psych

Understanding Biases

• Biases impact our reasoning and problem-solving abilities.

• They are often subconscious and can affect everyday decisions.

• Recognizing biases is essential to combat their influence.

  • Ask: Am I approaching this problem with a bias? Can I consider it differently?

Types of Cognitive Biases

Anchoring Bias

• Defined as the tendency to focus on a single piece of information when making decisions.

• Example: Pricing on Amazon where a higher price is crossed out, influencing perception of a sale.

• This technique is widely used in marketing and sales strategies.

• Recognizing anchoring bias helps in making more objective assessments of prices.

Confirmation Bias

• Tendency to seek information that confirms preexisting beliefs.

• Example: Google search results tailored to confirm what you already believe due to your search history.

• Even if presented with unbiased information, individuals often gravitate towards data that supports their views.

• Working against confirmation bias requires conscious effort to consider opposing viewpoints.

Hindsight Bias

• The belief that one could have predicted events after they occur.

• Leads to the perception that outcomes were more predictable than they actually were.

• Example: Claiming to predict a stock market downturn after it has happened.

• Cognitive tendencies make people see patterns in randomness, leading to false predictions.

Representative Bias

• Unintentional stereotyping based on prior experiences or cultural ideas.

• Example: Assuming someone with tattoos has certain behavioral traits.

• This bias involves making quick judgments based on typical characteristics of groups.

Availability Heuristic

• Tendency to make decisions based on readily available information from memory.

• Influences perceived risk and decision-making.

• Example: Fear of flying based on news of airplane accidents rather than statistical data on safety.

• Unique risks become more salient in our minds, influencing choices and fears.

Emotional vs. Logical Decision Making

• People often fear unlikely events more than statistically probable risks due to how information is presented.

• Immediate, vivid memories overshadow rational risk assessment (e.g., fear of sharks vs. risk of car accidents).

• This general pattern affects how decisions are made regarding health, safety, and lifestyle choices.

Real-Life Examples of Bias

• Availability Bias: Fear of planes due to memories of crashes despite their low statistical risk.

• Anchoring Bias: Perception of a new phone's price influenced by seeing the most expensive model first.

Riddle Example of Representative Bias

• A classic riddle: "A doctor says, 'I can't operate on this boy because he is my son.' How is this possible?"

• Answer: The doctor is the boy's mother. This plays on stereotypes surrounding gender roles in professions.

Insights from Animal Cognition Studies

• Animal cognition studies explore similarities and differences in mental processes between species.

• Example species: Capuchin monkeys and African grey parrots, known for complex problem-solving and communication skills.

• Alex the African Grey Parrot: Demonstrated the ability to categorize, count, and understand concepts, showing cognitive abilities akin to certain levels in humans.

• Tool use observed in capuchin monkeys illustrates complex learning and problem-solving behaviors.

  • Requires understanding of materials and techniques to crack nuts, showcasing advanced cognition.

Conclusion

• Understanding cognitive biases and animal cognition deepens our knowledge of human psychology.

• Recognizing biases enables better decision-making and critical thinking.