Why we all have bias and how to deal with it

Dictionary definesGreat Dictionary of Russian language. Ch. ed. WITH. A. Kuznetsov / Gramota.ru the word "biased" as "formed in advance, before getting to know someone or something, without taking into account the facts." This means that bias can be called an attitude based solely on our personal perception of the reality around us. This kind of thinking often leads us to wrong conclusions and bad decisions. And usually we criticize other people for being biased.

The truth is that we are all biased.

Where does prejudice come from?

It is formed under the influence cognitive distortions. These are systematic errors of thinking that we make when we judge events, phenomena, facts. or other people based on their own beliefs and experience, and they can be both true and false.

Each bias is individual. However, in the way it manifests itself, there are common features and patterns. Psychologist Daniel Kahneman described it very well. in the book "Think slow... Decide fast." In it, the author says that our thinking is divided into two types: fast, or "System 1", and slow, or "System 2". Fast thinking is responsible for intuitive,

unconscious judgments. Slow, on the contrary, is a more logical and conscious process. However, none of the systems is better than the other. They are just different. Although, as Kahneman's research shows, both are equally prone to cognitive biases that we prefer to ignore.

Bias affects all our thoughts, and therefore the process decision making. When we make a choice, in the brain going onW. Tang, J. D. Shin, et al. Multiple time‑scales of decision‑making in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex / Neuroscience a small storm of synaptic activity. It activates the prefrontal cortex and sends impulses to the hippocampus, posterior parietal cortex, and striatum. Even before we realize that the thought process has started, this whole mind-blowing network is already starting to work. Outgrowths of neurons respond to stimuli with astonishing intensity and signal other neurons through axons.

But our brain has one weakness: it loves speed very much. That is why neurons in every possible way tryShortcuts: How neural networks love to cheat / The Gradient cut the path. This feature helps us make decisions much faster. Although this is not always a good tactic, since it is closely associated with cognitive distortions.

Let's take a simple phrase that would be easy to imagine as the advice of any motivational speaker: “You have to love what you do. This is our right." Let's look at it in terms of logic. This statement is unscientific: it is not formulated as a logical premise, and it cannot be confirmed or refuted by scientific methods. Legally, it also does not work: not a single law mentions the right to love or not to love. my job.

In fact, this is a rhetorical device aimed at evoking an emotional reaction. And he does his job. The question is: why do we so desperately want this phrase to be true, even though it is not a fact?

What cognitive biases lead to bias

If we try to figure out how our prejudiced attitude is formed, using the example of the same phrase, we can identify several cognitive distortions at once:

• halo effect. With this distortion, our attitude to certain features of the subject dictated our general impression of him. If a statement is made by someone we like and respect, it is easy for us to believe his words. Simply because we believe in the person himself.
• anchor effect. Because of this error, we rely too much on the first information received. This distortion works in the same way as the halo effect: a phrase is spoken by a person with whose opinion we already agreed once, and now we automatically begin to believe him.
• Intragroup distortion. The speaker who put forward a certain thesis may refer to a group of people whom we consider our own, for example, to a community successful entrepreneurs. This trap leads to groupthink, where we are willing to support what others support.
• The effect of joining the majority. If no one in the audience disputes the speaker's thought, then it is true. We are often afraid to point out inaccuracies in statements that most people agree with because we are worried that we will say something stupid and look ridiculous.
• Deviation towards optimism. The phrase sounds encouraging, so we tend to believe it.
• Confirmation bias. Us sincerely wantso that what is said is true. We want to love our work and do it every day with pleasure.
• Faith-related bias. We believe that it is quite possible to love your work, which means that we are ready to agree with a phrase containing such a meaning.
• Faith in a just world. We subconsciously hope that everything around is fair and people, depending on their actions, always get what they deserve. This includes the right to work in a job you love.
• Framing effect. The form in which information is presented affects how we perceive it. The logical inaccuracy of the phrase is hidden behind the thoughts that we like, so we agree with what was said.
• The Dunning-Kruger effect. In general, we tend to be biased in assessing our abilities. The more we listen to a respected speaker, the more we realize that we still don’t know much, and the more we trust his words.
• Deviation towards pessimism. When we think about how little we know, we begin to doubt ourselves even more and suffer from impostor syndrome, which means that it is easier for us to believe the words of another, "smarter" person.

Of course, this is not a complete list. Every time we think about something, we are affected by a dizzying amount of cognitive distortions that shape our bias.

How to deal with bias

It constantly affects each of us, and the most difficult thing is to stop at the very moment when we fall into another trap of thinking. Therefore, in order to think clearly and make better decisions, you need to train awareness. We cannot control cognitive distortions and completely avoid bias, but we can analyze our thought process.

The next time you agree or disagree with an opinion, consider that you may be under the influence of one or more cognitive distortions.

Practice analyzing your reactions and thoughts as you scroll through your social media feed. Ask yourself questions:

• How does what I see or read affect me?
• How prejudiced am I?
• What could be causing my prejudice?
• What mistakes can I see in my thinking right now?

Of course, working with cognitive distortions is a complex, time-consuming process. However, it lays a solid foundation for thinking more objectively and making more informed, impartial decisions.

Lifehacker has a book about how our own deceives us brain. In it, relying on science, we analyze a variety of cognitive distortions and help get rid of delusions that cause many people to err in themselves, spend money unwisely, and suffer in relationships.

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