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The researchers found that uncertainty about a decision gets people to weigh evidence in strange...

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The researchers found that uncertainty about a decision gets people to weigh evidence in strange ways. "By thinking more about the high-potential target, participants focused even more on that person’s strengths and weaknesses," says a Business Wire story about the report. "So when the evidence is compelling, statements about high potential can outperform claims about high achievement. When the evidence is not compelling, this effect goes away. The upshot, in the case of compelling reasons to support claims of high potential, is that people can reach an illogical conclusion; after all, there’s no good reason to favor someone with uncertain abilities over someone with proven abilities."

Research Suggests Decision makers value Potential more than Achievement