Empowering Black America through Holistic Engagement
 
The Odyssey Project

Collective Dominative Cognitive Bias Syndrome Theory

Collective Dominative Cognitive Bias Syndrome Theory

Collective Dominative Cognitive Bias Syndrome Theory

Collective Dominative Cognitive Bias Syndrome Theory ~ Over the past 20 years, I have invested more than 48.000 hours into research that could explain the unique and highly ambiguous state of African Americans as a collective — with more than over 26,000 hours in the last decade alone. After reviewing multitudinous studies and an exorbitant amount of empirical data concerning the unit of analysis (The African American collective), I have developed the Collective Dominative Cognitive Bias theory, which was an extension of my initial theory of Collective Cognitive-Bias Reality Syndrome (Dissertation forthcoming). The Collective-Bias Reality Syndrome is an influential cognitive process in which the cognitive distortions of a group of people (In this case, African Americans) think, process stimuli, form habits and behave based predominately on those distortions — through a systematic process of deviated rationalization — creating a reality that is antithetical to that which they desire most — economic, social and political liberation. The Collective Dominative Cognitive Bias theory explains the manner in which Collective-Bias Reality Syndrome is so dominant that it becomes impossible for African Americans to maintain cognitive equilibrium through either cognitive process, assimilation or accommodation.

Normally, when an individual encounters a new intellectual or emotional stimulus, they identify and engage this stimulus through a process known as assimilation, which uses the existing schema or schemata to deal with the new object or situation in a manner in which they maintain cognitive or psychological equilibrium (McLeod, 2009). However, when an individual’s schema is unsuccessful in helping them to effectively process new objects and situations, the person enters a state of disequilibrium, which can be immensely unpleasant. When disequilibrium is reached, a process known as accommodation begins. Accommodation takes place when the existing schemas fail to work, and the cognitive structure must be changed to accommodate the new information. Unfortunately, my initial studies reveal that the majority of African Americans struggle in both areas of cognitive and social development. To explain these specific struggles, I developed the Cognitive Assimilation Deficiency Theory and the Cognitive Accommodation Deficiency theory. To continue reading, click the online reader above, or click here!