The Institution Effect: Thinking Differently

The institution effect (or einstellung effect) is a cognitive trap that most people often fall into. It occurs, for example, when you try to solve a problem and after a thorough and careful analysis find that there is no solution. You think that way because your reasoning is not flexible. So you can’t look at things from other perspectives.

To understand it better, it is usually enough to remember a fairly general fact. Imagine an ‘expert’ trying to solve a problem. They analyze a question and view it from a thousand different prisms. Then an outsider walks in, observes the circumstances, and suddenly comes up with a mind-boggling solution, one the “expert” hasn’t even considered.

What exactly happened there? This kind of situation sometimes manifests itself as hyperspecialization of knowledge. In other words, people master a range of approaches, topics, and knowledge schemes without leaving room for other possibilities, or even questioning or exploring new perspectives through lateral thinking.

There is one more fact you should know. The attitude effect does not define a specific personality type but it is a mental strategy that refers to when your brain comes up with the same answers and solutions. So it is very difficult for you to innovate and be original. So it’s definitely a big problem.

The Institutional Effect or Cognitive Shortcut That Blocks Your Mind

Why waste time trying other approaches when you already have your own strategies for solving problems? This rule summarizes the mental shortcuts that people encounter many of their problems with.

In a sense, they do this because people have a lot of preconceived ideas. In fact, you ‘work’ with them on a daily basis. Especially with the ones that save you time and give you a sense of effectiveness.

Your prior knowledge often hinders your ability to adopt more creative and original approaches. It’s the classic idea of “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”  What this mainly shows is that humans are creatures of habit.

People will always value their repertoire of experiences more than the ability to improvise and try new things. That’s why most of us are much more comfortable with “it’s always done this way” than with “let’s see what happens.”

According to the institution effect, experts are less creative

The so-called einstellung effect was first described by Dr. Abraham Luchins in 1942 (English link). He revealed something that caught everyone’s attention: “experts” are sometimes the least creative and innovative people. But how is that possible?

When someone has a lot of experience with something, they are the least likely to question themselves. They settle into a kind of very tight cognitive scheme to rely on their experiences. That is why the presence of a ‘non-expert’ in that field of knowledge can yield fresh and original ideas. They add new values ​​to old perspectives.

Start with yourself and develop a more flexible thinking

Who hasn’t heard of lateral thinking, a flexible mind and the value of creativity and the need for innovation? Everyone knows they need to use and express these dimensions. This is because applying it to your work, lifestyle and thinking would significantly promote the well-being and advancement of your community.

However, you have to admit that change is not always appreciated. The status quo and the “let’s do it the way we always do it because it works” is prevalent in most work environments. This explains why the institution effect forces you to approach problems with the usual solutions, oxidizing any progress.

So what can you do? You could actually change a lot of things. Start with yourself and also encourage others to come up with a more innovative, flexible and open reality. These are just a few key concepts to think about.

How to reduce the setting effect?

• When you’re trying to solve a problem, don’t use the first ideas that come to mind. Instead, broaden your focus.
• Cultivate and expand your knowledge. You may be an expert in some areas, but relying on the knowledge of others will help you explore a broader horizon and see things from different perspectives. It will also help you put things into perspective.
• Control the reactions of your mind and refuse to conform. It’s very common to say things like “I know it well” or “why would I try it any other way if I know this works?” These kinds of thoughts lead to the institution effect. So stay away from it.
• Dare to unlearn some of the things you think you know and learn from other perspectives and approaches.

• Listen to the people around you, pay attention to different perspectives and encourage yourself to improvise and train the creative muscles of your mind.

Finally, it takes time to adopt a more open, flexible and original lateral approach. You need to re-educate your brain. So you need to stop holding onto your prejudices. Train yourself to approach new things and learn through continuous growth.