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How to stop judging others: The art of seeing a world without filters
The neurology of judgment: Why the brain likes labels
A study by the California Institute of Technology (2023) found that the brain makes a first impression in 39 milliseconds — faster than we realize it. Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett explains, “Judgment is an evolutionary mechanism for saving energy that has become a mental prison.”
3 mechanisms of work of the “mental judge”
- The projection effect: Attribution to others of their hidden qualities (Journal of Personality, 2022)
- Cognitive savings: Simplifying complex images to stereotypes
- Emotional transference: Unconscious compensation for internal discomfort
The price of conviction: How criticism destroys ourselves
“By condemning others, we sign the verdict on our own freedom.” - Carl Jung.
A meta-analysis of 127 studies (American Psychological Association, 2024)
- Chronic Critics 68% More Likely to Have Insomnia
- Cortisol levels in condemning people are 42% higher
- Judgment reduces social ties by 57%
Case: Experiment "7 Days Without Evaluations"
Participants who refused value judgments for a week:
- Improved emotional intelligence by 31% (MSCEIT test)
- Reduced HADS anxiety by 24 points
- Increased the number of positive social contacts by 2.3 times
Antidote: Resetting perception
Step 1: Practice a Mental Detective
The method of neuropsychologist Rick Hanson:
- When making a judgment, ask 3 questions:
- "What in me responds to this?"
- “What facts do I not know? ?
- “What good does this assessment do me?”
- Replace labels with observations (“He’s rude” → “He raised his voice”)
Step 2: Neurofeedback Acceptance Training
Technology used at Stanford University:
- EEG headset teaches you to recognize patterns of judgment
- Activation of the islet lobe of the brain through meditation
- Creating new neural pathways in 21 days
Glossary
The projection effect
Attributing to others their own unrecognized qualities
Cognitive savings
Simplifying thinking through stereotypes to reduce mental stress
Insular share
Brain area responsible for empathy and awareness
