opinion is regarded by the brain as a punishment," said Vasily Klucharev, postdoctoral fellow at the F.C. Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands and lead author of the study. Watch to learn more about the study » Participants, all female, had to rate 222 faces based on physical beauty on a scale from 1 to 8. Afterwards, researchers told each participant either that the average score was higher or that it was lower than her rating. Some participants were told the average rating was equal to her rating. The researchers then chatted with the participant before suddenly asking the participant to do the rating again. Most subjects changed their opinion toward the average. The two leading theories of conformity are that people look to the group because they're unsure of what to do, and that people go along with the norm because they are afraid of being different, said Dr. Gregory Berns, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Berns' research, which he describes in the book "Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently," found that brain mechanisms associated with fear and anxiety do play a part in situations where a person feels his or her opinion goes against the grain. Don't Miss Why your brain can't always make good decisions Putting a price on procrastination You may be more racist than you think, study says Participants looked at projections of three-dimensional objects, and had to identify which shapes were similar. As with the new study in Neuron, participants tended to shift their opinion to the majority view, although in this case the problems had objectively correct answers. The effect was also more potent in this experiment because actors were in the room to simulate a group with a shared opinion, he said. But brain images revealed participants were not lying just to fit in. Changes in the activation of the visual part of the brain suggest the group opinion actually changed participants' perceptions of what they saw. One reason behind conformity is that, in terms of human evolution, going against the group is not beneficial to survival, Berns said. There is a tremendous survival advantage to being in a community, he said. "Our brains are exquisitely tuned to what other people think about us, aligning our judgments to fit in with the group," Berns said. The most famous experiments in the field were conducted by Solomon Asch in the 1950s. He found that many people gave incorrect answers about matching lines printed on cards, echoing the incorrect answers of the actors in the room. But unlike Berns' finding that fear and anxiety relate to this effect, Asch saw conformity studies reflections of people's reliance on one another for knowledge of the world, experts say. The darker side of conformity relates to Stanley Milgram's experiments of the 1960s and 1970s, in which most people obeyed orders to deliver electric shocks to an innocent person in the next room. As in these studies, subjects caved into social pressure, presumably going against their own previous moral convictions. Read more about the Milgram study Health Library MayoClinic.com: Positive thinking The research calls into question decision-making bodies that operate by consensus, Berns said. For example, in the U.S. legal system, many cases are decided by the unanimous judgment of the members of a jury. "You can't separate those judgments from the fact that you have 12 people who have to come to a unanimous decision, and have to conform their opinion to each other, so of course it will distort how they view evidence," he said. "Any type of group decision-making process that does not require unanimous decisions is likely to make a better one," Berns said. "That applies to committees in particular." What does it take to break the conformity effect? Asch talked about the power of the "minority of one." When a unanimous group pressures the individual, that group is weakened as soon as one person breaks off. "Anyone inclined to draw too pessimistic conclusions from this report would do well to remind himself that the capacities for independence are not to be underestimated," Asch wrote in a 1955 "Scientific American" article describing his research. "He may also draw some consolation from a further observation: Those who participated in this challenging experiment agreed nearly without exception that independence was preferable to conformity." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 "We are all individuals!" "I'm not". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex1230 Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 everyone is entitled to their opinion...until it conflicts with mine :eplus2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Houghton Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I like mine the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xy9ine Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 heated debate is good stuff - it's indicative of passion for the sport as well as challenging the status quo - which is healthy & (hopefully) stimulates progression. important for a micro niche such as this to sustain itself & maintain relevance. i like to think that the 'newschool' alpine gear (generally more versatile & forgiving) as spawned by a few pioneering spirits here will foster growth in the sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted January 17, 2009 Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 Time and time again in this age of new school this and new school that, groups of innovators have struggled to change their sports for the better. Often new ideas conflict with accepted thought and are even harder to get accepted in sports that have strong instruction programs. I have really been impressed by the acceptance this community has come to (eventually) of the various styles of riding that are out there. If it looks good, then it can't be very wrong and what's even more important is that the participants are having fun. I think this is in large part due to alpine not really being part of main stream instruction anymore. BobD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monodude Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Time and time again in this age of new school this and new school that, groups of innovators have struggled to change their sports for the better. Often new ideas conflict with accepted thought and are even harder to get accepted in sports that have strong instruction programs. I have really been impressed by the acceptance this community has come to (eventually) of the various styles of riding that are out there. If it looks good, then it can't be very wrong and what's even more important is that the participants are having fun. I think this is in large part due to alpine not really being part of main stream instruction anymore. BobD I'm a good example of that. I ride Monoski or Skwal, (Volkl Monocarver)... The Lovey crew has made me feel very accepted. For me , as well as everyone here, it's ALL about the CARVE, and the general STOKE of ridin'. They all think I'm some kinda' freak.... It's good to know that all my hard work has finally been recognized. This is a rockin community and I'm glad to be a part of it. Thanks Guys... Don Feed the addiction... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b0ardski Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Hey Don, (fellow freak) If you make it to No. Idaho please contact me, I;d love to ride with you & maybe try out 1 of your sticks. The Codas really peak my interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I like mine the best. as long as it's the same as mine:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I got to ride with and give tips to bjvircks,one the bomber faithful,a couple of weeks ago when he was out here for a solo vacation.Brad embodies much of what is great about this community;a fun person to talk and ride with,a great and open minded student,into the cool equipment,and possibly most important;likes beer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I'm a good example of that. I ride Monoski or Skwal, (Volkl Monocarver)... The Lovey crew has made me feel very accepted. For me , as well as everyone here, it's ALL about the CARVE, and the general STOKE of ridin'.They all think I'm some kinda' freak.... It's good to know that all my hard work has finally been recognized. This is a rockin community and I'm glad to be a part of it. Thanks Guys... Don Feed the addiction... Don, you ARE somekinda freak DUDE!! The good kind. Keep on Carvin !! and let the "Freak Flag" fly!!! I want to see some photos of those elbow dragging mono carves!! Just try to keep from blowing up the gear!! Bryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Bomber's threads are healthy because they contain more than a few members who are not afraid of speaking up when they have differing views. I've seen quite a few threads that have become a little heated when discussing certain topics--bindings, board construction, technique, walk/ride mode, hardboot/softboot etc. It helps to offer those differing opinions which gives us pause to think that maybe were're not always right and or the prevailing opinion is not always right or at least there are other alternatives.I encourage anyone that is hesitant to voice their opinion, to do so. It creates healthy discourse, and enlightens us all. The reason for this thread is to congratulate you all, especially after reading this Well said, I agree. It is ideal if you can remain polite and with a "kindness of spirit" while in dissagreement. It is not always easy however it is almost always more productive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 two of my favorite quotes: "the average person thinks they aren't." and "howcome so-called open-minded people never see it my way?" both unknown source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Eurocarve vs race carve. Discuss! (sorry I couldnt resist) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.oldsnowboards.com Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Eurocarve vs race carve. Discuss! (sorry I couldnt resist) and you seem like such a nice guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateW Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Show me a person riding in hard boots and I'll show you a person who doesn't give a flying fork about conformity, fitting in, following the crowd, or standing out. I never realized this until now, but pretty much everybody on this forum probably has more in common than just the style of boots we ride in. That probably has a lot to do with why I like this community a lot more than most online communities I've been involved with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkaholic Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Don, you ARE somekinda freak DUDE!! The good kind. Keep on Carvin !! and let the "Freak Flag" fly!!! I want to see some photos of those elbow dragging mono carves!! Just try to keep from blowing up the gear!! Bryan Monodude is definately a FREAK in such a good way. It is fun having him in the mix these days at Lovey. As for elbow dragging photos...we are still having trouble getting Don to let go of the crutches/poles. :) Don heal up the ankles so that you can ride longer. Ink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotbeans Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I've been fortunate enuf to ride with some of you guys over the weekend (WP, Abasin, Loveland) and it was pretty f'n cool to see how diverse the carving group is. It's a great vibe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inkaholic Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Fun riding with you this weekend Hotbeans. Let us know when you will be back. Ink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotbeans Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 sh*t, dude.. You rail. Thanks:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeK.inVt Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 "I'm never wrong. Once I thought I was wrong, but it turns out I was mistaken" :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.