20 Cognitive Biases and Fallacies

confirmation bias

• the tendency to seek out information that contradicts your beliefs.

• the habit of favoring information that supports your existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.

• the practice of making decisions based on emotions rather than facts.

• the inclination to change your beliefs based on new evidence.

ad hominem

• an attack on a person's character or motives instead of addressing the argument itself.

• a logical fallacy that involves a false dilemma.

• a method of persuasion that relies on emotional appeal.

• a technique used to summarize an argument succinctly.

dunning-kruger effect

• A cognitive bias where people with low ability overestimate their skills, while those with high ability underestimate theirs.

• A phenomenon where individuals with high intelligence tend to be more self-critical.

• A psychological condition where people are unable to recognize their own limitations.

• A social behavior where individuals seek validation from others regardless of their actual abilities.

pessimism bias

• the tendency to expect positive outcomes and believe that good things are more likely to happen to you than to others.

• the inclination to expect negative outcomes and believe that bad things are more likely to happen to you than to others.

• the belief that outcomes are random and cannot be predicted.

• the tendency to focus on neutral outcomes and disregard both positive and negative possibilities.

group think

• A situation where a group makes faulty decisions because members prioritize harmony and conformity over critical thinking.

• A method of brainstorming that encourages all ideas without criticism.

• A decision-making process that involves voting to reach a consensus.

• A strategy for conflict resolution that focuses on compromise.

bystander effect

• A social phenomenon where individuals are more likely to help someone in need when other people are present.

• A social phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help someone in need when other people are present.

• A psychological condition that causes people to ignore emergencies in public places.

• A behavior where individuals actively seek out opportunities to assist others in distress.

apples to oranges fallacy

• comparing two things that are fundamentally different, which leads to misleading conclusions.

• a logical argument that is always valid regardless of the premises.

• a type of fallacy that involves circular reasoning.

• a comparison that highlights similarities between two unrelated items.

sunk cost fallacy

• the tendency to continue investing in something because of what has already been spent, rather than considering future benefits.

• the belief that past investments justify future decisions regardless of current circumstances.

• the practice of evaluating options based solely on their potential future returns.

• the inclination to abandon a project after significant resources have been spent.

black and white fallacy

• an error in thinking that presents only two options, ignoring any middle ground or alternatives.

• a logical reasoning that includes multiple perspectives and options.

• a fallacy that suggests a spectrum of choices is available.

• a type of argument that relies on emotional appeal rather than logic.

self-serving bias

• the tendency to attribute positive outcomes to one's own actions while blaming external factors for negative results.

• the inclination to view oneself in an overly favorable manner regardless of reality.

• the habit of making excuses for one's failures while taking credit for successes.

• the belief that one's own actions have no impact on the outcomes of events.