People like this can be infuriating to deal with because talking to them is like screaming at a wall. Fortunately, communication expert Jefferson Fisher<\/a> recently shared a two-step method on TikTok for dealing with these impossible people<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fisher, who has become massively popular online, offers tips \u201cto help people argue less and talk more<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n How to handle someone who is always right. 3 steps from<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n \u201cKnow that the harder we work to prove that they\u2019re wrong, the more convinced they are that they\u2019re right,\u201d he says. \u201cSo what you\u2019re gonna do is diffuse that by just saying something simple as well, \u2018maybe you\u2019re right,\u2019 or \u2018maybe so.\u2019 That diffuses the whole situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fisher says you can encourage the other person to explore your ideas by saying: \u201c\u2018It\u2019s helpful for me to know that you\u2019re at least considering my thoughts, even if you don\u2019t agree with me.\u2019 Now you\u2019ve made a safe space to have a discussion that\u2019s not threatening their identity. That\u2019s how you talk to somebody who thinks they\u2019re always right. So try that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his video<\/a>, Fisher notes that people who won\u2019t admit when they are wrong have developed an identity<\/u><\/a> based on always being correct. That\u2019s why, when they\u2019re confronted with the possibility that they may be incorrect, they will do anything to avoid admitting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research shows that when people feel their identity is being attacked, they perceive it as an affront to their authenticity and value as human beings. This can lead to a physical reaction known as the amygdala hijack<\/a>, where people feel as if they are being physically threatened. That\u2019s a big reason some people get enraged when discussing politics or religion. If their views on these issues are closely tied to their identity and those views are challenged, it can invalidate their entire sense of self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fisher explains that the harder we try to prove someone wrong, the more convinced they become they\u2019re right, due to a psychological phenomenon known as the \u201cbackfire effect<\/a>.\u201d When people are shown facts that clearly contradict their views<\/a>, they often cling to those beliefs even more strongly. That\u2019s because those beliefs are tied to emotion, not facts. When their views are challenged, it triggers defensiveness, and the brain works to protect their self-image rather than reconsider the belief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Fisher\u2019s two-step process for stubborn people<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1. Diffuse the situation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 2. Open the conversation up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhy identity matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The \u2018backfire effect\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n