Name That Cognitive Bias!

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How many here are familiar with the many different types of cognitive biases?

I have written a sort of "game" that lets you guess which cognitive bias is being flaunted by made up characters. I thought it would be more appropriate here than in the 'Game' forum as it's very science-oriented. Here it is:

Glen: Hey, did you hear that Judith dislikes ice cream and strawberries.

Justine: Wow, really? I bet she doesn’t like cookies either. She probably dislikes all sweets.

Glen: Yeah, she’s probably the type of person who’d eat fried rats and monkey brains. She did once talk about liking exotic foods.

Justine: That Judith, sometimes I’m not sure about her. I bet she’s also a eugenicist.

Glen: And not just any ordinary one, but probably a Nazi eugenicist.

Justine: Hell, I’m sure she’s a full-blown misanthrope.

Glen: There’s no doubt in my mind.

Glen and Justine are exhibiting a cognitive bias towards Judith. Name that cognitive bias!

Ad Hominujm

Ad hominem? Nope. That's a logical fallacy, not a cognitive bias.

Why do you think it's a cognitive bias? The only cognition involved is of what the individuals discussing the non-present person think will ingratiate them with the other participants.

re: link
so many ways to be wrong-the mind reels

Interesting Wikiedpia link!

Halo effect

oh. my. gawd! I do this all the time I have all this c**p in my home because I remember what I did when I got it, what it reminds me of etc. etc. and probably wouldn't ever think of those memories again should I dump the &#$@ thing in the recycle bin.

(Sorry for taking the topic on a tangent, but I don't know where anyone else would even discuss this!)

Merle

Pretty much correct, but to be specific, it's the Reverse Halo Effect. Congrats, A-markz!

If you all liked this game, let me know and I'll write up more episodes of "Name That Cognitive Bias!".

Whist you can say that these may exist, it is very much relative and subjective to say the least. Given human nature it is difficult to separate yourself enough to be able to asses objectivity in any given case. Then what is the point of reference, it is not always clear as day. If you are hyper-analytical, decision making is non-trivial and potentially a continuous loop. The emotional side has to kick in at some point hence arbitrary decisions, preference, bias, fallacy, etc.

Are you saying that emotions can not be rational? It is possible to be simultaneously rational and emotional. Heck, I'll go a step further and say that rationality can train the emotions and that rationality can be emotionally felt.

When I studied "Games People Play"it pointed out to me that social behavior is mostly formulaic. (This works in the favor of sociologists that are observing the patterns of behavior noted.) Sometimes I think that people that notice the pattens can more easily step out of the noose of habit.

Merle

No I'm saying there is a neurological basis for emotions to regulate decision making. Those with frontal lobe damage can lack this and have difficulty with decisions, because they can't break out of the analytical loop. Emotions are reactions, which can in part be influenced by concious thought.

The idea that being rational or logical means you will arrive at the "right" answer is a fallacy.

You can use logical thinking to regulate emotions, it called conditioning, CBT, etc. As for "feeling" rationale, what does this really mean if anything? Prove that qualitative representation of you thoughts, which after all is there to compliment the experience, is directly equivalent to the overall thought process let lone the rational part.

There are interesting observations like that, however it can get quite complicated. Formulas don't have to be simple, and something theorised as a formula could actually be more dynamic in practice.

I define 'rational' as being "the right way to think/thinking how one ought to think". So if someone is being as rational as they can be and still fails to arrive at the right answer, then they are not rational enough. Rationality done right will always be the right thing to do. "Right" can have a rather distributed meaning, but rationality is ultimately the best way to touch upon all the distributions of "right."


Feeling rational means that whatever the truth is, you should want to know it.

Found that very interesting. I'd be up for more.