Critical Thinking and Decision Making Vocabulary

This set explores terminology related to cognitive biases, decision-making strategies, and official approval processes as outlined in the lecture notes.

Rule of thumb

A practical rule or general principle based on experience rather than theory.

Gut feeling

An internal feeling or intuition used to make a decision.

Double down

To significantly increase one's commitment to a course of action, often doubling stakes or stubbornly continuing.

Sunk cost fallacy

A cognitive bias where one continues an endeavor based on previously invested resources rather than current logic.

Fall back on

To rely on or resort to an alternative or secondary option when others fail.

Confir mation bias

The tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs.

Overco nfidenc e

The state of having excessive self-assurance or being more confident in one's abilities than is objective.

Anchoring

A cognitive effect where an individual relies too heavily on an initial piece of information to make subsequent judgments.

Hindsig ht bias

The tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that one would have predicted it correctly.

Sanity check

A quick, preliminary evaluation to ensure a result or idea is logical and reasonable.

Sign off

To give official approval or formal endorsement to a plan or document.

Buy into

To fully accept, believe in, or support an idea or concept.

Step back

To move away from a situation to evaluate it from an objective perspective.

Iron out

To resolve minor problems, difficulties, or irregularities in a plan.

Hedge bets

To reduce risks or protect oneself against potential loss by following multiple courses of action.

Blind spot

A weakness in judgment or an area where one lacks knowledge or impartiality.

Think outside the box

To approach problems in a creative and unconventional manner.

Rubber-stamp

To approve something formally or automatically without conducting a proper investigation.

Play devil's advocate

To argue against a proposal or idea to test its validity, even if you do not necessarily disagree with it.

Whittle down

To gradually reduce the size, amount, or number of something to a minimum.