Facilitating Multi-Perspective-Taking in Adults: A Field Study

Abstract

Interpersonal collaboration is critical to solving complex problems and constitutes one of the most challenging aspects of effective teamwork. A significant amount of tension that leads to unproductive divisions can be traced back to either-or thinking fallacy. This research explores what it takes to effectively facilitate multi-perspective-taking in adults in order to address this challenge. The results of the field study make a number of contributions: (i) they highlight the complexity and opportunity involved in facilitating multi-perspective-taking in adults; (ii) they offer structured guidelines for how to approach such a training; and (iii) they exhibit initial evidence that reinforces the possibility and value of expanding the multi-perspective-taking capacity of adults.