Humans are creatures of habit. Familiarity creates security, similarity gives us a sense of well-being. Moving out of your comfort zone? Not necessarily. But breaking out of our own bubble is good for us: "It's the only way to get accurate information about ourselves. People outside my own circle tell me different things than my friends. This input allows us to expand our self-image," explains social psychologist Katja Corcoran.
She confirms that this approach is also important in the professional world. The more diverse teams are, the more perspectives flow into decisions. This makes them more comprehensible for a wider group of people. However, Corcoran confirms that it can be challenging to get there because familiar things are easier to assess. "We usually only overcome this form of inertia when we see a purpose behind the effort. For example, pursuing a common goal," explains the scientist.
Living diversity
Diversity should therefore not just be a buzzword that is attached to flags. It should be an attitude that is incorporated everywhere - in work, leisure and everyday life. "We must consciously promote this attitude because it is contrary to our preferred reaction pattern. If we also have a world view that is based on a constant competitive situation, then I find it even more difficult to accept and positively value difference," summarises the researcher.
Out of the box
People who don't (or don't want to) fit into preconceived categories also enrich our perspective. This is because they open up scope for all of us, the researcher explains: "When we discard traditional categorisations of 'male' and 'female', it gives us freedom. Boundaries become more permeable and are no longer so strongly tied to seemingly immovable biological 'facts'."
Behind the superficial rejection of "different" people may lie the fear of behaving incorrectly towards them, Corcoran considers: "Clear rules make it easier to deal with each other. If nothing has to be 'right' but everything can be 'wrong', some people perceive this as stress and react with defence." It's better to enter into dialogue in a non-judgemental way than with embarrassed silence or open aggression. And not to reduce the other person to what makes him or her different, but to look for common ground.