JWD, what an awesome thread! Thanks for starting it.
This trait among humans does indeed rear its ugly head with great frequency.
I know I've been guilty of it. As an educator I am consciously working on not only minimizing it in my own way of thinking and dealing with others, but also among my students.
You might think that this is odd for a teacher. Aren't we supposed to teach kids to get "the right" answer? Sometimes, yes. But the real goal of an education is to teach students to think. Indeed, I would rather have them learn to think deeply and critically. This often means I need should be spending more time teaching them how to ask the right questions rather than how to simply regurgitate a memorized answer.
I just finished reading an awesome thread on this subject by psychotherapist and counselor, Mel Schwartz L.C.S.W. He wrote, "Can you imagine the generative and exciting learning environment that would result from a class that rewarded asking the best questions? If you think about it, the most intriguing questions are those that don't offer simple answers. Even more, they drive our thinking into greater complexity and curiosity. This would be a most wonderful learning experience."
I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment and try to incorporate this approach in my classroom.
Schwartz made quite of few other points on the subject that may resonate with you. You can read the full article here:
Why Is It So Important to Be Right? - Accepting being incorrect without any loss or embarrassment.
Enjoy!
Oubliette