Binary thinking

Binary thinking

This type of irrational thinking, also known as dualistic or black-and-white thinking, involves categorizing people or events into two opposing and mutually exclusive groups, such as good or bad, right or wrong, and us or them. In this article, we will look into the dangers that are inherent in binary thinking, and look at ways these can be avoided.

Binary thinkers tend to see the world in terms of extremes, ignoring the possibility of compromise or middle ground. This can result in dogmatic and uncompromising attitudes that negatively impact their relationships, reasoning, and decision-making. This mindset can lead to conflict and bias and hinder one’s ability to be creative and open-minded. The hyper-partisanship we see today, which is causing gridlock and dysfunction in Congress, is a manifestation of binary thinking.

In terms of the logical flaw with this approach, when applied to human thinking, this can be seen where, for example, a person might try to prove an assumed opposite of their held position to be incorrect, and this, somehow, proves to them that their original position is correct. That individual chose to use flawed logic, in order to avoid actually testing their own position.

Similarly, another individual may choose to believe that anyone that does not agree specifically with their statement, must be entirely opposed to it, and cannot accept any variations, or Gray areas that the other person may actually be thinking. Thus, “If you are not for me, then you are against me”, thus creating enemies from potentially neutral participants.

Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as ‘splitting’, a method of coping with anxiety by reducing reality to extremes. This is why binary thinkers use absolute terms like “always”, “never”, and “completely”.

Often associated with borderline personality disorder, splitting can make it challenging to connect with others who hold different views or come from diverse backgrounds, and it can also lead to emotional instability, aggression, and psychological distress. Additionally, it can undermine societal values such as love, peace, justice, and unity. One can easily envision the challenges of teamwork when working with binary thinkers.

J Sacks, in “Not in God’s Name”, warns of the dangers of pathological dualism, a harmful way of thinking that divides people into two extreme categories: the perfectly good and the absolutely evil. This black-and-white view can lead to dehumanization and demonization of others, making it easier to justify violence against them. It can also create a sense of victimhood, absolving individuals of moral responsibility and allowing them to rationalize harmful actions in the name of a greater cause.

Often, such black-and-white thinking can be the result of cognitive biases that cause the individual to re-interpret the words of another in order to quickly establish and maintain a judgement that stops them exploring the views of the other person altogether. This can also be known as seeking confirmation, through bias. Sometimes this can become an intense obsession that tries to remove that individual’s self-doubt, by trying to find groups of like-minded people, even if those need to be bullied into open acceptance of a position they do not really accept. This can be seen as an attempt to prevent existential crisis and has also been implicated in Terror Management Theory.

Avoiding binary thinking

Avoiding binary thinking takes deliberate effort, but it’s entirely achievable. Here’s a practical and structured approach:

• Recognize Binary Thinking
  • The first step is awareness. Notice when you categorize things into extremes.
  • Example: “If I don’t succeed, I am a failure.”
• Challenge Your Thoughts
  • Pause and actively question your assumptions.
  • Ask yourself:
  • “Am I oversimplifying?”
  • “Is there another way of viewing this?”
  • “Can something be partly true?”
• Adopt Nuanced Thinking
  • Replace “either/or” thinking with a more flexible “both/and” mindset.
  • Example: Instead of “I’m either smart or I’m stupid,” try “I sometimes make mistakes, but I can also learn from them.”
• Look for a Spectrum
  • Seek to see things on a spectrum rather than polar opposites.
  • Imagine a line between extremes, and locate situations along that continuum.
• Cultivate Curiosity
  • Practice openness and curiosity:
  • Explore alternative viewpoints.
  • Read diverse perspectives.
  • Engage in conversations that encourage complexity rather than simplicity.
• Mindfulness and reflection
  • Practice mindfulness to slow down reactions:
  • Notice when your thinking moves toward extremes.
  • Breathe deeply and ask, “What other possibilities exist here?”
• Accept Ambiguity
  • Recognize that uncertainty and ambiguity are natural and okay.
  • Embrace complexity as part of life rather than something uncomfortable.
• Practice Empathy
  • Imagine yourself in different perspectives:
  • How might another person see this situation differently?

Example of Overcoming Binary Thinking in Practice

Binary Thought:

“My friend didn’t text me back immediately. They don’t care about me.”

Non-binary Thought:

“My friend might be busy, distracted, or stressed. Their response time doesn’t define how they feel about me.”

Further insight

Binary thinking often emerges from a need for control or security. By consciously engaging with complexity, we become more resilient and capable of navigating life’s nuances.

Relationship Between Binary Thinking and cognitive Biases

Binary thinking (or black-and-white thinking) is not just a simplistic habit—it’s often reinforced by underlying cognitive biases, which are unconscious errors in reasoning that shape our perceptions and judgements. These biases create mental shortcuts, making it challenging to recognize and correct overly simplistic viewpoints.

Key cognitive Biases Linked to Binary Thinking

• Confirmation Bias:
  We selectively seek and interpret evidence that confirms our existing beliefs, reinforcing a simplistic binary worldview.
  Example: “I’m either successful or I’m a failure.” Once believing we’re failures, we only notice failures, ignoring successes.

• Anchoring Bias:
  We heavily rely on initial pieces of information or first impressions, simplifying our perception of complex realities into overly rigid categories.
  Example: Judging someone as either “trustworthy” or “untrustworthy” based purely on a first impression.

• Splitting (All-or-Nothing Thinking):
  A psychological mechanism where situations or people are viewed in extremes (all good or all bad), closely related to binary thinking and particularly common under stress or emotional intensity.
  Example: “My friend didn’t respond; they must hate me.”

• Availability Heuristic:
  Judging the probability of an event based on how easily examples come to mind, leading us to categorize outcomes in a simplified, binary manner.
  Example: “I failed last time, so I’m always going to fail.”

• Negativity Bias:
  Focusing disproportionately on negative events or outcomes, reinforcing a binary negative conclusion.
  Example: “If something went wrong once, it’s always going to go wrong.”

Why These Biases Make Correction Harder

• Automaticity: cognitive biases operate subconsciously, making them hard to recognize.

• Reinforcement loops: They create self-sustaining feedback loops where our thinking repeatedly confirms itself.

• Emotional reinforcement: Binary categories often simplify complex feelings into easily manageable categories of “safe” or “threatening,” making us reluctant to explore nuances.

How to Overcome cognitive Biases and Reduce Binary Thinking

To counteract cognitive biases, apply structured methods:

• Increase awareness:
  Recognize when you default to extremes. Keep a journal to track and reflect on your automatic thoughts.

• Consider Alternative Viewpoints (perspective-taking):
  Actively challenge your assumptions by considering multiple explanations for events.

• Slow Down Decision-Making (Mindfulness):
  Slow, deliberate thought processes interrupt automatic, biased thinking.

• Seek Feedback:
  Regularly ask trusted others for alternative perspectives to mitigate confirmation bias.

• cognitive reframing:
  Deliberately reframe extreme statements to reflect complexity and nuance.

Example of Challenging cognitive Bias:

• Initial Binary Thought:
  “My boss didn’t compliment my work—she must hate it.”

• Recognize the Bias (Negativity Bias & Confirmation Bias):
  “I’m jumping to negative conclusions without evidence.”

• Apply cognitive reframing:
  “My boss didn’t mention my work; she might be preoccupied or satisfied enough not to comment.”

References