When Politicians Flip-Flop

Guest: Tamar Kreps, PhD, Assistant Professor of Management, University of Utah No politician wants the label of “flip-flopper.” Republicans in Congress are hoping to avoid it as they struggle to repeal and replace Obamacare after years of promising to do it as soon as they were back in control.  In everyday life, changing one's mind might be seen as a sign of open-mindedness or maturity. But politicians are judged harshly for it - especially under certain circumstances. University of Utah management professor Tamar Kreps and her colleagues found that leaders who justify their original position on moral grounds, and then have a change of heart, have the most trouble bouncing back from the flip-flop.