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What is a cognitive bias?
PsychologyLesson on requestFree to read
Quick answer
A cognitive bias is a systematic error in thinking that affects the decisions and judgments people make. Our brains use mental shortcuts to act quickly, and those shortcuts sometimes lead us reliably astray. Biases come from heuristics — fast mental shortcuts that are usually useful but can misfire.
Key things to understand
- Biases come from heuristics — fast mental shortcuts that are usually useful but can misfire.
- Confirmation bias: we favor information that confirms what we already believe.
- Anchoring: the first number or idea we hear unduly shapes later judgments.
- Awareness, slowing down, and seeking disconfirming evidence help reduce their impact.
People also ask
Why do we have cognitive biases?
They're side effects of mental shortcuts that let the brain decide quickly with limited information — efficient, but error-prone in certain situations.
What is confirmation bias?
The tendency to seek, notice, and remember information that supports what we already believe while ignoring evidence that contradicts it.
Can you eliminate cognitive bias?
Not entirely, but you can reduce its effect by slowing down, considering alternatives, and actively looking for evidence against your view.