Attentional bias
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Attentional bias is the tendency for people's perception to be affected by their recurring thoughts at the time.
For example, smokers tend to possess a bias for cigarettes and other smoking-related cues around them, due to the positive thoughts they've already attributed between smoking and the cues they were exposed to while smoking.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: Wikipedia
(reading time – 40 sec.)
Attentional bias is the tendency for people's perception to be affected by their recurring thoughts at the time.
For example, smokers tend to possess a bias for cigarettes and other smoking-related cues around them, due to the positive thoughts they've already attributed between smoking and the cues they were exposed to while smoking.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: Wikipedia
Groupthink
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Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when decisions are made due to the unified nature of decision-makers. It happens when the decision-makers strive for unanimity, and this overrides their motivation to consider alternative views. As a result, independent thinking is lost.
As an example consider the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Many of the senior officers at Pearl Harbor did not take warnings from Washington DC about potential invasion seriously despite the fact that Japanese messages had been intercepted. Those who didn't take action believed that the Japanese wouldn't dare to attempt an assault against the U.S. because they would recognize the futility of war with the United States.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: Wikipedia
(reading time – 1 min.)
Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when decisions are made due to the unified nature of decision-makers. It happens when the decision-makers strive for unanimity, and this overrides their motivation to consider alternative views. As a result, independent thinking is lost.
As an example consider the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Many of the senior officers at Pearl Harbor did not take warnings from Washington DC about potential invasion seriously despite the fact that Japanese messages had been intercepted. Those who didn't take action believed that the Japanese wouldn't dare to attempt an assault against the U.S. because they would recognize the futility of war with the United States.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: Wikipedia
Band Wagon Effect
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Band Wagon Effect is a cognitive bias which explains the impulse to choose certain option or follow particular behaviour, because other people are doing it. This leads to a dangerous cycle, as more people continue to follow a trend makes it more likely that other people hop on the band wagon.
For example, people might buy a new electronic item because of its popularity, regardless of whether they need it, can afford it or even really want it.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: investopedia.com
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Band Wagon Effect is a cognitive bias which explains the impulse to choose certain option or follow particular behaviour, because other people are doing it. This leads to a dangerous cycle, as more people continue to follow a trend makes it more likely that other people hop on the band wagon.
For example, people might buy a new electronic item because of its popularity, regardless of whether they need it, can afford it or even really want it.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: investopedia.com
Scarcity bias
(reading time – 1 min.)
The more difficult it is to acquire an item the more value that item has. When there is only a limited number of items available. The rarer the opportunity, the more valuable it is.
People assume that things that are difficult to obtain are usually better than those that are easily available. They link availability to quality. On “Black Friday”, more than getting a bargain on a hot item, shoppers thrive on the competition itself, in obtaining the scarce product.
In a famous study, one group of participants were given a jar with ten cookies, a second group was given two cookies, and a third group was initially given ten cookies, which were then reduced to two cookies. when asked the participants to rate their cookies, the third group rated their cookies the highest.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: Wikipedia
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The more difficult it is to acquire an item the more value that item has. When there is only a limited number of items available. The rarer the opportunity, the more valuable it is.
People assume that things that are difficult to obtain are usually better than those that are easily available. They link availability to quality. On “Black Friday”, more than getting a bargain on a hot item, shoppers thrive on the competition itself, in obtaining the scarce product.
In a famous study, one group of participants were given a jar with ten cookies, a second group was given two cookies, and a third group was initially given ten cookies, which were then reduced to two cookies. when asked the participants to rate their cookies, the third group rated their cookies the highest.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: Wikipedia
Begging The Question
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You presented a circular argument in which the conclusion was included in the premise.
This logically incoherent argument often arises in situations where people have an assumption that is very ingrained, and therefore taken in their minds as a given. Circular reasoning is bad mostly because it's not very good.
Example: The word of Zorbo the Great is flawless and perfect. We know this because it says so in The Great and Infallible Book of Zorbo's Best and Most Truest Things that are Definitely True and Should Not Ever Be Questioned.
Topic: #LogicalFallacy
Source: yourlogicalfallacyis.com
(reading time – 1 min.)
You presented a circular argument in which the conclusion was included in the premise.
This logically incoherent argument often arises in situations where people have an assumption that is very ingrained, and therefore taken in their minds as a given. Circular reasoning is bad mostly because it's not very good.
Example: The word of Zorbo the Great is flawless and perfect. We know this because it says so in The Great and Infallible Book of Zorbo's Best and Most Truest Things that are Definitely True and Should Not Ever Be Questioned.
Topic: #LogicalFallacy
Source: yourlogicalfallacyis.com
Complexity bias
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Complexity bias is the belief that complex solutions are better than simple ones.
The term denotes an irrational preference for complexity over simple approaches that are faster, cheaper and safer.
The following are common examples:
Jargon
The assumption that someone knows what they are talking about because they use obscure terminology and big words.
Math
The assumption that complex math must be accurate and more valuable than a qualitative insight.
Software
A preference for highly complex software to satisfy requirements that are comparatively simple.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: simplicable.com
(reading time – 1 min.)
Complexity bias is the belief that complex solutions are better than simple ones.
The term denotes an irrational preference for complexity over simple approaches that are faster, cheaper and safer.
The following are common examples:
Jargon
The assumption that someone knows what they are talking about because they use obscure terminology and big words.
Math
The assumption that complex math must be accurate and more valuable than a qualitative insight.
Software
A preference for highly complex software to satisfy requirements that are comparatively simple.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: simplicable.com
Backfire Effect
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The effect is claimed to be that when, in the face of contradictory evidence, established beliefs do not change but actually get stronger.
This happens for example when corporations know that they are doing something that is harmful but nonetheless promote denialism.
The corporation can even publicly admit that their product is harmful while simultaneously covertly funding astroturf groups that promote the denialist message. Examples of this coverup behavior include the asbestos industry, the tobacco industry, the sugar industry, and the fossil fuel industry with regard to global warming.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: rationalwiki.org
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The effect is claimed to be that when, in the face of contradictory evidence, established beliefs do not change but actually get stronger.
This happens for example when corporations know that they are doing something that is harmful but nonetheless promote denialism.
The corporation can even publicly admit that their product is harmful while simultaneously covertly funding astroturf groups that promote the denialist message. Examples of this coverup behavior include the asbestos industry, the tobacco industry, the sugar industry, and the fossil fuel industry with regard to global warming.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: rationalwiki.org
The Fundamental Attribution Error
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The Fundamental Attribution Error is similar to the Self-Serving Bias, in that we look for contextual excuses for our failures, but generally blame other people or their characteristics for their failures. It also may stem from the Availability Heuristic in that we make judgments based only on the information we have available at hand.
One of the best textbook examples of this integrates stereotyping: Imagine you are driving behind another car. The other driver is swerving a bit and unpredictably starts speeding up and slowing down. You decide to overtake them (so as to no longer be stuck behind such a dangerous driver) and as you look over, you see a female behind the wheel. The Fundamental Attribution Error kicks in when you make the judgment that their driving is poor because they’re a woman (also tying on to an unfounded stereotype). But what you probably don’t know is that the other driver has three children yelling and goofing around in the backseat, while she’s trying to get one to soccer, one to dance and the other to a piano lesson. She’s had a particularly tough day and now she’s running late with all of the kids because she couldn’t leave work at the normal time. If we were that driver, we’d judge ourselves as driving poorly because of these reasons, not because of who we are.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: www.psychologytoday.com
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The Fundamental Attribution Error is similar to the Self-Serving Bias, in that we look for contextual excuses for our failures, but generally blame other people or their characteristics for their failures. It also may stem from the Availability Heuristic in that we make judgments based only on the information we have available at hand.
One of the best textbook examples of this integrates stereotyping: Imagine you are driving behind another car. The other driver is swerving a bit and unpredictably starts speeding up and slowing down. You decide to overtake them (so as to no longer be stuck behind such a dangerous driver) and as you look over, you see a female behind the wheel. The Fundamental Attribution Error kicks in when you make the judgment that their driving is poor because they’re a woman (also tying on to an unfounded stereotype). But what you probably don’t know is that the other driver has three children yelling and goofing around in the backseat, while she’s trying to get one to soccer, one to dance and the other to a piano lesson. She’s had a particularly tough day and now she’s running late with all of the kids because she couldn’t leave work at the normal time. If we were that driver, we’d judge ourselves as driving poorly because of these reasons, not because of who we are.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: www.psychologytoday.com
Order effects
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We tend to focus on first-order effects, not second- or third-order effects – If I wreck my car, I’m most likely to be upset about my wrecked car (first-order effect), not how I’m going to pick up my kids from school each day or how higher insurance premiums will affect my monthly budget (second-order effects), even though the second- and third-order effects will have a bigger impact on my life than the damaged car.
Much of the analysis on coronavirus stops at the first-order effects. “Stay healthy, wash your hands, you’re going to be fine.” But the second and third-order effects of this could potentially be quite large. Just one example: the US healthcare system is utterly broken. Roughly 60% of Americans can’t afford to pay for an unexpected emergency and 10% of Americans don’t have health insurance at all.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: markmanson.net
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We tend to focus on first-order effects, not second- or third-order effects – If I wreck my car, I’m most likely to be upset about my wrecked car (first-order effect), not how I’m going to pick up my kids from school each day or how higher insurance premiums will affect my monthly budget (second-order effects), even though the second- and third-order effects will have a bigger impact on my life than the damaged car.
Much of the analysis on coronavirus stops at the first-order effects. “Stay healthy, wash your hands, you’re going to be fine.” But the second and third-order effects of this could potentially be quite large. Just one example: the US healthcare system is utterly broken. Roughly 60% of Americans can’t afford to pay for an unexpected emergency and 10% of Americans don’t have health insurance at all.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: markmanson.net
The Normalcy Bias
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The belief that things will continue to function in the future as it has always function in the past.
It’s leading us to underestimate the probability of a disaster occurring and its potential effects. The normalcy bias causes people to refuse to plan or react to disasters that they have never faced before.
For example Donald Trump said:
“By April, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away”.
But it’s already June and you see its consequences
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: medium.com
(reading time – 30 sec.)
The belief that things will continue to function in the future as it has always function in the past.
It’s leading us to underestimate the probability of a disaster occurring and its potential effects. The normalcy bias causes people to refuse to plan or react to disasters that they have never faced before.
For example Donald Trump said:
“By April, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away”.
But it’s already June and you see its consequences
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: medium.com
The Google Effect
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Also known as “digital amnesia”, the aptly named Google Effect describes our tendency to forget information that can be easily accessed online.
First described in 2011 by Betsy Sparrow (Columbia University) and her colleagues, their paper described the results of several memory experiments involving technology.
In one experiment, participants typed trivia statements into a computer and were later asked to recall them. Half believed the statements were saved, and half believed the statements were erased. The results were significant: participants who assumed they could look up their statements did not make much effort to remember them.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: visualcapitalist.com
(reading time – 30 sec.)
Also known as “digital amnesia”, the aptly named Google Effect describes our tendency to forget information that can be easily accessed online.
First described in 2011 by Betsy Sparrow (Columbia University) and her colleagues, their paper described the results of several memory experiments involving technology.
In one experiment, participants typed trivia statements into a computer and were later asked to recall them. Half believed the statements were saved, and half believed the statements were erased. The results were significant: participants who assumed they could look up their statements did not make much effort to remember them.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: visualcapitalist.com
Commitment
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The tendency to be consistent with what we have already done or said we will do in the past, particularly if this is public.
For example, researchers asked people if they would volunteer to help with the American Cancel Society. Of those who received a cold call, 4% agreed. A second group was called a few days prior and asked if they would hypothetically volunteer. When the actual request came later, 31% of them agreed.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: humanhow.com
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The tendency to be consistent with what we have already done or said we will do in the past, particularly if this is public.
For example, researchers asked people if they would volunteer to help with the American Cancel Society. Of those who received a cold call, 4% agreed. A second group was called a few days prior and asked if they would hypothetically volunteer. When the actual request came later, 31% of them agreed.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: humanhow.com
Telescoping Effect
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The telescoping effect refers to inaccurate perceptions regarding time, where people see recent events as more remote than they are (backward telescoping), and remote events as more recent (forward telescoping). This mental error in memory can occur whenever we make temporal assumptions regarding past events.
It seems every year, on September 11, people remark how 9/11 seems like it wasn’t that long ago, and are surprised to hear the media highlight the number of years that have actually passed since the tragedy. Conversely, a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic and one might feel a lot more time has passed than it has. Instances of forward telescoping however, such as the case with 9/11, are more common than backward telescoping.1
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: thedecisionlab.com
(reading time – 50 sec.)
The telescoping effect refers to inaccurate perceptions regarding time, where people see recent events as more remote than they are (backward telescoping), and remote events as more recent (forward telescoping). This mental error in memory can occur whenever we make temporal assumptions regarding past events.
It seems every year, on September 11, people remark how 9/11 seems like it wasn’t that long ago, and are surprised to hear the media highlight the number of years that have actually passed since the tragedy. Conversely, a few months into the COVID-19 pandemic and one might feel a lot more time has passed than it has. Instances of forward telescoping however, such as the case with 9/11, are more common than backward telescoping.1
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: thedecisionlab.com
Congratulations!
(reading time – 30 sec.)
it’s been two years since Raid - mobile RPG burst onto the scene and completely took over mobile gaming.
Raid is the only game where you can test your critical thinking while building strategies of defeating your enemies. I have never been a huge gamer, but after the first try I really enjoyed it and will continue playing.
Raid has reached 70 million players, which is more than the number of the all citizens of UK, you see! The scale is really crazy. And why? Because Raid is an amazing game.
This month is Raid’s official 2nd Anniversary, and you are getting special reward by clicking the link and downloading the game
Download Raid for free to get your Epic Champion - Jotun, 100k Silver, 50 Germs, and the 3 Ancient Shards
Link To Download - https://clcr.me/Criticalthinking
(reading time – 30 sec.)
it’s been two years since Raid - mobile RPG burst onto the scene and completely took over mobile gaming.
Raid is the only game where you can test your critical thinking while building strategies of defeating your enemies. I have never been a huge gamer, but after the first try I really enjoyed it and will continue playing.
Raid has reached 70 million players, which is more than the number of the all citizens of UK, you see! The scale is really crazy. And why? Because Raid is an amazing game.
This month is Raid’s official 2nd Anniversary, and you are getting special reward by clicking the link and downloading the game
Download Raid for free to get your Epic Champion - Jotun, 100k Silver, 50 Germs, and the 3 Ancient Shards
Link To Download - https://clcr.me/Criticalthinking
Critical thinking pinned «Congratulations! (reading time – 30 sec.) it’s been two years since Raid - mobile RPG burst onto the scene and completely took over mobile gaming. Raid is the only game where you can test your critical thinking while building strategies of defeating your…»
Representativeness Heuristic
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The representativeness heuristic involves estimating the likelihood of an event by comparing it to an existing prototype that already exists in our minds. This prototype is what we think is the most relevant or typical example of a particular event or object. The problem with this is that people often overestimate the similarity between the two things they are comparing.
When making decisions or judgments, we often use mental shortcuts or "rules of thumb" known as heuristics. For every decision, we don't always have the time or resources to compare all the information before we make a choice, so we use heuristics to help us reach decisions quickly and efficiently
Representativeness can affect the judgments we make when meeting new people. It may lead us to form inaccurate impressions of others, such as misjudging a new acquaintance or blind date
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: verywellmind.com
(reading time – 30 sec.)
The representativeness heuristic involves estimating the likelihood of an event by comparing it to an existing prototype that already exists in our minds. This prototype is what we think is the most relevant or typical example of a particular event or object. The problem with this is that people often overestimate the similarity between the two things they are comparing.
When making decisions or judgments, we often use mental shortcuts or "rules of thumb" known as heuristics. For every decision, we don't always have the time or resources to compare all the information before we make a choice, so we use heuristics to help us reach decisions quickly and efficiently
Representativeness can affect the judgments we make when meeting new people. It may lead us to form inaccurate impressions of others, such as misjudging a new acquaintance or blind date
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: verywellmind.com
The Bizarreness Effect
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People show better memory for bizarre sentences relative to common sentences, a finding referred to as the bizarrness effect.
Interestingly, this effect is typically only obtained using a mixed-list design, in which participants study common and bizarre sentences in the same list.
Participants studied common sentences in one room under one set of instructions, and bizarre sentences in another room under another set of instructions. At test, participants recalled the common and bizarre sentences either together or separately.
The results showed that the bizarreness effect was only obtained when participants recalled the common and bizarre items together
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: link.springer.com
(reading time – 40 sec.)
People show better memory for bizarre sentences relative to common sentences, a finding referred to as the bizarrness effect.
Interestingly, this effect is typically only obtained using a mixed-list design, in which participants study common and bizarre sentences in the same list.
Participants studied common sentences in one room under one set of instructions, and bizarre sentences in another room under another set of instructions. At test, participants recalled the common and bizarre sentences either together or separately.
The results showed that the bizarreness effect was only obtained when participants recalled the common and bizarre items together
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: link.springer.com
Hi subscribers!
I often receive messages where you ask me to recommend books or other resources regarding psychology and critical thinking.
I decided to post recommendations on this channel which you will be able to find under #Books tag
The first author I would like you to recommend is Daniel Khaneman. He is an Israeli psychologist and economist notable for his work on the psychology of judgment and decision-making, as well as behavioral economics, for which he was awarded the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
He has written a book (which you probably already heard about) Thinking, Fast and Slow. This book is really mustread for everybody interested in cognitive biases.
You can get acknowledged with this and his other books here - amzn.to/36oww7v
Topic: #Books
I often receive messages where you ask me to recommend books or other resources regarding psychology and critical thinking.
I decided to post recommendations on this channel which you will be able to find under #Books tag
The first author I would like you to recommend is Daniel Khaneman. He is an Israeli psychologist and economist notable for his work on the psychology of judgment and decision-making, as well as behavioral economics, for which he was awarded the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
He has written a book (which you probably already heard about) Thinking, Fast and Slow. This book is really mustread for everybody interested in cognitive biases.
You can get acknowledged with this and his other books here - amzn.to/36oww7v
Topic: #Books
Overconfidence phenomenon
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The phenomenon occurs when people's confidence in their abilities is greater than their accuracy. In other words, people are more confident in their judgment than they are correct
For example, at work, people assume themselves to be better than most others. Due to this overconfidence, the need to learn and improve seems unnecessary. Over a while, employees stagnate at what they do. This leads to lower annual raises, lack of promotions or even layoffs. In such scenarios, people blame their organization or their bosses but never themselves.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: verywellmind.com
(reading time – 30 sec.)
The phenomenon occurs when people's confidence in their abilities is greater than their accuracy. In other words, people are more confident in their judgment than they are correct
For example, at work, people assume themselves to be better than most others. Due to this overconfidence, the need to learn and improve seems unnecessary. Over a while, employees stagnate at what they do. This leads to lower annual raises, lack of promotions or even layoffs. In such scenarios, people blame their organization or their bosses but never themselves.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: verywellmind.com
Identifiable Victim Effect
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The identifiable victim effect describes the likelihood that we feel greater empathy, and an urge to help, in situations where tragedies are about a specific, identifiable individual, compared to situations where the victims are a larger, vaguer group of people.
Joseph Stalin, the former Premier of the Soviet Union, is often attributed to have introduced the idea of the identifiable victim effect when he made the statement:
“A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic.”
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: thedecisionlab.com
(reading time – 30 sec.)
The identifiable victim effect describes the likelihood that we feel greater empathy, and an urge to help, in situations where tragedies are about a specific, identifiable individual, compared to situations where the victims are a larger, vaguer group of people.
Joseph Stalin, the former Premier of the Soviet Union, is often attributed to have introduced the idea of the identifiable victim effect when he made the statement:
“A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths is a statistic.”
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: thedecisionlab.com
Empathy Gap
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The empathy gap is a cognitive bias that causes people to struggle to understand mental states that are different from their present state, or to struggle to consider how such states affect people’s judgment and decision-making. Essentially, the empathy gap means that when people are in a certain mental state (e.g. happy or angry), they struggle to understand the perspective or predict the actions of someone who is in a different mental state, whether that person is their future self or someone else.
For example, if a person is currently feeling calm, the empathy gap can cause them to struggle to predict how they will act when they’re angry. Similarly, if a person who is on a diet is currently full, the empathy gap can cause them to struggle to assess how well they will be able to handle the temptation to eat when they’re hungry.
Furthermore, when it comes to misjudging other people’s perspective, the empathy gap can cause someone who feels safe to struggle to imagine the perspective of someone who feels scared. Similarly, the empathy gap can cause someone who is looking for a fight to struggle to imagine the perspective of someone who is looking for a peaceful solution.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: effectiviology.com
(reading time – 1 min.)
The empathy gap is a cognitive bias that causes people to struggle to understand mental states that are different from their present state, or to struggle to consider how such states affect people’s judgment and decision-making. Essentially, the empathy gap means that when people are in a certain mental state (e.g. happy or angry), they struggle to understand the perspective or predict the actions of someone who is in a different mental state, whether that person is their future self or someone else.
For example, if a person is currently feeling calm, the empathy gap can cause them to struggle to predict how they will act when they’re angry. Similarly, if a person who is on a diet is currently full, the empathy gap can cause them to struggle to assess how well they will be able to handle the temptation to eat when they’re hungry.
Furthermore, when it comes to misjudging other people’s perspective, the empathy gap can cause someone who feels safe to struggle to imagine the perspective of someone who feels scared. Similarly, the empathy gap can cause someone who is looking for a fight to struggle to imagine the perspective of someone who is looking for a peaceful solution.
Topic: #CognitiveBiases
Source: effectiviology.com