Page 60 - The Power to Change Anything

Change the Way You Change Minds 49

WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS?

Let’s see what Bandura’s work teaches us about human behav-
ior. His theory of learning provides the underpinnings for vir-
tually all the influence geniuses we’ve studied. Equally
important, it helps us discover what we’re trying to extract from
this chapter—how to get people to change their minds.
People choose their behaviors based on what they think will
happen to them as a result. First and foremost, humans are
thinking creatures who can and do learn in a variety of ways.
The thoughts that most profoundly affect behavior are com-
posed of mini maps of cause and effect. For instance: “If I touch
the snake, then it will wrap around my arm, drop me to the
floor, crush me, and eat me like a large human Twinkie.
Therefore, I’ll stay away from the snake.” At work an employee
might believe that if she comes in late, nobody will care, lead-
ing to an erratic start time. Your daughter may believe that if
she experiments with a party drug, it will be fun and that she’ll
only do it this once. So she gives it a try.
If you want to change behavior, any behavior, you have to
change maps of cause and effect.
Many thoughts are incomplete or inaccurate, leading peo-
ple to the disastrous, unhealthy, and inconvenient behaviors
that are causing some of the problems they currently experi-
ence. It’s important to note that people’s interpretations of
events trump the facts of any situation. And once again, not all
interpretations are anchored in reality. Humans routinely cre-
ate myths, fairy tales, silly misunderstandings, and phobias.
The factors influencing whether people choose to enact a vital
behavior are based on two essential expectations. When trying
to influence people into changing their behavior—by encour-
aging them to think differently—you don’t have to unseat all
their thoughts. For instance, believing that Sydney is the cap-
ital of Australia, while inaccurate, probably isn’t going to be
anyone’s undoing.