Cognitive Biases & Decision-Making

Why don’t people act logically—even when they should?

Cognitive Bias

A mental shortcut that influences decisions and can lead to errors in judgment

Decision-Making

The process of choosing between options

Heuristic

A simple rule or shortcut used to make decisions quickly

Rational Thinking

Making decisions based purely on logic and facts

Irrational Behavior

Making decisions influenced by emotions or biases

Confirmation Bias

Favoring information that supports existing beliefs

Anchoring Bias

Relying too heavily on the first piece of information seen

Availability Heuristic

Judging likelihood based on what is easiest to recall

Loss Aversion

The tendency to fear losses more than value gains

Framing Effect

Decisions change based on how information is presented

Social Proof

Following the actions or beliefs of others

Bandwagon Effect

Adopting beliefs because many others do

Scarcity Effect

Valuing things more when they are limited or rare

Endowment Effect

Valuing something more just because you own it

Overconfidence Bias

Overestimating your abilities or knowledge

Hindsight Bias

Believing after the fact that you “knew it all along”

Halo Effect

Letting one positive trait influence overall perception

Horn Effect

Letting one negative trait influence overall perception

Status Quo Bias

Preferring things to remain the same

Sunk Cost Fallacy

Continuing something because you've already invested in it

Choice Overload

Difficulty making decisions when too many options are available

Priming

Exposure to one thing influences response to another

Default Effect

Going with a pre-selected option

Reciprocity

Feeling obligated to return a favor

Authority Bias

Trusting opinions from perceived experts or authority figures

Emotional Decision-Making

Making choices based on feelings rather than logic

Cognitive Dissonance

Discomfort caused by holding conflicting beliefs

Selective Perception

Interpreting information in a way that fits beliefs

Motivated Reasoning

Making decisions based on desired outcomes rather than facts