## Metadata - Author: [[katherine-w.-phillips|Katherine W]] - Full Title:: How Diversity Makes Us Smarter - Category:: #🗞️Articles - URL:: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/ - Finished date:: [[2023-03-01]] ## Highlights > Research has shown that social diversity in a group can cause discomfort, rougher interactions, a lack of trust, greater perceived interpersonal conflict, lower communication, less cohesion, more concern about disrespect, and other problems. So what is the upside? ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gte2bqsf9gdxfceb7kxtpms0)) > Diversity enhances creativity ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gte2caxg5nah99mfa8mkymrj)) > Cristian Dezsö of the University of Maryland and David Gaddis Ross of the University of Florida studied the effect of gender diversity on the top firms in Standard & Poor’s Composite 1500 list, a group designed to reflect the overall U.S. equity ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gte2d89ppyn11ef5d64yjdk8)) > female representation in top management leads to an increase of $42 million in firm value ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gte2dcnppafvb1qk9vvz8rzh)) > when we hear dissent from someone who is different from us, it provokes more thought than when it comes from someone who looks like us. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gte2fjqc9cpmnzczqn8vhcdd)) > Simply adding social diversity to a group makes people *believe* that differences of perspective might exist among them, and that belief makes people change their behavior. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gte2geh9617ce3t6v2raa679)) > they change their expectations. They anticipate differences of opinion and perspective ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gte2gp0aa88530kt2mh591bt)) > This logic helps to explain both the upside and the downside of social diversity: people work harder in diverse environments both cognitively and socially. They might not like it, but the hard work can lead to better outcomes. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gte2gvsha79wz2yv9tbngpxg))