THE BIG IDEA
The Ladder of Inference is a way of describing the way people perceive and process information from the world around them. It starts at the Pool of Data, which represents all existing facts about the situation or relationship. The key to the ladder is that all of us, based on our underlying beliefs and worldview, automatically select certain data out of the pool over other data because we cannot process all of the available information at once. From that subset we then make our assumptions/conclusions and act on those assumptions.
Between the steps of Select Data and Make Assumptions/Draw Conclusions there’s a Reflexive Loop, which means that the assumptions and conclusions we make actually affect which data we select at the next encounter with the situation or relationship. This means that over time, we become more biased. Therefore, we need to learn to correct back from our bias and allow more open, honest communication.
This image will help you remember the Ladder of Inference:
TIPS
These tips will help you step back from your assumptions to the Pool of Data:
- Look at a written conversation (emails, chat, etc.) so you can see exactly everything said. This gives you the full “Pool of Data”
- If you view someone in a negative light, list specifically everything positive you have observed about them
- Identify your assumptions about a person before a conversation with them to make sure you don’t only select data that justifies your assumptions
- Before taking action, list out your selected data, then search for more data from the pool to list
- Before coming to an assumption, don’t be afraid to go back and ask additional questions to gather a larger pool of data
