Cognitive psychologyLesson 1 of 1 in the course Decision making and heuristics

Cognitive Biases: Heuristics, Classification, Applications, and Debiasing

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

Save course
Lesson progress
0 / 5

Your progress is kept in this browser only.Sign up to save it

Summary

This lesson introduces cognitive bias and explains how heuristics can make decisions faster while also producing predictable errors.

A cognitive bias is a systematic pattern of deviation from a norm or from rational judgment. People do not respond only to objective information: they interpret what they perceive and construct a subjective reality. That interpretation can shape behavior even when it differs from the original input.

All flashcards

What is a cognitive bias?
A systematic pattern in judgment that deviates from a norm or from rational judgment. It can affect how people interpret information and act.
What is a heuristic?
A mental shortcut or rule of thumb used to make a quick estimate or decision, especially under uncertainty.
How do availability and representativeness differ?
Availability estimates likelihood by ease of recall; representativeness estimates likelihood by resemblance to a typical case.
What is anchoring?
A tendency to rely heavily on an initial reference point when making a later judgment or estimate.
What does the Linda Problem demonstrate?
It demonstrates the conjunction fallacy: people may judge a detailed combined description as more likely than a simpler component event because it seems more representative.

Quiz questions

  1. What is a cognitive bias?Answer: A recurring, directional departure from norms of rational judgment.
  2. Which heuristic estimates likelihood by how easily examples come to mind?Answer: The availability heuristic.
  3. What is the central probability error in the Linda Problem?Answer: Treating a combined event as more likely than one of its component events.
  4. In psychology, what does ecological validity concern when a study uses written scenarios rather than real decisions?Answer: How well the study reflects conditions and decisions outside the research setting.
  5. Why might a heuristic be useful even if it sometimes leads to errors?Answer: It can enable a sufficiently effective decision quickly when time or information is limited.

Based on the Wikipedia article Cognitive bias, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

More in Cognitive psychology

All Cognitive psychology lessons
Cognitive psychologyModels of Intelligence and Creative Thinking5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Cognitive psychologyBrain Systems, Emotional Arousal, and Memory Reconstruction5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Cognitive psychologyCognitivism: Mental Processes, Learning, and Instruction5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Cognitive psychologyProblem Solving: Strategies, Planning, and Cognitive Biases5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Cognitive psychologyIntelligence Testing: Scores, Assessment, and Interpretation5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →Cognitive psychologyAttentional Control: Networks, Development, Anxiety, and Selective Attention5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →