Chapter 3 - The Influence of Paradoxical Thinking and How to Evaluate It

Summary

This chapter reviews ideas and studies that confirm the positive consequences of paradoxical thinking. It also presents methods for measuring an individual’s propensity to accept paradoxes and embrace contradictions. There seem to be a need for the establishment of a “science of contradictions” to explore the intricate psychological and social processes through which contradictions arise. Research demonstrates that a paradox mindset is associated with optimism and persistence, particularly in the face of failures. Individuals with a paradox mindset respond to a contradictory situation by cultivating optimism about their ability to navigate challenging situations. Investigating the root causes of Toyota’s success, a paper concludes that Toyota prospers by creating contradictions and paradoxes in various aspects of organizational life. Some methods for evaluating paradoxical thinking are presented, concluding with the author’s Influence of Contradictions Questionnaire (ICQ), validated and including twelve statements. This book focuses on paradoxes and the variety of their occurrences and reflections on their definitions, especially regarding paradoxes being carriers of a higher-level meaning. It does not contradict Aristotle’s law of non-contradictions (LNC).