6 Common Human Biases — Are You Falling for These Mental Traps?
In the previous post, we discussed how emotions affect our thinking process and how to deal it by developing rationality.
In today’s post, we’ll examine some of the human biases that distort our decision-making.
See, we make decisions from a place far away from our awareness.
Our basic nature is to avoid pain and seek pleasure.
We always prefer a state of less tension and therefore hold on to ideas that soothe our egos and make us feel superior.
We think we seek the truth, but in reality, we are avoiding pain and only accepting pleasing ideas.
This pleasure principle in thinking is the root cause of all mental biases.
Let’s look at how to deal with this irrationality by identifying the biases.
1) Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias occurs when we manage to find evidence that confirms what we already believe.
We jump to conclusions first and then collect evidence to support our view.
One solution to tackle this bias is to actively seek evidence that disconfirms your most cherished beliefs.
Look at the hypothesis with full skepticism.
2) Conviction Bias
Conviction bias is the belief that ‘if we put so much energy into an idea, it must be true.’
We actively defend ideas that are half-truths with stories or other dramatic effects to fill the gaps.
The same goes for when we listen to someone presenting information with full conviction; we assume it to be true.
For example, a salesman may cover the half-truth with dramatic effects like entertaining stories and relatable metaphors to display full conviction, and we, who are hungry for entertainment, fall for it.
3) Appearance Bias
Appearance bias is when we assume people are the same as they appear.
We forget that people adjust themselves in social situations to be judged positively, and what they appear to be is different from what they are.
We fall for it when one positive or negative quality in others makes us automatically believe in the presence of other qualities.
For example, we might think an eloquent speaker must also be kind, generous, ethical, and intelligent. In reality, they may be dishonest and unethical.
4) The Group Bias
This occurs when we believe we are non-conformists, but in reality, we are conformists by nature.
We seek validation and crave to fit into a group.
We are social animals by nature and feel tremendous relief when we find others who think the same way as we do.
The feeling of isolation and differing opinions is always terrifying for us.
5) Blame Bias
We often say people learn from experience and mistakes, but in reality, we rarely look back and correct our errors.
We give little time to introspection.
Our natural response is to blame others, circumstances, and momentary lapses in judgment.
6) Superiority Bias
This is when we feel unique, rational, and ethical and believe that the rules don’t apply to us.
We think what we have achieved is due to natural talent and hard work, while others must have used tactics and shortcuts to achieve what they have.
We always have justifications for what we do, regardless of the results. We feel we are right and deserve better.
We need to understand that:
Rationality and ethical qualities must be achieved through awareness and effort. They do not come naturally. They come through a maturation process. — Robert Greene
