18 reasons why you are not as smart as you think!
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This thread aims to expose you to some of the biases and flaws in your cognition.
1 - Information bias
Your tendency to seek more information, even when it does not promote action.
You make better choices when you have fewer options, and act quicker with fewer information.
Your tendency to seek more information, even when it does not promote action.
You make better choices when you have fewer options, and act quicker with fewer information.
2 - Subjective Validation
Your tendency to believe a statement is true because it feels personal and significant to you (even though it’s vague).
Horoscopes have this effect on people.
Your tendency to believe a statement is true because it feels personal and significant to you (even though it’s vague).
Horoscopes have this effect on people.
3 - Authority Bias
You attribute more value to the opinions of authority figures you admire.
This makes it easier for them to influence your choices.
Pedestalize no one, seek truth for yourself.
You attribute more value to the opinions of authority figures you admire.
This makes it easier for them to influence your choices.
Pedestalize no one, seek truth for yourself.
4 - Illusory correlation
Your tendency to perceive a relationship between random variables (people, events, or behaviors) even when there is none.
Just because B happened after A, doesn’t mean A caused B.
Your tendency to perceive a relationship between random variables (people, events, or behaviors) even when there is none.
Just because B happened after A, doesn’t mean A caused B.
5 - Selective perception
Your expectations cloud your perception.
Whatever you hope to find in others or yourself, is exactly what you’ll see.
Your expectations cloud your perception.
Whatever you hope to find in others or yourself, is exactly what you’ll see.
6 - Semmelweis reflex
Your tendency to reject new facts or empirical evidence because it contradicts established norms, beliefs, or paradigms.
Your tendency to reject new facts or empirical evidence because it contradicts established norms, beliefs, or paradigms.
7 - Self serving bias
You take credit for your success, but blame external factors for your failures.
This fortifies your ego, but makes you mentally weaker.
You take credit for your success, but blame external factors for your failures.
This fortifies your ego, but makes you mentally weaker.
8 - Restraint bias
You overestimate your ability to resist temptation.
By exposing yourself to triggers, you increase your chances of get addicted.
You overestimate your ability to resist temptation.
By exposing yourself to triggers, you increase your chances of get addicted.
9 - Illusion truth effect
The more exposed you are to an information, the easier you’ll believe it’s true (even though it isn’t).
Repetition is a form of hypnosis.
The more exposed you are to an information, the easier you’ll believe it’s true (even though it isn’t).
Repetition is a form of hypnosis.
10 - Naive cynicism
You naturally believe your opinions are objective, and anyone who disagrees with you is irrational, misinformed or biased.
You naturally believe your opinions are objective, and anyone who disagrees with you is irrational, misinformed or biased.
11 - Reactance
This is when you adopt a contradictory belief to what you are pressured to accept.
It’s a form of rebellion against established order.
This is when you adopt a contradictory belief to what you are pressured to accept.
It’s a form of rebellion against established order.
12 - Probability neglect
Your tendency to disregard probability when making a decision under uncertainty.
A logical assessment of risk and probability is necessary to making sound decisions.
Your tendency to disregard probability when making a decision under uncertainty.
A logical assessment of risk and probability is necessary to making sound decisions.
13 - Framing effect
You will rather avoid loss or pain, than make a gain.
If a situation is positively framed, you’ll avoid taking a risk.
If it is negatively framed, you’d take the risk.
You will rather avoid loss or pain, than make a gain.
If a situation is positively framed, you’ll avoid taking a risk.
If it is negatively framed, you’d take the risk.
14 - Bandwagon effect
Your tendency to adopt a style, belief, or behavior because the people around you are.
The need for social acceptance is ingrained in every human, but it can be transcended.
Your tendency to adopt a style, belief, or behavior because the people around you are.
The need for social acceptance is ingrained in every human, but it can be transcended.
15 - Functional fixedness
Your tendency to use an object only in the way it is traditionally used.
Your tendency to use an object only in the way it is traditionally used.
16 - Sunk cost fallacy
Your tendency to stick with someone / something because of how much time, effort and money you’ve invested.
The refusal to cut losses may prolong the suffering.
Your tendency to stick with someone / something because of how much time, effort and money you’ve invested.
The refusal to cut losses may prolong the suffering.
17 - Proportionality bias
The illogical assumption that big events have big causes.
This is why people find conspiracy theories interesting.
The illogical assumption that big events have big causes.
This is why people find conspiracy theories interesting.
18 - Bias blind spot
You overestimate the biases in others, but underestimate the ones you exhibit.
Your mind is apt at pointing fingers, but not to itself.
Introspect deeply and learn to see through your own ego.
You overestimate the biases in others, but underestimate the ones you exhibit.
Your mind is apt at pointing fingers, but not to itself.
Introspect deeply and learn to see through your own ego.
You can learn more about cognitive biases here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases