Brain Overclaim Syndrome. I wish I had thought up that name to describe the tendency to exalt neuroscience to unwarranted heights. I did not, but I will be using it from now on. When I hear someone making claims about human behavior based on neurosience that leap beyond what we know through research or that are flimsy extrapolations, I will now say, "Why, that is BOS!" Sometimes, if the guesswork is particularly egregious, I may utter a second statement which is very similar but leaves out the "O".
Does BOS occur in the field of conflict resolution. Yes, although I have seen it much more frequently in the business arena where people are drawing shaky conclusions and engaging in large stretches about the brain and what it does in the workplace. Even more frequently, you can find wild and wispy assertions about the brain's behavior in the sales process. On the whole, those working at the nexus of conflict resolution and neuroscience are using caution and care. Let's be grateful for the integrity.
Click for more about Brain Overclaim Syndrome, its cure, and links to interviews and articles about neurolaw.
Image credit: nevermindjez and stretchynick
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