My last post listed some great cognitive biases.
The human mind is easily fooled by both ourselves and others!
I could list more, of course. There is so much published on this topic that it could fill many posts.
That being said, here is a bunch more.
Gambling System Bias – gambling is a real problem that causes harm. I’ve seen the damage gambling can do in my own family growing up. There’s always a rationalization. And they stick to their ‘system’ well beyond the point where it obviously doesn’t work. I heard an old gambler one time say as a sad joke ‘You can take all my money but you will never get my system!”.
Never Being Able to Explain Why – So many people try to succeed simply by memorizing facts or copying a system they don’t understand. Know the Why of what you are doing and understand the context. Otherwise, your actions will be misapplied, and not get the result you want.
Listening to the Talker Bias – Sometimes when everyone else is quiet, people follow someone just because they are talking. Not because what that person is saying makes any sense, just because they make some noise. Always question what you hear and consider the context.
Incentive Bias – Organizational management scientists know that people behave according to how their organizations organize their incentives. Know how your opposite in a negotiation is being compensated by his/her organization then you will know how they will behave. I’ve seen so many sales presentations that were not in their client’s best interest but were definitely in accordance with the presenter’s incentives. Clients can see this right away.
Reciprocation – Some years ago a cult group used to stop people in airports and hand them a flower. The surprised recipient of this generosity then would be asked to give a donation. It worked until the cult became infamous and was banned from airports. This is a play on a person’s urge to reciprocate an unasked-for gift. Very manipulative. Just because someone gives you something for nothing, doesn’t mean you are obligated to respond in kind.
Authority Influence – Just because someone has a position of authority doesn’t mean they know what they are doing. Co-pilots have been known to follow along when the main pilot makes an error that could crash the plane. The co-pilot knows what’s going on but is overwhelmed by the captain’s authority resulting in a fatal crash. I recall a story where a military stunt flight team crashed into the ground following the lead of the main pilot who was directing the formation – flying by sight of the other planes. The moral of the story is to question authority if what they are doing seems foolish. Just because someone has a title or job responsibilities doesn’t mean they know what they are doing.
Errors in Contrast Perceptions – A person can misconstrue the attractiveness of a business offer if they are in a poor situation to start, and what is being offered is just a little better than what they currently have. The issue is that the offer, which isn’t particularly attractive, seems better than it is because the person is used to the poor situation he’s starting from. A lot of bad marriages start this way (!).
Familiarity Bias – People tend to be more easily influenced by those most like themselves. Just because a person looks like you or is from the same town or the same school doesn’t mean you should automatically follow them. Those are just subjective influencing factors. Try to look beyond those.
These are just a few of my “favorite” biases.
