Epistemology, Cognitive Bias, and Social Dynamics Practice Flashcards

This set covers key terminology from the lecture notes on epistemic structures, cognitive biases (such as motivated reasoning and dissonance), social dynamics (like echo chambers and the pyramid of choice), and statistical reasoning (including averages and correlations).

Epistemic Bubble

Defined as an informational network where relevant voices have been excluded by omission.

Echo Chamber

A social structure from which other relevant voices have been actively discredited.

System 1

Fast, automatic, and intuitive thinking that relies on patterns and heuristics.

System 2

Slow, deliberate, and analytical thinking that requires attention and mental energy.

Cognitive Dissonance

Psychological discomfort following the presence of conflicting cognitions.

Bias Blind Spot

The tendency to observe bias in other people's thinking while remaining oblivious to it in one's own; fundamentally believing others are more biased than oneself.

Introspection Illusion

The false belief that one can achieve self-knowledge and detect bias simply by looking inward, as bias often operates beneath conscious awareness.

Motivated Reasoning

A psychological phenomenon where an individual has a preference to reach a specific conclusion, which then guides their reasoning process in that direction.

Rationalization Paradox

The phenomenon where high intelligence may facilitate motivated reasoning because highly intelligent individuals are adept at providing sophisticated rationales for biased conclusions.

Soldier Mindset

A cognitive state characterized as defensive combat, often associated with motivated reasoning.

Scout Mindset

A cognitive state characterized as map-making, where the primary goal is to see things as they are rather than defending a position.

Epistemic Blame

Negative judgment directed at a person based on how they think and reason, rather than just their actions.

Escalating Cycles

A process of recrimination and distrust where participants in a debate perceive cultural predispositions in opponents, adopt a dismissive posture, and provoke resentment.

The Pyramid of Choice

A model illustrating how individuals starting at the same point of uncertainty descend into different certainties through self-justification after taking an initial action.

Positive Correlation

A relationship where two variables change in the same direction, such as height and weight.

Negative Correlation

A relationship where variables change in opposite directions, such as meditation frequency increasing as depression decreases.

Third Factor (Confounding Variable)

An external variable that causes both observed variables to change, potentially creating the appearance of a relationship between them.

Law of Small Numbers

The statistical fact that smaller sample sizes are more likely to yield extreme results (outliers) purely due to chance.

Mean

The sum of all values divided by the number of values; it is highly sensitive to outliers.

Median

The middle value in a set of numbers ordered from lowest to highest, representing the point where half the population is above and half is below.

Mode

The most frequently occurring value in a given data set.

Regression to the Mean

The statistical phenomenon where extreme outcomes are likely to be followed by outcomes that are closer to the average in any series of events where chance plays a role.

Regression Fallacy

The error of explaining an observed statistical regression to the mean with a causal theory.

Barnum Effect

The psychological phenomenon where individuals believe that high-level, generic personality descriptions are uniquely tailored to them.

Not-Me Stance

An internal monologue where individuals acknowledge motivated reasoning in others but believe themselves to be exempt due to their analytical nature or open-mindedness.

Selective Perception

A process involving cognitive filtering, one-sided versus two-sided events, and the influence of unrepresentative samples.