List of cognitive biases

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Cognitive bias describes the inherent thinking errors that humans make in processing information. Some of these have been verified empirically in the field of psychology, while others are considered general categories of bias. These thinking errors prevent one from accurately understanding reality, even when confronted with all the needed data and evidence to form an accurate view. Many conflicts between science and religion are due to cognitive biases preventing people from coming to the same conclusions with the same evidence. Cognitive bias is intrinsic to human thought, and therefore any systematic system of acquiring knowledge that attempts to describe reality must include mechanisms to control for bias or it is inherently invalid.

The best known system for vetting and limiting the consequences of cognitive bias is the scientific method, as it places evidence and methodology behind idea under open scrutiny. By this, many opinions and separate analyses can be used to compensate for the bias of any one individual. It is important to remember, however, that in every day life, just knowing about these biases doesn't necessarily free you from them.[1]

Contents

[edit] Decision-making and behavioral biases

Many of these biases are studied for how they affect belief formation and business decisions and scientific research.

[edit] Biases in probability and belief

Many of these biases are often studied for how they affect business and economic decisions and how they affect experimental research.

[edit] Social biases

Most of these biases are labeled as attributional biases.

[edit] Memory errors

[edit] Common theoretical causes of some cognitive biases

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Some blogs on cognitive bias

[edit] References

[edit] Footnotes

  1. In Bias, Meta- is Max, Overcoming Bias
  2. (Kahneman, Knetsch, and Thaler 1991: 193) Richard Thaler coined the term "endowment effect."
  3. (Kahneman, Knetsch, and Thaler 1991: 193) Daniel Kahneman, together with Amos Tversky, coined the term "loss aversion."
  4. (Kahneman, Knetsch, and Thaler 1991: 193)
  5. [1] "Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments" Justin Kruger, David Dunning Journal of Personality and Social Psychology volume=77 issue=6 pages=1121–34, 1999
Articles on Cognitive biases
  Anal retentive  -  Clustering illusion  -  Confabulation  -  Confirmation bias  -  Demonization  -  Dunning-Kruger effect  -  Framing  -  Gambler's fallacy  -  Hindsight bias  -  Hive mind  -  Hostile media effect  -  Just world hypothesis  -  Outcome bias  -  Selection bias  -  Texas sharpshooter fallacy  
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