Transcript
SPEAKER
Research from neuroscientists has found that as humans, we tend to evaluate others based on two basic parameters-- how warm we feel towards them and how competent we believe them to be. What is really interesting is that this assessment has been found to operate not just at a conscious or even unconscious level, but at a physical level in various structures of the brain. This highlights the fact that our reactions are deeply instinctive. We have them whether we consciously want to or not.
So how does this work? When we combine warmth and competence in a four box model, we can see four basic combinations of how we might perceive someone. Feelings of high warmth and low competence have been associated with feelings of pity. Feelings of high warmth and high competence have been associated with feelings of pride. Feelings of low warmth and high competence have been associated with feelings of envy. Feelings of low warmth and low competence have been associated with feelings of disgust.
Some examples might help illustrate this. Think of someone you know, who you regard warmly as a person but don't regard as being particularly competent. You might have friends or even family in this category, people who you are quite fond of and enjoy spending social time with but wouldn't necessarily regard as being particularly capable or skillful. This might lead to feelings of pity toward them.
Equally, you might know someone who is indisputably capable and skillful at their job. So that is competent. But you struggle to engage with them on a personal level, as they might be quite cold and distant. You might acknowledge them as a highly skilled technical expert, but not really feel any warmth toward them on a personal level. This might lead to feelings of grudging admiration or even envy.
On the other hand, think of someone who you have great feelings of warmth and fondness towards on a personal level and also recognise that they are highly competent in what they do. This might lead to feelings of admiration and pride.
Lastly, and in the worst case scenario, you might not have particular feelings of warmth toward an individual but equally not regard them as being particularly competent. This might lead to feelings of disgust or disdain.