Absent-mindedness is a cognitive bias that refers to instances where a lack of attention results in forgetfulness or lapses in memory, which often affects the retention and recall of information. This phenomenon is typically categorized under 'What to remember,' and is further understood through how memories can be stored differently based on experience.
The Cheerleader Effect, also known as the group attractiveness effect, is a cognitive bias where people perceive individuals as more attractive when they are in a group compared to when they are alone. This phenomenon gained popular attention partly due to its mention in popular media but is backed by scientific observations.
The cross-race effect, also known as own-race bias, refers to the tendency for people to more easily recognize faces of their own race compared to faces of other races. This cognitive bias is prevalent in facial recognition tasks and has significant implications in various fields, such as criminal justice, psychological research, and social interactions.
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.
Essentialism is a cognitive bias where individuals believe that certain categories, such as people, animals, or objects, have an inherent essence that gives them their identity. This bias often leads to overgeneralization and stereotyping, as individuals attribute fixed traits to members of these categories.
Extrinsic incentive error is a cognitive bias where people tend to overestimate the influence of extrinsic incentives (such as money or rewards) on others' behaviors, while undervaluing intrinsic motivations (like personal satisfaction or enjoyment). It can lead to a misunderstanding of why people perform certain actions or participate in activities.
The Halo Effect is a cognitive bias where our overall impression of a person, brand, or product influences our feelings and thoughts about their specific traits. If we perceive someone or something positively in one area, we are likely to have a positive bias for their other characteristics as well.
The implicit associations cognitive bias refers to the automatic associations some individuals hold about groups of people, ingrained at an unconscious level. These associations can influence attitudes, judgments, and behaviors, often without the individual being aware of them. This bias falls under the broader category of implicit stereotypes, which are the unconscious beliefs and attitudes toward particular groups based on race, gender, age, or other factors.
In-group bias, also known as in-group favoritism, is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to favor, support, and give preferential treatment to members of their own group over those in other groups. This bias is a fundamental aspect of human social interaction where familiar things and familiarity with the in-group lead to implicit positive associations, often regardless of objective evidence or actual differences among groups.
Self-consistency bias is a cognitive bias where individuals mistakenly believe that their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors have remained consistent over time. This bias can lead to distorted perceptions of one's past and future actions, often projecting current beliefs or emotional states back into the past and anticipated into the future. It fits into the broader category of 'Lack of meaning,' where individuals impose consistency to maintain a coherent self-image.
Social comparison bias is a cognitive bias where individuals judge others based on perceived status or competency, often motivated by a desire to maintain their own status or autonomy. This bias is rooted in the innate human tendency to compare oneself to others as a means of self-assessment, often leading to distorted perceptions and unjustified judgments.
Social desirability bias is a cognitive bias where individuals tend to answer questions or behave in ways they perceive as being more socially acceptable, rather than being truthful or authentic. This often results in skewed data in surveys, interviews, and research, as people provide responses they believe will make them look favorable in the eyes of others.
The Spotlight Effect is a cognitive bias where individuals overestimate the degree to which their actions and appearance are noticed by others. It is part of a broader category of biases related to a lack of meaning and belongs to the subgroup of knowing what others are thinking. The term refers to the mental 'spotlight' individuals feel that they believe highlights their flaws and mistakes in front of others.
Stereotyping is a cognitive bias where generalized beliefs or assumptions are made about members of a particular group. This bias often arises from information gaps, leading individuals to substitute specific knowledge about a person with generalized group characteristics.
Time-saving bias refers to a common cognitive distortion where individuals struggle to accurately assess the amount of time saved when using faster methods or processes. This misjudgment often leads people to overestimate the time saved by speeding up tasks that are already quick and underestimate the time saved by accelerating slower tasks.