Your brain takes mental shortcuts called cognitive biases that help you make quick decisions but can also lead you astray. Understanding these biases is the first step to better thinking.
What Are Cognitive Biases?
Cognitive biases are systematic errors in thinking that affect decisions and judgments. They evolved to help our ancestors make quick survival decisions but can mislead us in modern contexts.
15 Common Cognitive Biases
1. Confirmation Bias
We seek information that confirms our existing beliefs and ignore contradicting evidence.
2. Anchoring Bias
We rely too heavily on the first piece of information we encounter (the "anchor").
3. Availability Heuristic
We overestimate the likelihood of events we can easily remember (like plane crashes vs. car accidents).
4. Dunning-Kruger Effect
Beginners overestimate their abilities while experts underestimate theirs.
5. Sunk Cost Fallacy
We continue investing in something because of past investment, even when it's no longer rational.
6. Hindsight Bias
"I knew it all along" - we believe past events were predictable after they happen.
7. Halo Effect
We let one positive trait influence our overall impression of a person or thing.
8. Negativity Bias
Negative experiences have greater psychological impact than positive ones of equal intensity.
9. Bandwagon Effect
We adopt beliefs and behaviors because many others do.
10. Self-Serving Bias
We attribute successes to ourselves and failures to external factors.
11. Optimism Bias
We believe we're less likely to experience negative events than others.
12. Status Quo Bias
We prefer things to stay the same and resist change, even beneficial change.
13. Framing Effect
Our decisions are influenced by how information is presented, not just the information itself.
14. Peak-End Rule
We judge experiences by their peak intensity and how they end, not the average.
15. Fundamental Attribution Error
We attribute others' actions to character but our own actions to circumstances.
How to Combat Cognitive Biases
- Actively seek disconfirming evidence
- Consider alternative explanations
- Use checklists for important decisions
- Get outside perspectives
- Slow down decision-making when possible
Conclusion
Cognitive biases are human, not character flaws. Awareness is the first step toward clearer thinking and better decisions.
