This is Optimal Living Daily Episode 2397.

Use schema learning to be more persuasive, part two by Tyler Tavorin of Riscology.co

and I'm Justin Mollick.

Welcome to OLD where I read articles to you with permission from the authors.

But today being a continuation from yesterday, so recommend listening to yesterday's episode first, that's episode 2396.

But if you're all caught up, let's get right to part two and continue optimizing your life.

Use schema learning to be more persuasive, part two by Tyler Tavorin of Riscology.co

How to best harness the power of schemas number two, activate prior knowledge.

Schema learning works best when you're not the one doing the work.

For success, make the learner build a connection.

To do that, ask lots of questions that activate their existing knowledge so they can build the mental bridge from one to the other.

This tactic is not just for teaching though, it's deadly effective for persuasion.

For years, there's been debate raging about global warming and its effect on the planet.

According to basically all established science, it's real, and it's bad.

Yet there's a vocal minority who refuse to accept it, and instead try to persuade others to accept their argument.

A good example of this is when US representative Steve Stockman uses the schema of ice melting in water

to explain why there's no reason to worry about the sea level rising.

The problem of course is the schema is wrong, it doesn't reflect reality.

But people who follow representative Stockman and aren't interested in physics probably won't catch that.

Now how do you show someone who uses that argument that their science is wrong?

Just explaining it probably won't do the trick.

A comedian John Stewart from the Daily Show found an effective way.

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