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How People REALLY Change Their Minds? (Backed up by Science)

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Feb 8, 2026

David McRaney, science journalist who studies why we believe what we do. Pam Marmon, change-management consultant who helps organizations communicate transformation. Andy Luttrell, persuasion scientist who researches influence and moral reasoning. They discuss why people resist change, how emotion and confidence interact with persuadability, techniques like deep canvassing and reframing moral language, and practical approaches to reduce resistance and build rapport.

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ANECDOTE

Why Shared Actions Don't Guarantee Agreement

Dr. Andy Luttrell used vegetarian motivations to show identity differences reduce perceived agreement.
Moral vegetarians disliked health-motivated vegetarians despite surface agreement, illustrating hidden friction.

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INSIGHT

Laws Can Lead Hearts And Minds

Policy changes and legal mandates can shift public attitudes over time.
Laws like seatbelt requirements and marriage rulings reshaped norms by changing behavior first.

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ADVICE

Prepare Stakeholders Before Launch

Anticipate resistance by assessing behaviors and impacted stakeholder groups before launching change.
Provide extra communications, training, and support to highly impacted groups to reduce surprises.

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Why this Masterclass format matters

01:14 • 32sec

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Andy Luttrell: Introducing persuasion research

01:45 • 2min

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Defining strong attitudes and opinions

03:44 • 2min

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Emotionality versus true attitude strength

05:40 • 4min

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Confidence, ambivalence, and persuadability

09:21 • 3min

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Persuading moral convictions: speak their language

12:33 • 5min

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Moral dialects in politics and persuasion

17:56 • 2min

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When outcomes lead beliefs: policy first, minds follow

Pam Marmon: Origins of resistance

35:11 • 3min

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Active vs. passive resistance signs

38:38 • 2min

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Stakeholder impact and preparation

40:41 • 1min

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Reframing resistance as a gift

42:03 • 49sec

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Motivation theory applied to change

42:52 • 4min

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Mindset shift: change isn't impossible

Diagnosing intellectual, emotional, personal resistance

53:12 • 3min

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Engage without surrendering decision rights

55:54 • 2min

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Behavior change tactics and change saturation

57:45 • 3min

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Macro leadership: trust over rules

01:00:33 • 6min

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David McRaney: What is mind change?

01:06:13 • 5min

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Unawareness and the unreliable narrator

01:11:06 • 10min

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Assimilation vs. accommodation in thinking

01:20:45 • 4min

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Rapport first to avoid reactance

01:25:09 • 5min

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Deep canvassing and cognitive empathy

01:30:05 • 20min

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Two-step practical technique: scale and why-not

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This book, based on David McRaney's popular blog, reveals how every decision, thought, and emotion comes with a story we tell ourselves, but often these stories are not true. It covers topics such as Learned Helplessness, Selling Out, and the Illusion of Transparency, presenting them in a humorous and engaging way. The book celebrates our irrational, human behavior and highlights the various ways we deceive ourselves about how we perceive, interpret, and construct our world.

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Beyond the wall of resistance

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What if changing someone’s mind isn’t about being right — but about understanding how people actually think?

In this Negotiation Masterclass edition of Negotiate Anything, Kwame Christian curates three powerful conversations that unpack one of the hardest challenges in communication: influencing deeply held beliefs. Drawing from psychology, change management, and behavioral science, this episode explores why people resist change, how strong opinions are formed, and — most importantly — what actually helps minds open instead of shut down .

You’ll hear from a persuasion scientist who breaks down why confidence and emotion don’t always mean an opinion is unchangeable, a change-management expert who reveals why resistance is often a signal — not a setback — and a renowned science journalist who explains the surprising techniques used to help people rethink even their most entrenched views. Across all three perspectives, one theme becomes clear: the best negotiators don’t argue harder — they listen better.

Whether you’re navigating tough conversations at work, addressing polarizing topics, or trying to lead meaningful change, this masterclass will give you practical frameworks to reduce resistance, build trust, and guide conversations toward real understanding.

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