Understanding Our Cognitive Bias: A Guide to Managing It
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In 2016, I shared the Cognitive Bias Cheat Sheet on Medium, which has been viewed over 1.3 million times and inspired my upcoming book, Why Are We Yelling? The Art of Productive Disagreement, set for release this November. Since then, I have strived to distill the essence of cognitive biases—understanding their utility and learning how to better navigate our interactions with them.
TL;DR — We cannot escape our biases. Our best approach is to foster an honest dialogue with them and strive to recognize and mend any unintended harm they may cause us.
- Four steps to fostering honest bias
- The 3 Conundrums and 13 strategies that create biases
- Example: the 2020 presidential election
- How to apply this in real life
- Some reminders to help you
Four Steps to Foster Honest Bias
Step 1: Commit. To develop an honest understanding of bias, we must first acknowledge our own limitations and cease the pretense that they don't exist. It's a personal decision whether you are ready to embrace this challenge.
Step 2: Observe (Beginner level). Work on decreasing the time and effort spent on concealing or disregarding your biases and blind spots. For instance, read informative articles to familiarize yourself with various biases. Notice when you feel defensive and assess if you are genuinely in danger or if there's a chance to learn from differing viewpoints.
Step 3: Repair (Intermediate level). Focus on minimizing the effort required to recognize and begin addressing any unintended harm caused by your biases. For instance, when you detect a blind spot, investigate it and identify individuals or ideas that may have been overlooked or harmed. Seek ways to rectify that situation.
Step 4: Normalize (Advanced level). Aim to lessen the effort others must expend in challenging your blind spots and persuading you to acknowledge the damage you've contributed to. For example, actively pursue information and perspectives that counter your own beliefs, and invite diverse viewpoints to facilitate constructive disagreements.
What Not to Do
It is impossible to become entirely unbiased. All steps towards developing an honest bias involve ongoing maintenance rather than quick, permanent solutions. The allure of a permanent fix is strong, but the three conundrums that create biases do not have permanent solutions. If you believe you have discovered one, take a moment to reassess; it may merely be a way to ease your concerns rather than a genuine solution. Instead, prioritize openness, responsiveness, and consistent maintenance.
The 3 Conundrums & 13 Strategies That Create Biases
We cannot avoid these conundrums, but 13 strategies can help us navigate them.
3 CONUNDRUMS
- There is an overwhelming amount of information, necessitating filtration.
- There is a lack of meaning, leading us to construct narratives to find understanding.
- There is insufficient time, prompting us to act quickly.
Each strategy compensates for one of these conundrums by prioritizing certain possibilities while neglecting others. These strategies are combinations of cognitive biases, mental shortcuts, and energy-saving methods that aid in filtering information and making decisions.
13 STRATEGIES
1-5 HELP US FILTER INFORMATION 1. We rely on context to determine what to notice and remember. 2. We accept what readily comes to mind without questioning what doesn't. 3. We amplify unusual occurrences. 4. We pay attention to newness. 5. We seek out key takeaways and disregard the rest.
6-10 HELP US MAKE SENSE OF THINGS 6. We fill in gaps with stereotypes and generalizations. 7. We prefer familiar options over unfamiliar ones. 8. We equate experience with reality. 9. We simplify complex decisions. 10. We tend to be overconfident in our judgments.
11-13 HELP US GET THINGS DONE 11. We stay committed to tasks we've initiated. 12. We defend existing beliefs. 13. We opt for safer choices, all else being equal.
Example: The 2020 Presidential Election
Let’s examine how these strategies might influence our voting decisions in the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
Strategy 1: Depend on Context
This strategy filters information by favoring options that align with our current mindset while undervaluing those that don't. Our awareness and memory of candidates can be heavily influenced by the context we find ourselves in during the decision-making process.
Strategy 2: Accept What Comes to Mind
We tend to focus on candidates we are familiar with, giving them an advantage simply due to their visibility. If you are unaware of certain candidates, you are unlikely to consider them when voting.
Strategy 3: Amplify the Bizarre
Candidates often stand out due to unique characteristics or issues, which can overshadow more mundane but equally important qualities. It’s essential to be conscious of these outliers and consider what may be overlooked in the process.
Strategy 4: Notice Novelty
New candidates often attract our attention, which can lead us to overlook established figures who may offer valuable experience. It is crucial to evaluate newcomers critically rather than simply embracing their novelty.
Strategy 5: Seek Takeaways
We are inclined to remember details that present themselves as key insights while neglecting those that do not seem immediately relevant. This can skew our understanding of candidates and their platforms.
Strategy 6: Fill in the Gaps
When we lack detailed information about a candidate, we often fill in the blanks with our preconceived notions, which may not accurately reflect their true positions or capabilities.
Strategy 7: Favor the Familiar
Familiarity breeds comfort; candidates we know well tend to receive more favorable assessments simply due to our prior knowledge of them.
Strategy 8: Treat Experience as Reality
Our personal narratives shape our perceptions of candidates, leading us to dismiss alternative viewpoints that don’t align with our experiences.
Strategy 9: Simplify Mental Math
We tend to categorize outcomes as either very likely or very unlikely, which can distort our understanding of candidates and the electoral process.
Strategy 10: Be Overconfident
Overconfidence can distort our perception of the information we have regarding candidates, leading us to make decisions based on incomplete or biased information.
Strategy 11: Stick with It
Once we've made a decision, we often resist reconsidering our stance, which can hinder our ability to adapt to new information.
Strategy 12: Protect Existing Beliefs
We may prioritize winning debates over seeking the truth, leading us to cling to beliefs even in the face of contradictory evidence.
Strategy 13: Do the Safe Thing
Voting in line with the majority can feel safer than supporting a less popular candidate, even if that choice may not be in our best interest.
How to Apply All of This to Real Life
Many people struggle not with recalling information, but with reframing their understanding of biases as ongoing challenges rather than one-time fixes. This shift is difficult because we often prefer simple, convenient solutions to complex issues.
Step 1: Commit to Honest Bias Recognizing our biases requires acknowledging our limitations and letting go of the idea of permanent fixes. It’s essential to remain open to discovering answers beyond our initial assumptions.
Step 2: Observe (Beginner Level) Make a conscious effort to reduce the time spent hiding or ignoring your biases. Recognize that biases can lead us to overlook options that don’t fit our current context or expectations.
Step 3: Repair (Intermediate Level) When confronted with potential blind spots, commit to addressing them authentically. This involves revisiting previously overlooked options and being open to the insights they may offer.
Step 4: Normalize (Advanced Level) Shift from a reactive to a proactive approach in seeking out information that challenges your beliefs. Create environments where constructive disagreement is encouraged and where honest bias is the default response to systemic issues.
Some Things to Help You Remember
If you choose to follow this roadmap, consider these strategies for retention.
Learn about my book: This article adapts concepts explored further in my forthcoming book, Why Are We Yelling? The Art of Productive Disagreement. It’s available for pre-order and will be released on November 19th, 2019.
Bookmark these references: I've developed a website and mobile-friendly resource for those interested in exploring the 13 strategies or over 180 biases at any time.
Get notified: For updates on biases and disagreement, consider subscribing to my newsletter.
Print this out: Lastly, here’s a handy poster summarizing the 13 blind spots and reflective questions to explore them.