Understanding Cognitive Bias

Understanding Cognitive Bias: Impact and Examples

Have you ever wondered why you make decisions that, in hindsight, seem illogical? This often happens because of something called cognitive bias. 
You might have asked yourself this question. Why do I sometimes misinterpret information?
One of the top reasons for this is something known as cognitive bias. But what exactly is it?
Cognitive bias is an unconscious thinking error, which often leads to a distorted view of reality.

The Human Brain and Cognitive Bias

The human brain is an incredibly powerful organ. However, even our brains have limitations. Brain sometimes uses tricks to quickly process information. This trick is known as a heuristic.
According to an article by Johan. E. (Hans) Korteling, heuristics happen because of the brain’s processing constraints. In easy terms, heuristics are mental shortcuts made to simplify complex decisions.
While these shortcuts allow you to process information quickly, they can cause errors too. Some factors that impact decision-making are:

• Social influences
• Emotions
• Personal experiences

These factors play a crucial role in shaping biases.
Let’s walk through an example. The brain tries to process information as quickly as possible so you can make sense of the world around you. While it is beneficial in decision-making, it also causes generalisation. The generalisations might not always be accurate.

The Role of Memory in Cognitive Bias

Memory and past experiences also play a role in causing these thinking errors. The way your brain stores a memory can be biassed for several reasons. This may, in turn, impact your future decision-making and judgments.
While our brain is capable of processing large amounts of information, it picks and chooses what to focus on. This allows us to focus, but also encourages biassed thinking.
Getting older can have a huge impact on your cognitive flexibility. This means as humans age, they become more prone to biases. As your beliefs become firmer, it becomes more difficult for you to open up to new information.

What are Some Signs of Cognitive Bias

There are various types of cognitive biases, some of which are very hard to avoid because they are one of the core experiences of being human. According to Leif Azzopardi,

“People are susceptible to an array of cognitive biases, which can result in systematic errors and deviations from rational decision making.”

Leif Azzopardi

Although it is easy to spot if someone else is being biassed. It becomes hard when the biassed person is you. Some common signs are explored below.

Selective Exposure to Information

You might get in the habit of reinforcing your beliefs if you only indulge in information that aligns with your pre-existing notions. The phenomenon is known as confirmation bias. It means swaying towards information that reaffirms what you already believe to be true.

Trying to Externalise Blame

If things go wrong, who is the first person or thing you blame? If you often find yourself pointing fingers at someone other than yourself, you might be in trouble. Externalising blame is another type of bias, where you try to escape holding yourself accountable.

Attributing Your Success to Yourself and Others’ Success to Luck

We have all been around such people, who attribute their success to their efforts while others’ achievements to luck. While this might help protect your self-esteem in the short run, it destroys your perception of reality. It also discourages you to improve yourself, learn from your mistakes, and become a better version of yourself.

Assuming Shared Beliefs

Thinking that a vast majority thinks the same way about certain situations like you do is another kind of bias. This kind of bias can lead to misunderstandings and bad decision-making, which is why it must be avoided.

Overestimating Your Knowledge

Do you overestimate how much you know about a topic after learning a little bit about it? This is known as the Dunning-Kruger effect, where a little knowledge can create an illusion of greater competence.

The Impact of Cognitive Bias

Although you might think that you are rational and objective, cognitive biases can cloud judgment. When your judgment is compromised, you mighty make poor decisions.

Concluding Thoughts

Cognitive biases simplify information processing but also introduce errors in our judgments and decisions. Once you become self-aware, you start moving towards objective decisions.

Remember, everyone has biases, but understanding them is the key to minimising their impact on your life and those around you. Explore Concise Medico’s website to learn more.