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... »
What is Naive Realism? Imagine everyone in the world wearing a pair of invisible glasses. These special glasses show them the world around them. Naive realism is the belief that the world you see through your own personal pair of glasses is the only true world. It is as if no one else’s glasses show any different picture. This view is straightforward: If something seems real to you, it must ... »
Understanding Naive Cynicism Naive cynicism is when someone believes other people’s intentions and actions are worse than they really are. For instance, imagine you think people are lying when they’re not or are being sneaky when they’re actually being upfront. Naive cynicism can sneak into our thoughts without solid evidence to support it, leading us to misunderstand others. Another w... »
What is Moral Luck? Moral luck is when things that happen, which are out of our control, affect how we judge someone’s actions. Imagine two people doing the exact same thing, but something unexpected happens to one of them that changes how we see their action. That’s moral luck. For example, if two soccer players both go for the goal, but one player’s shot is blown off course by ... »
What is Law of Triviality? The Law of Triviality is an idea that helps us understand why people often spend a lot of their time talking about small, unimportant things instead of focusing on big, critical issues. Imagine you have a group project, and your team spends most of the meeting deciding what snacks to bring instead of planning the key parts of the project itself. This behavior is what the... »
What is Just World Hypothesis? The Just World Hypothesis is a way of thinking that tells us people believe the world is fair and that everyone ends up with what they deserve. In simple terms, it’s the idea that good things happen to good people and bad things to bad people. This belief helps our brains make sense of the confusing and sometimes unfair things that happen around us. This hypoth... »
What is In Group Favoritism? Imagine you’re in a cafeteria and you have an extra cookie. You look around and have to decide who you’ll give it to. In group favoritism is when you choose someone because they’re part of your circle—maybe they’re wearing the same sports team jersey as you, or they’re in your art class. It’s this quiet nudge that tells you “He... »