Why do we categorize everything?

Why? To me the world isn't so black and white but I can't help observe others and their constant effort to make things seem like they actually are.

I guess the liberal vs. conservative discussions on here really got me thinking about it but my curiosity on this subject is nothing new. I imagined that it's based on some hard wiring created after thousand of years of evolutionary development but I wasn't sure so I did what any curios person does this day and age and googled it.

Here is one example explaining this phenomenon.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221140627.htm

Pretty cool huh? I bet some will just dismiss this kind of science since it will likely f with their established ways of thinking and comfort zone but that's exactly what I love about psychology. It's pretty rad to understand why we behave certain ways and I think we can become better people by doing so. On the other hand it doesn't help my already overly cynical personality!

Thanks Coach and others....for the inspiration!

I would agree. I also think that analysis is hard, dealing with a changing set of "facts" is uncomfortable and when your fact base changes you have to reanalyze lots of core beliefs. All this requires effort and people like the path of least resistance.

This reads similar to the phenomena associated with people who prefer an Authoritarian style of leadership (Trump supporters)... I'm willing to bet that most Trump supporters have an insatiable categorization instinct.

http://resource.mccneb.edu/hmr/files/hmrl/metronhmrltext/p100-193.pdf

Here is an indepth look at communications style ( there are ONLY four styles ) and Communication style bias is a real phenomena ,especially in relationships and the work place , the key is employing versatility , but this explains many of your concerns . It is a key element for many in organizational life , we used to so a lot of executive development/leadership training in this area

The power is in undestanding the four styles and how to FLEX style when dealing with others especially in teamwork but also in interpersonal and  other relationship building .. It. IS fascinating stuff ZONA as you point out and does provise INSIGHT. To why people communicate the way they do in the PRINCIPLE atyle both effectively and in effectively ( when stressed ) but this teach one how to flex and more effectively interavt and or work with different styles and different situations

Its long but decent  

Forgot to mention this is based on the work of Carl  Jung , the world famous psychiatrist and therapist .

This research and information is widely used both in complexs organizations and higher education as a means to advance both knowledge and individual / organizational effectiveness.

It's human nature to categorize. When we invent language, we categorize.

In philosophy they use the example of "yellow."  Color exists on a continuum and there is no way to precisely determine when a yellow has enough red in it to be considered orange.  Further because yellow is perceived by the eye and/or brain everyone can "see" the same crayon differently.  

By creating the category "yellow" you are building in inaccuracy, but the theory is you are creating something valuable too.  Just because everyone has a different idea of yellow doesn't mean the concept of yellow doesn't add to our ability to communicate.

Categories are tool. Like all tools they can be use for good or evil.

Like many tools, categories are only problematic when employed by haters.

Yeah. People like to label themselves and sort themselves into groups. And RA, "non-partisan" is a label, too. You can tell because it's hard for you to keep up the "both sides do it" facade sometimes. Everyone is a member of a group, whether they like it or not.

Labeling and grouping isn't always bad. We're all "skiers", who advocate for things that would benefit other skiers like ourselves (sometimes to the dismay of non-skiers).

mattchuck2 wrote

We're all "skiers", who advocate for things that would benefit other skiers like ourselves (sometimes to the dismay of non-skiers).

.....and MikeK!

mattchuck2 wrote

Yeah. People like to label themselves and sort themselves into groups. And RA, "non-partisan" is a label, too. You can tell because it's hard for you to keep up the "both sides do it" facade sometimes. Everyone is a member of a group, whether they like it or not.

Labeling and grouping isn't always bad. We're all "skiers", who advocate for things that would benefit other skiers like ourselves (sometimes to the dismay of non-skiers).

HAHA! Good point! Ya, I'm an imperfect human to the T! I can still try though right? But yet and no matter what, I'm a skier like you say more than anything else and more than happy to own that labeling.

I wanted to be an advocate for MikeK, I know where he was coming from and I liked a lot of what he had to say but unfortunately after a while he was way to extreme with his delivery for me to back him up. That kind of sucks really.

Hopefully for him this will one day pass.