Nine Cognitive Biases

 

A useful table of mental fallacies, at "Thinking Biases & How to Overcome Them":

  • Confirmation Bias: This bias means that you pay more attention to people and ideas that you agree with. You can overcome it by talking to a diverse range of people before you make a decision.
  • Halo Effect: This bias means that your overall impression of someone is influenced by one part of their character. You can overcome it by remembering that first impressions may not be the most accurate.
  • Hawthorne Effect: This bias means that if someone knows that they are being observed or monitored, it can alter their behavior. You can overcome it by taking a long term approach and making observations of others as discreetly as possible.
  • Negativity Bias: This bias means you pay more attention to and remember things that are negative. You can overcome it by taking time to actively reflect on the good things that have happened.
  • Bandwagon Effect: This bias means that you tend to believe things more when other people do. You can overcome it by listening to your gut. What would your opinion be if you didn't know anyone else's?
  • Dunning-Kruger Effect: This bias means that unskilled people overestimate their ability and experts doubt themselves. You can overcome it by being more self aware.
  • Ikea Effect: This bias means that you place a disproportionately high value on the things that you personally create or assemble. You can overcome it by knowing that just because it is your idea does not mean that it is a good one. Know when to cut your losses.
  • Outcome Bias: This bias means that you judge your decisions based on your outcome, instead of the quality of the decision when it was made. You can overcome it by taking time to reflect on what information you had at the time and if you would do anything differently.
  • Planning Fallacy: This bias means that you underestimate how long it will take for you to complete a task. You can overcome it by giving yourself more time than you think. Start earlier.

(cf Big Biases (2014-01-09), How Doctors Think (2014-10-28), Negative Thinking Patterns (2015-08-28), Cognitive Distortions (2015-09-28), Characteristics of Superforecasters (2015-11-21), Mirror Fallacy (2016-03-10), ...) - ^z - 2020-06-17