Carol Tavris

Mistakes Were Made
(But Not by Me):
Self-Justification in Public and Private Life

Sunday, Feb. 17
11 a.m. in Hollywood only

          Why is it hard for so many people to admit their mistakes, to change their minds, give up a wrong belief, or change a familiar way of doing things for a better one? What blocks us from even being aware that we are wrong and might need to change? In her talk, Carol Tavris will describe the biases that lead people to justify outdated beliefs and make bad decisions. She'll also look at the harm we inflict on others in the process. The mechanism of self-justification has benefits - it lets us sleep at night - but it can also have disastrous professional, social, and personal costs.

          Tavris earned her Ph.D. in social psychology at the University of Michigan, and as a writer and lecturer, she educates the public about the importance of critical and scientific thinking in psychology. Her latest book, with Eliot Aronson, is Mistakes Were Made (But Not by ME): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts. Tavris has written hundreds of articles, essays, and book reviews on topics in psychological science for a wide array of national magazines and newspapers. She is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Copies of her books will be available for sale and signing.

$6, or free for Friends of the Center.

The Center for Inquiry-L.A.
4773 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90027
2 blocks west of Vermont at Berendo
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