What is False Consensus? False Consensus is something that happens in our minds, making us believe that other people think and act the same way we do. Imagine you think that playing video games for hours is what everyone likes to do. That’s false consensus. You’re assuming most people enjoy video games as much as you, when some might prefer reading books or playing sports. Another way to look at f... »
What is Endowment Effect? The endowment effect is when you feel that something you own is worth more than it actually is, just because it’s yours. Imagine if you got a sticker from a friend; as soon as it’s on your notebook, it might seem like the best sticker in the world to you. If someone else had the same sticker, you might not think it’s so great. This feeling happens becaus... »
What Is Egocentric Bias? Egocentric bias is when a person views everything around them as if they are at the center of it all. Think of it like they’re wearing special glasses that highlight their own feelings and actions more than others. When someone has an egocentric bias, they usually believe their thoughts, feelings, and experiences are what matters most, kind of like the main character... »
What is the Dunning-Kruger Effect? Picture a time when you learned a new game and, after a few rounds, you felt like you were the best at it. That might be the Dunning-Kruger Effect in action. It’s where people who only know a little about something believe they know a lot. To put it simply, some folks might get a bit of information and suddenly think they’re close to experts. This hap... »
What is Digital Amnesia? Imagine this: You watch a number, it flashes on the screen for a second, and then you reach for your phone to save it because you know you’ll forget. That’s Digital Amnesia in a nutshell. Digital Amnesia, which some people call the Google effect, happens when we trust our phones, computers, and the internet to remember information for us. It’s like weR... »
What is Defensive Attribution? Defensive attribution is a sort of mental shortcut we sometimes use when bad things happen. Imagine you hear a story about someone slipping on ice and breaking their arm. Your first thought might be, “Well, they weren’t being careful enough!” This instinct to blame the hurt person is because deep down, you want to believe you’re safe and it couldn’t... »
What is Declinism Bias? Have you ever thought that things were better when your grandparents were kids? That’s Declinism Bias talking. It’s a way of thinking where we believe that the past was much better than the present, and we expect the future to be worse. This isn’t about facts; it’s a feeling. Imagine seeing an old, beautiful black-and-white movie and then thinking al... »
What Is Curse Of Knowledge? When you know something really well, it’s easy to forget what it was like not to know it. That’s the essence of what we call the “Curse of Knowledge.” In more detail, this is when someone who understands a subject very well has trouble thinking about it from the perspective of someone who is new to the topic. They might use words or ideas that ar... »
What is Cryptomnesia? Have you ever had an “aha!” moment where you thought of something you believed was brand new, but it turned out you had heard or seen it before? That’s cryptomnesia. It’s like your brain recycles an old idea and presents it to you as a fresh one. So, one simple definition of cryptomnesia is: A mix-up in your memory that makes you think an old idea is a... »
What is Conjunction Fallacy? The conjunction fallacy is a common mistake in reasoning. Imagine that you’re given information about two options. One option is very specific with lots of details, and the other is more general. Even if it makes more sense to choose the general option, the conjunction fallacy is when you think the detailed option is more likely to happen. This error comes from o... »