Glossary / Lexicon

Naive realism refers to the belief that what one experiences mentally is the same as what is present physically.

Naive realism is a concept in social psychology that refers to the belief that our perception of reality is objective and accurate, and that people who disagree with us must be ignorant, biased, or irrational. Naive realists assume that they see things as they truly are, and that others who see things differently are simply mistaken or misinformed.

Examples of naive realism in everyday life include:

1. Political beliefs: People with different political beliefs often hold onto them with conviction and see those who disagree as simply being misinformed or ignorant. For example, a conservative might believe that liberal policies are naive and unrealistic, while a liberal might believe that conservative policies are cruel and heartless.

2. Interpersonal conflicts: In interpersonal conflicts, each person often believes that they are in the right and the other person is in the wrong. They may view their own actions as justified and reasonable, while seeing the other person's actions as unfair or unreasonable.

3. Social groups: Members of social groups often believe that their group's beliefs and values are objectively true and that people who do not share those beliefs are misguided or ignorant.

Naive realism can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts between individuals and groups, as people may be unwilling to consider alternative perspectives or may dismiss others as biased or irrational. It can also make it difficult to reach compromise or resolution in conflicts, as each side may believe that they are objectively right and the other side is simply wrong.

In psychology, the concept of naive realism is often studied in the context of cognitive biases and heuristics, which can cause people to rely on their own perceptions and assumptions, rather than considering all available evidence.