Julie Longua Peterson joins discussion on ‘Maine Calling’ as a panelist

Why is it so difficult to admit when we are wrong?

Julie Longua Peterson, Ph.D., associate professor of Psychology, recently appeared as a panelist on Maine Public’s “Maine Calling” radio program to discuss that question.

“It’s fairly normal,” Peterson said. “In many ways it can be good for our mental health and good for our feelings of self- worth, until people start using it too frequently or in ways that hurt themselves or others.”

Psychologists believe Cognitive Dissonance is one of the reasons why human beings have such a hard time admitting when they are wrong.

Peterson says smoking is a classic example of that. We have knowledge and beliefs about the negative impact smoking has on our health, yet people continue to do it.

Most people like to believe they are good, decent and moral. When we act differently than that a conflict develops over that behavior and who we think we are.

“In order to reconcile that feeling or difference we have to admit we’re wrong and change our behavior or we have to spin the behavior in a way that aligns with a view of ourselves as moral, decent people,” Peterson said.

Peterson joined Maine Calling host Jennifer Rooks and panelist Jordan LaBouff, Ph.D., University of Maine, for the discussion