Key Concept 6: Cognitive Biases

Question 1

Cognitive biases

Answer 1

When we prejudge a situation and our interpretation of it is influenced by prior understanding, even if that is inaccurate. Biases affect how we respond and make decisions.

Negative effects - our biases can mean that our ability to interpret and decide is flawed. We make less rational choice (choices not based on real facts and opinions).
Positive effects - We can process information more quickly and make decisions more quickly, they act as short-cuts that help us to process information.

Question 2

Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)

Answer 2

In explaining the reasons for other people’s behaviour, we focus on their personal characteristics and look for a basic explanation of the person behaving that way. For example, someone fails to hand in their homework. The teacher attributes this to the laziness of their student. The fundamental error is that they see this as the obvious and simplistic explanation, ignoring other possible factors relating to the situation.

Question 3

Confirmation bias

Answer 3

When we notice and recall information more easily that fits in with our existing beliefs. We ignore or ‘forget’ information that contradicts our existing beliefs. For example, if a teacher believes a student is lazy, they are more likely to notice and remember when they do not hand in their homework and miss and forget the times they do get it in one time.

Question 4

Hostile Attribution Bias (HAB)

Answer 4

A tendency to assume that someone else’s behaviour is aggressive when it is actually neutral. For example, believing a woman banged onto you on the train because she wanted to start a fight rather than because the train is busy. Or a boy is laughing at you because he is disrespecting you rather than laughing at something on his phone.