Biases

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Introduction

There are many biases one can fall into. A Bias or Cognitive Bias is any error in processing or thinking about information due to a misconception. Some argue it is human nature to fall into biases. Knowing about them can help prevent us from falling into these biases, but do not think that simply because you know about biases you are immune to them. That is in fact it's own bias.

Availibility Heuristic

Relying on information that comes most readily to the brain. This information may not be accurate due to many reasons. The information that comes most readily may not be a common experience, or may come from an inaccurate and unreliable source, or maybe even fabricated from your own mind.

Confirmation Bias

Only considering information that matches with what you already know or what you think you already know. This includes only asking questions that would confirm your suspicions and can affect you both conciously and unconsiously. Consiously, it affects what information you are liely to look up and unconsiously it affects what information jumps out and that you pay more attention to.

Present/Present Bias

Only noticing when an action is associated with an outcome and not when one or the other exists alone. This is often associated with things like people's periods matching up.

Bias Blind Spot

The most Meta Bias. This is bias that one ignores because someone things being aware of biases makes them unable to fall into these biases. The truth is, everyone can and will fall into these biases whether or not you know about them. Being aware of biases is useful and important for not falling into them, however that does not make anyone immune.