What is Survivorship Bias? Think of Survivorship Bias as a filter in your brain that shows you the success stories while hiding the failures. Imagine you’re playing a video game and only the winners’ characters are visible to you; all the others, the ones who lost, are invisible. This bias makes you think the game is easy because you only see the winners. In the real world, it’s ... »
What is Suggestibility? Suggestibility is how our minds accept new ideas based on what other people say. Think about when a friend suggests a new song and suddenly you can’t wait to listen to it—it’s like that, but it can happen in bigger ways too. It’s like our brains have a button that other people’s words can push, making us think and act in certain ways. Another way to ... »
What is Stereotyping? Stereotyping can be described as painting all people from a single group with the same brush. It is when someone assumes that every person within a certain group shares the same characteristics or traits, without recognizing their individuality. Imagine someone looking at a huge, varied garden and deciding every flower in it is exactly the same, just because they all have pet... »
Understanding Status Quo Bias Imagine you’re at a crossroads. One path is the one you’ve walked many times; it’s familiar and comfortable. The other path is different, it might have better views or lead to a cool new place, but it’s unfamiliar. Status Quo Bias is like choosing the familiar path again and again, not because it’s better, but because it’s the one y... »
What is the Spotlight Effect? Have you ever felt like you’re on a stage with all eyes on you? That’s the “Spotlight Effect.” Imagine two things: First, that every move you make is being watched and judged by people. Second, that a beam of light follows you everywhere, highlighting everything you do so others can’t miss it. These images capture the essence of this effe... »
What is Self Serving Bias? Ever taken a test and when you aced it, you thought, “I’m really smart!” but when you didn’t do well, you figured, “The test was unfair?” That’s self serving bias. It’s like a sneaky voice in our heads that’s really good at making excuses for us when things go wrong, but it’s also quick to give us a high-five wh... »
What is the Placebo Effect? The placebo effect happens when someone feels better after they get a treatment that isn’t supposed to actually do anything. Let’s say you eat a piece of candy that looks like medicine. If you were told it’s a drug that could help you, your body might react as if it really was, and you could feel better. This effect shows us that sometimes, just believ... »
What is Pessimism Bias? Pessimism Bias is when someone often thinks that bad things are going to happen, more than they actually do. For example, if you play soccer and are worried every single game that you’re going to mess up bad, even though you usually play well, that’s pessimism bias. Your brain is making you believe that something negative is bound to happen, even when there̵... »
What is Outgroup Homogeneity Bias? Outgroup Homogeneity Bias is a common way our brains might oversimplify how we see other people. It happens when we think that individuals outside of our own group are much more alike than they really are. This bias can influence how we view those who are not part of the groups to which we belong, whether it’s about hobbies, where people live, or what sport... »
What is Optimism Bias? Imagine you think you’re most definitely going to ace a test, or you’re certain that a job interview will go so well they’ll hire you on the spot. That’s optimism bias in a nutshell. In other words, optimism bias is the belief that each of us is more likely to experience good outcomes and less likely to suffer from bad ones. It’s like when we gu... »