Anthropomorphism refers to the cognitive bias where humans attribute human-like characteristics, emotions, and intentions to non-human entities, whether they are animals, objects, or abstract concepts. This bias stems from our inherent need to understand and relate to entities around us, often using human traits as a means to interpret vague or minimal information.
The decoy effect, also known as the asymmetric dominance effect, is a cognitive bias where the presence of a third option, the 'decoy', influences the choice between two primary options. This decoy is designed to make one of the primary options appear more attractive, guiding the decision-maker to favor it.
Distinction bias is a cognitive bias that occurs when people perceive two options as more dissimilar when evaluating them simultaneously than when evaluating them separately. This bias leads individuals to overemphasize minor differences while neglecting overall similarities.
Empathy gap is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to underestimate the influence of emotional states on their own and others' decision-making and behavior. This bias highlights the difficulty humans face in predicting behaviors and preferences in different states of mind, most notably between emotional and rational states.
The Endowment Effect is a cognitive bias wherein people ascribe more value to things merely because they own them. This phenomenon suggests an emotional attachment and often an irrational overvaluation of such items.
The IKEA effect is a cognitive bias that causes people to place a disproportionately high value on products they partially created. Named after the popular Swedish furniture retailer, which sells products needing assembly, the effect highlights how the act of building or assembling something can lead to an increased valuation of the end product.
Impact bias is a cognitive bias that refers to the tendency for people to overestimate the intensity and duration of their emotional reactions to future events. This often leads individuals to predict that they will experience greater impacts, both positive and negative, from future events than they actually do.
The less-is-better effect is a cognitive bias where individuals may prefer fewer or simpler options over more abundant or complex ones, even if the latter offer a greater value or reward. This preference arises because the simpler option is perceived as more desirable when evaluated in isolation rather than in comparison to a set.
The observer-expectancy effect, also known as the experimenter-expectancy effect, refers to a cognitive bias where a researcher's expectations or beliefs about the outcome of a study subconsciously influence the participants of the study or the interpretation of results. This can lead to skewed outcomes that conform to the observer's preconceived notions.
Post-purchase rationalization, also known as choice-supportive bias, is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to retroactively justify their past purchases and decisions, often distorting the value or quality of their choices. This psychological phenomenon occurs as a way to alleviate cognitive dissonance, which is the mental discomfort experienced when a person holds contradictory beliefs or values.
Unit bias is a cognitive bias that describes the tendency for individuals to believe that a single unit of something is the appropriate and optimal amount to consume or utilize. This bias is noticeable when people prefer a complete unit over portions, regardless of the actual quantity required or desired.