Browse & Filter Biases
Showing 187 biases.
- Absent–mindednessWhat Should We Remember? > We store memories differently based on how they were experienced
- Actor–observer biasNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Ambiguity biasNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- AnchoringToo Much Information > We notice when something has changed
- Anecdotal fallacyNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- AnthropomorphismNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Appeal to noveltyNeed To Act Fast > To stay focused, we favor the immediate, relatable thing in front of us
- Appeal to probability fallacyNot Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- Argument from fallacyNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Attentional biasToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Automation biasNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Availability heuristicToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Baader–Meinhof PhenomenonToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Backfire effectNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Bandwagon effectNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Barnum effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Base rate fallacyToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Belief biasNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- Bias blind spotToo Much Information > We notice flaws in others more easily than we notice flaws in ourselves
- Bike–shedding effectNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- Bizarreness effectToo Much Information > Bizarre, funny, visually striking, or anthropomorphic things stick out more than non-bizarre/unfunny things
- Cheerleader effectNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- Choice–supportive biasToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Clustering illusionNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- ConfabulationNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Confirmation biasToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Congruence biasToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Conjunction fallacyNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- ConservatismToo Much Information > We notice when something has changed
- Context effectToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Continued influence effectToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Contrast effectToo Much Information > We notice when something has changed
- Cross–race effectNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- CryptomnesiaWhat Should We Remember? > We edit and reinforce some memories after the fact
- Cue–dependent forgettingToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Curse of knowledgeNot Enough Meaning > We think we know what other people are thinking
- DeclinismNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Decoy effectNeed To Act Fast > To avoid mistakes, we aim to preserve autonomy and group status, and avoid irreversible decisions
- Defensive attribution hypothesisNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Denomination effectNot Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- Disposition effectNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Distinction biasToo Much Information > We notice when something has changed
- Dunning–Kruger effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Duration neglectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Effort justificationNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Egocentric biasNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Empathy gapToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Endowment effectNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Escalation of commitmentNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- EssentialismNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Expectation biasToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Experimenter's biasToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Extrinsic incentive errorNot Enough Meaning > We think we know what other people are thinking
- Fading affect biasWhat Should We Remember? > We discard specifics to form generalities
- False consensus effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- False memoryWhat Should We Remember? > We edit and reinforce some memories after the fact
- Focusing effectToo Much Information > We notice when something has changed
- Forer effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Framing effectToo Much Information > We notice when something has changed
- Frequency illusionToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Functional fixednessNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Fundamental attribution errorNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Gambler's fallacyNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Generation effectNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Google effectWhat Should We Remember? > We store memories differently based on how they were experienced
- Group attribution errorNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Halo effectNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- Hard–easy effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Hindsight biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Hot–hand fallacyNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Humor effectToo Much Information > Bizarre, funny, visually striking, or anthropomorphic things stick out more than non-bizarre/unfunny things
- Hyperbolic discountingNeed To Act Fast > To stay focused, we favor the immediate, relatable thing in front of us
- Identifiable victim effectNeed To Act Fast > To stay focused, we favor the immediate, relatable thing in front of us
- IKEA effectNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Illusion of asymmetric insightNot Enough Meaning > We think we know what other people are thinking
- Illusion of controlNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Illusion of external agencyNot Enough Meaning > We think we know what other people are thinking
- Illusion of transparencyNot Enough Meaning > We think we know what other people are thinking
- Illusion of validityNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Illusory correlationNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Illusory superiorityNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Illusory truth effectToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Impact biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Implicit associationWhat Should We Remember? > We discard specifics to form generalities
- Implicit stereotypesWhat Should We Remember? > We discard specifics to form generalities
- In–group favoritismNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- Information biasNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- Insensitivity to sample sizeNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Irrational escalationNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Just–world hypothesisNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Lake Wobegone effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Law of TrivialityNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- Less–is–better effectNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- Leveling and sharpeningWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Levels–of–processing effectWhat Should We Remember? > We store memories differently based on how they were experienced
- List–length effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Loss aversionNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Masked–man fallacyNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Memory inhibitionWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Mental accountingNot Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- Mere–exposure effectToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Misattribution of memoryWhat Should We Remember? > We edit and reinforce some memories after the fact
- Misinformation effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Modality effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Money illusionToo Much Information > We notice when something has changed
- Mood–congruent memory biasToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Moral credential effectNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Moral luckNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Murphy's LawNot Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- Naïve cynicismToo Much Information > We notice flaws in others more easily than we notice flaws in ourselves
- Naïve realismToo Much Information > We notice flaws in others more easily than we notice flaws in ourselves
- Negativity biasToo Much Information > Bizarre, funny, visually striking, or anthropomorphic things stick out more than non-bizarre/unfunny things
- Neglect of probabilityNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Next–in–line effectWhat Should We Remember? > We store memories differently based on how they were experienced
- Normalcy biasNot Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- Not invented hereNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- Observer effectToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Observer–expectancy effectToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Occam's razorNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- Omission biasToo Much Information > We notice things already primed in memory or repeated often
- Optimism biasNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Ostrich effectToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Out–group homogeneity biasNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- Outcome biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Overconfidence effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- PareidoliaNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Part–set cueing effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Peak–end ruleWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Peltzman effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Pessimism biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Picture superiority effectToo Much Information > Bizarre, funny, visually striking, or anthropomorphic things stick out more than non-bizarre/unfunny things
- Placebo effectNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Planning fallacyNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Positivity effectNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- Post–purchase rationalizationToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- PrejudiceWhat Should We Remember? > We discard specifics to form generalities
- Primacy effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Pro–innovation biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Processing difficulty effectNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Projection biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Pseudocertainty effectNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- ReactanceNeed To Act Fast > To avoid mistakes, we aim to preserve autonomy and group status, and avoid irreversible decisions
- Reactive devaluationNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- Recency effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Recency illusionNot Enough Meaning > We tend to find stories and patterns even when looking at sparse data
- Restraint biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Reverse psychologyNeed To Act Fast > To avoid mistakes, we aim to preserve autonomy and group status, and avoid irreversible decisions
- Rhyme–as–reason effectNeed To Act Fast > We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
- Risk compensationNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Rosy retrospectionNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Selective perceptionToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Self–consistency biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Self–relevance effectToo Much Information > Bizarre, funny, visually striking, or anthropomorphic things stick out more than non-bizarre/unfunny things
- Self–serving biasNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Semmelweis reflexToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Serial recall effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Serial–position effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- Source confusionWhat Should We Remember? > We edit and reinforce some memories after the fact
- Spacing effectWhat Should We Remember? > We edit and reinforce some memories after the fact
- Spotlight effectNot Enough Meaning > We think we know what other people are thinking
- Status quo biasNeed To Act Fast > To avoid mistakes, we aim to preserve autonomy and group status, and avoid irreversible decisions
- Stereotypical biasWhat Should We Remember? > We discard specifics to form generalities
- StereotypingNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Subadditivity effectNot Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- Subjective validationToo Much Information > We are drawn to details that confirm our own existing beliefs
- Suffix effectWhat Should We Remember? > We reduce events and lists to their key elements
- SuggestibilityWhat Should We Remember? > We edit and reinforce some memories after the fact
- Sunk cost fallacyNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Survivorship biasNot Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- System justificationNeed To Act Fast > To avoid mistakes, we aim to preserve autonomy and group status, and avoid irreversible decisions
- Telescoping effectNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Testing effectWhat Should We Remember? > We store memories differently based on how they were experienced
- The magical number 7 ± 2Not Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- Third–person effectNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Time–saving biasNot Enough Meaning > We project our current mindset and assumptions onto the past and future
- Tip of the tongue phenomenonWhat Should We Remember? > We store memories differently based on how they were experienced
- Trait ascription biasNeed To Act Fast > To act, we must be confident we can make an impact and feel what we do is important
- Ultimate attribution errorNot Enough Meaning > We fill in characteristics from stereotypes, generalities, and prior histories
- Unit biasNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
- Von Restorff effectToo Much Information > Bizarre, funny, visually striking, or anthropomorphic things stick out more than non-bizarre/unfunny things
- Weber–Fechner lawToo Much Information > We notice when something has changed
- Well–traveled road effectNot Enough Meaning > We imagine things and people we're familiar with or fond of as better
- Zero sum biasNot Enough Meaning > We simplify probabilities and numbers to make them easier to think about
- Zero–risk biasNeed To Act Fast > To get things done, we tend to complete things we've invested time and energy in
Need To Act Fast
We favor simple–looking options and complete information over complex, ambiguous options
Ambiguity bias
Description
A cognitive bias where decision making is affected by a lack of information, or "ambiguity". People tend to select options for which the probability of a favorable outcome is known, over an option for which the probability of a favorable outcome is unknown.
Ambiguity bias in business decision
An investor chooses a fund with a clear, though modest, track record over a new fund with potentially higher returns but less historical data, due to the uncertainty of the latter.
Ambiguity bias in personal life decision
You favour a known outcome over a potentially better but uncertain one, like choosing a familiar restaurant instead of trying a new one.