--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The insult effect: Studies have shown…" description: "\"“The insult effect: Studies have shown that if you and another person are debating the merits of a particular idea and the other person suddenly insult..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e8/kathryn-schulz-7782_debating_the-insult-effect-studies-have-shown-tha_2059943.jpg" --- # The insult effect: Studies have shown that if you and… ![“The insult effect: Studies have shown that if you and another person are debating the merits of a particular idea and the other person suddenly insults you, you will instantly retreat further into your own position, and your conviction that the other person is wrong will intensify. (...) of…” quote by Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e8/kathryn-schulz-7782_debating_the-insult-effect-studies-have-shown-tha_2059943.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e8/kathryn-schulz-7782_debating_the-insult-effect-studies-have-shown-tha_2059943.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e8/kathryn-schulz-7782_debating_the-insult-effect-studies-have-shown-tha_2059943.jpg) > ““The insult effect: Studies have shown that if you and another person are debating the merits of a particular idea and the other person suddenly insults you, you will instantly retreat further into your own position, and your conviction that the other person is wrong will intensify. (...) of course, your interlocutor's manners have nothing to do with how right or wrong he is. (...) This suggests an annoying but immovable fact of life; sometimes, disagreeable people are right. (p.151)”” [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When insulted in debate, people double‑down on their stance, making the opponent’s correctness irrelevant. **In simple terms:** Insults make people cling tighter to their views. Key Takeaway Recognize emotional bias in arguments. Themes psychology debate bias communication Mood frustrated reflective Type advice observational When to use this quote - political discussions - online forums - personal arguments Key Concepts cognitive dissonance confirmation bias social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How might you stay open when insulted? - What strategies reduce defensive reactions? A Different Perspective Insults can also shut down constructive dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Debating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debating/) [Disagreeable People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disagreeable-people-2538068/) [Insult Effect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insult-effect-3925155/) [Insults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insults/) [Right or wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-or-wrong/) [Suddenly Insults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suddenly-insults-3925156/) ## Related quotes > [“We tend to stereotype agreeable people as givers, and disagreeable people as takers. When a new contact appears affable, it’s natural to conclude that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-m-grant/we-tend-to-stereotype-agreeable-people-as-givers-and-disagreeable/) [Adam M. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-m-grant/) > [When I reflect upon the number of disagreeable people who I know have gone to a better world, I am moved to lead a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/when-i-reflect-upon-the-number-of-disagreeable-people-who-i-know-have/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When people start hurling insults at you, you know their minds are closed and there's no point in debating. You disengage yourself as quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-martin/when-people-start-hurling-insults-at-you-you-know-their-minds-are/) [Judith Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-martin/) > [When I'm debating others, whether it's Eleanor Clift or Bob Beckel, you're still in a fierce debate mode, but you're also on best behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/when-i-m-debating-others-whether-it-s-eleanor-clift-or-bob-beckel-you/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [Don't tell me you'll still be in power by then without free elections! 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Vilifying menstruating women bolstering anti-Muslim stereotypes murdering innocent citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/as-all-this-suggests-our-relationship-with-evidence-is-seldom-purely/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“We are more alarmed by leaders who waver than by those who screw up. (p.174)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/we-are-more-alarmed-by-leaders-who-waver-than-by-those-who-screw-up-p/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [“Plato (...) defined knowledge as "justified true belief". 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I played Sarah Palin. It's a little tough debating a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-granholm/i-actually-prepared-vice-president-biden-for-his-debate-in-the-last/) [Jennifer Granholm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-granholm/) > [“Pause your opinions, debating and absolute knowing for long enough to conceive gratitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/pause-your-opinions-debating-and-absolute-knowing-for-long-enough-to/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [The essence and foundation of House of Commons debating is formal conversation. 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Joseph Joubert I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-brierley/it-is-better-to-debate-a-question-without-settling-it-than-to-settle/) [Justin Brierley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-brierley/) > [It's important to learn how to have conversations with other people where it's not debating but discussing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/it-s-important-to-learn-how-to-have-conversations-with-other-people/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) > [Don't tell me you'll still be in power by then without free elections! Replyting to Nikita Khrushchev's invitation to attend his 90th birthday celebrations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-nixon/don-t-tell-me-you-ll-still-be-in-power-by-then-without-free-elections/) [Richard Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-nixon/) > [When I'm debating others, whether it's Eleanor Clift or Bob Beckel, you're still in a fierce debate mode, but you're also on best behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/when-i-m-debating-others-whether-it-s-eleanor-clift-or-bob-beckel-you/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [If it gets to a situation where it turns into a debate, look, the person that I'm debating is the person that is writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-earnest/if-it-gets-to-a-situation-where-it-turns-into-a-debate-look-the/) [Josh Earnest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-earnest/) > [We shouldn't be debating whether to deal with the current code by allowing it to be extended or not. 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