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Cognitive Dissonance and Chess Improvement

why is this article so long? TL;DR

why is this article so long? TL;DR

@dhja614 in order to make it painful for you and you could learn something.

@dhja614 in order to make it painful for you and you could learn something.

Is this an article about cognitive dissonance or actual training on cognitive dissonance? There's a difference...

Is this an article about cognitive dissonance or actual training on cognitive dissonance? There's a difference...

@dhja614 it is more a background, history on Cognitive Dissonance, as an explanation of why chess improvement requires deliberate practice which is difficult. The topic needs more research, I am putting various ideas from various fields together in a new way. Hoping tot provoke more research and discussion.
This is also part of an ongoing series of models of expertise.
Feel free to share your related experience.

@dhja614 it is more a background, history on Cognitive Dissonance, as an explanation of why chess improvement requires deliberate practice which is difficult. The topic needs more research, I am putting various ideas from various fields together in a new way. Hoping tot provoke more research and discussion. This is also part of an ongoing series of models of expertise. Feel free to share your related experience.

So does any of this suggest what you should do to improve your chess?

So does any of this suggest what you should do to improve your chess?

@defense57 - I have not seen a study on the issue, or anyone connecting deliberate practice to cognitive dissonance. But the suggestion is deliberate practice. Hope this blog will spurn more research and discussion.
I just ordered the Chess Dojo's book on How to Analyze Your Games, so probably the best start is to analyze and annotate our own games, delving into our own thinking process. My best personal results have come from annotating my own games, and coaching experiences show the same. Chess Dojo said their best results among students were those who annotated their games.
But even realizing our weaknesses, does not instantly improve it, and probably still takes significant deliberate practice. But self-awareness of our weaknesses can prevent us from further doubling down on them.
Happy to here your or anyone else's thoughts, and will continue with my review of Models of Expertise and the implications.

@defense57 - I have not seen a study on the issue, or anyone connecting deliberate practice to cognitive dissonance. But the suggestion is deliberate practice. Hope this blog will spurn more research and discussion. I just ordered the Chess Dojo's book on How to Analyze Your Games, so probably the best start is to analyze and annotate our own games, delving into our own thinking process. My best personal results have come from annotating my own games, and coaching experiences show the same. Chess Dojo said their best results among students were those who annotated their games. But even realizing our weaknesses, does not instantly improve it, and probably still takes significant deliberate practice. But self-awareness of our weaknesses can prevent us from further doubling down on them. Happy to here your or anyone else's thoughts, and will continue with my review of Models of Expertise and the implications.

How about social psychological techniques (full disclosure I am a social psychologist) such as commitment and mindfulness. For example, writing down your goals and publicly committing to your plan and setting a start date and preparing for it (e.g., scheduling, getting the right practice materials) etc. ... ). Many top players engage in self hypnosis, meditation (e.g., Gukesh), Qi Gong or Tai Chi.

How about social psychological techniques (full disclosure I am a social psychologist) such as commitment and mindfulness. For example, writing down your goals and publicly committing to your plan and setting a start date and preparing for it (e.g., scheduling, getting the right practice materials) etc. ... ). Many top players engage in self hypnosis, meditation (e.g., Gukesh), Qi Gong or Tai Chi.

@defense57 - thanks for the thoughts. I practice mediation, and my interests are more in consciousness, theory of mind, and a universal model of expertise. Identity theory also interests me, especially Narrative Identity Theory.
Character refinement might be similar to chess improvement, or any process of difficult change, that first requires self awareness of our current state, with recognizing a future different state, that our current state is preventing us from reaching. Hence the centrality of cognitive dissonance and deliberate practice.
First we need to observe our current state, and compare our current state to a possible future superior state, measured on a more objective standard. So definitely a parallel, and countless methods across various religious traditions and practical methods.

I have taught meditation, and generally advise the first steps of mediation is to quiet the mind, and from their to observe the mind. From learning to observe the mind, once has started the process to perfecting the operations of the mind, that starts with awareness.
So the parallels to chess improvement should be obvious, and can be abstracted to any other process of self-improvement. First stage is self-awareness (analyzing games), and then comparing current state to a future improved state, and that requires deliberate practice to obtain the future better state, and constant awareness of the dissonance process making change difficult.

@defense57 - thanks for the thoughts. I practice mediation, and my interests are more in consciousness, theory of mind, and a universal model of expertise. Identity theory also interests me, especially Narrative Identity Theory. Character refinement might be similar to chess improvement, or any process of difficult change, that first requires self awareness of our current state, with recognizing a future different state, that our current state is preventing us from reaching. Hence the centrality of cognitive dissonance and deliberate practice. First we need to observe our current state, and compare our current state to a possible future superior state, measured on a more objective standard. So definitely a parallel, and countless methods across various religious traditions and practical methods. I have taught meditation, and generally advise the first steps of mediation is to quiet the mind, and from their to observe the mind. From learning to observe the mind, once has started the process to perfecting the operations of the mind, that starts with awareness. So the parallels to chess improvement should be obvious, and can be abstracted to any other process of self-improvement. First stage is self-awareness (analyzing games), and then comparing current state to a future improved state, and that requires deliberate practice to obtain the future better state, and constant awareness of the dissonance process making change difficult.

Any thoughts about a comparison between chess study and foreign language acquisition?

Any thoughts about a comparison between chess study and foreign language acquisition?