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In 27 tweets I'll describe 27 powerful concepts of human psychology.
My purpose here is to show how easily humans can fall into predictable patterns and other useful stuff you should know about.
Here we go:
The Handbook of You (and Others)
[THREAD]
My purpose here is to show how easily humans can fall into predictable patterns and other useful stuff you should know about.
Here we go:
The Handbook of You (and Others)
[THREAD]
1) Confirmation Bias.
We favor information that confirms our beliefs.
A pandemic can be a plan to kill us all, a divine punishment or just a flu.
Any of these is true depending on what you believe (or want to believe).
We favor information that confirms our beliefs.
A pandemic can be a plan to kill us all, a divine punishment or just a flu.
Any of these is true depending on what you believe (or want to believe).
2) The Dunning-Kruger Effect.
People with low skill tend to overestimate their ability.
It comes from lack of exposure to actual performance.
This is why stupid people think they're smart.
People with low skill tend to overestimate their ability.
It comes from lack of exposure to actual performance.
This is why stupid people think they're smart.
3) Frequency Illusion.
Our tendency to associate new information to information we already have.
Our brain is a pattern-recognition machine; it creates patterns out of nothing...
Even when they make no sense.
Our tendency to associate new information to information we already have.
Our brain is a pattern-recognition machine; it creates patterns out of nothing...
Even when they make no sense.
4) The Monte Carlo Fallacy.
Judging the probability of a random event based on previous outcomes.
(You won't necessarily win this turn even if you've never lost).
Judging the probability of a random event based on previous outcomes.
(You won't necessarily win this turn even if you've never lost).
5) Focalism.
The tendency of giving too much importance to one aspect when making judgements.
AKA the inability (or refusal) to see the full picture.
The tendency of giving too much importance to one aspect when making judgements.
AKA the inability (or refusal) to see the full picture.
6) Hard-Easy Effect.
The tendency to
-Overestimate your ability to achieve hard things.
-Underestimate your ability to achieve easy things.
Which is why some players feel more pressure from the free throw line than from the three point line.
The tendency to
-Overestimate your ability to achieve hard things.
-Underestimate your ability to achieve easy things.
Which is why some players feel more pressure from the free throw line than from the three point line.
7) Hyperbolic Discounting.
The tendency to earn a smaller reward sooner rather than a bigger reward later.
Which is why it's counterintuitive for most people to think long term.
It literally goes against our wiring.
The tendency to earn a smaller reward sooner rather than a bigger reward later.
Which is why it's counterintuitive for most people to think long term.
It literally goes against our wiring.
8) False Consensus Effect.
We tend to see our own choices as common and appropriate even if we have no idea how other people behave under the same circumstances.
We tend to see our own choices as common and appropriate even if we have no idea how other people behave under the same circumstances.
9) Barnum Effect.
Individuals will believe personality descriptions are tailored specifically to them, even if they're vague.
(I'm looking at you, horoscope people).
Individuals will believe personality descriptions are tailored specifically to them, even if they're vague.
(I'm looking at you, horoscope people).
10) Post Hoc Fallacy.
"Since Y happened after X, Y must have happened because of X."
Conspiracy theories feed on this fallacy.
(Mandatory Eddie Bravo mention here).
"Since Y happened after X, Y must have happened because of X."
Conspiracy theories feed on this fallacy.
(Mandatory Eddie Bravo mention here).
11) Risk Aversion.
When facing uncertainty, humans will attempt to lower it.
They would rather secure a dollar than a chance to earn two.
When facing uncertainty, humans will attempt to lower it.
They would rather secure a dollar than a chance to earn two.
12) Loss Aversion.
The tendency to avoid losses instead of gaining something.
"It's better not to lose a dollar than to find one."
The tendency to avoid losses instead of gaining something.
"It's better not to lose a dollar than to find one."
13) Availability Cascade.
The more something is accepted, the more credibility it has to us.
"If so many people say it's true, it must be true"
The more something is accepted, the more credibility it has to us.
"If so many people say it's true, it must be true"
14) Duration Neglect.
Whatever unpleasant memory you have depends very little on the duration of the event that triggered it.
A bad experience is a bad experience.
No matter how short: it will stick to you.
Whatever unpleasant memory you have depends very little on the duration of the event that triggered it.
A bad experience is a bad experience.
No matter how short: it will stick to you.
15) Irrational Escalation.
When a negative behavior is repeated hoping next time it will turn out differently.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results."
When a negative behavior is repeated hoping next time it will turn out differently.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results."
16) Optimism Bias.
What causes somebody to believe they're less likely to end up with bad outcome.
Somehow, there's no way it can happen to them.
What causes somebody to believe they're less likely to end up with bad outcome.
Somehow, there's no way it can happen to them.
17) Pessimism Bias.
"Somehow, it will happen to me."
"Somehow, it will happen to me."
18) Negative Bias.
Not the opposite of optimism bias.
When given two events of equal intensity, the negative event has a greater effect on you than the positive one.
We're all hardwired for negativity.
Not the opposite of optimism bias.
When given two events of equal intensity, the negative event has a greater effect on you than the positive one.
We're all hardwired for negativity.
19) Self Serving Bias.
Positive outcomes are because of you and negative outcomes are because of somebody else.
If you make a lot of money it's because of hard work.
If you don't, it's because life's unfair.
Positive outcomes are because of you and negative outcomes are because of somebody else.
If you make a lot of money it's because of hard work.
If you don't, it's because life's unfair.
20) Halo Effect and Horn Effect.
From an angel's halo and the devil's horns:
When one single negative or positive trait influences our perception of other unrelated traits.
From an angel's halo and the devil's horns:
When one single negative or positive trait influences our perception of other unrelated traits.
21) Humor Effect.
Experiences are more memorable when they're related to humor.
Pro tip here:
As long as you're funny, people will remember you.
Experiences are more memorable when they're related to humor.
Pro tip here:
As long as you're funny, people will remember you.
22) Spacing Effect.
Spaced out study sessions have a higher chance to access long-term memory.
So, cramming information into your head is not really filling, but spilling.
Spaced out study sessions have a higher chance to access long-term memory.
So, cramming information into your head is not really filling, but spilling.
23) Verbatim Effect.
People remember the general idea better than the details of it.
People remember the general idea better than the details of it.
24) Social Comparison Bias.
Disliking someone that is seen as physically or mentally better than you.
AKA Envy.
Disliking someone that is seen as physically or mentally better than you.
AKA Envy.
25) Reactive Devaluation.
Devaluing an idea when it appears to originate from someone we don't like or are opposed to.
Devaluing an idea when it appears to originate from someone we don't like or are opposed to.
26) Sunk Cost Fallacy
The belief that losses from the past justify further investment.
"I can't end this now, I'm in way too deep already."
This one hits hard to many so just know...
There is no shame in starting over.
The belief that losses from the past justify further investment.
"I can't end this now, I'm in way too deep already."
This one hits hard to many so just know...
There is no shame in starting over.
27) At the end of the day, know that people are complex.
When you think you've learnt enough about people,
You'll be proven wrong.
I'm here to help: https://gumroad.com/jkmolina/follow
When you think you've learnt enough about people,
You'll be proven wrong.
I'm here to help: https://gumroad.com/jkmolina/follow
28)
If you learned something from this thread, Retweet the top tweet.
Thanks for reading!
If you learned something from this thread, Retweet the top tweet.
Thanks for reading!
