Introduction
Cognition is a psychological domain concerned with information processing and understanding. Indeed, it is invaluable as it enhances understanding of human behavior in different contexts (Acciarini et al., 2020). As humans, we may be unaware of the subtle factors that impact our understanding and subsequent behavior in our life encounters. The knowledge and awareness of cognitive biases sensitize us to such factors, thus fostering appropriate decision-making (Wattanacharoensil & La-ornual, 2019). This discussion reflects the cognitive biases I have learned during my intellectual development and how they have impacted my decision-making ability in different contexts.
Cognitive Biases
Human information processing and decision-making result from several external and internal factors. Both sets of factors influence our cognition and, thus, the apprehension of the situations we find ourselves in. I was aware of my decision-making process when I read about cognitive biases, which enhanced my knowledge of the salient factors influencing our decisions.
I have been a victim of attentional bias, especially when making purchases. Attentional bias manifests when individuals overemphasize some aspects at the expense of others in decision-making (Acciarini et al., 2020). Due to the finite nature of human attention, it is common for people to pay selective attention to certain features of a product, for instance, that they are interested in because it is impossible to consider all aspects of such products as it would take a long time. Therefore, through attentional bias, we rapidly make choices with negative or positive consequences.
Another bias of interest is the affect heuristic bias. Studies report that this type of bias influences everyday decisions based on emotions (Skagerlund et al., 2020). Heuristics are shortcuts in information processing that provide fast and efficient decisions, especially when faced with time constraints. In this bias, people make choices based on current emotions that determine the cost and benefits of the stimuli they are exposed to. Most of the time, I have been a victim of heuristic bias as I am often in situations that require prompt decisions. Despite making the right choices in the past, my decision-making ability under stressful situations has improved after insights from this type of bias.
Knowledge of the halo effect explained my initial biased view, especially with strangers and celebrities. The halo effect posits that people will make biased generalizations about individuals based on a single attribute (Wattanacharoensil & La-ornual, 2019). I recall making conclusions about the social and caring nature of visiting relatives when I was in elementary school, contrary to the current observations I make of them. The biased view I previously had is explained by the halo effect, possibly because I had limited knowledge about them, hence the current changed stance about them.
Studies report the dynamic nature of cognition, reporting that our awareness of biases improves with age. However, it is vital to note that certain biases may remain unrecognized in our lifetime (Wattanacharoensil & La-ornual, 2019). I recall late submissions of my assignments due to the consequences of my irrational decisions. Instead of spending the weekend finishing them, I was customed to going for weekend trips with my friends, a routine that resulted in late submissions. Last week I was over my budget, and when my friends approached me, I rejected their offer. I resulted to finishing the scheduled tasks and submitted them within the deadline. This scenario of affect heuristic prompted the right decision I made, hence the positive outcome.
Conclusion
Our daily experiences and decisions are based on cognitive biases. The resulting outcomes could be beneficial or detrimental depending on our awareness of the influencers of our decisions. Therefore, it is invaluable to be aware of cognitive biases as they impact our decisions to the largest extent; hence they can improve our decision-making ability. Besides, awareness helps us desist from making irrational choices.
References
Acciarini, C., Brunetta, F., & Boccardelli, P. (2020). Cognitive biases and decision-making strategies in times of change: A systematic literature review. Management Decision, 59(3), 638–652. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2019-1006
Skagerlund, K., Forsblad, M., Slovic, P., & Västfjäll, D. (2020). The Affect Heuristic and Risk Perception – Stability Across Elicitation Methods and Individual Cognitive Abilities. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00970
Wattanacharoensil, W., & La-ornual, D. (2019). A systematic review of cognitive biases in tourist decisions. Tourism Management, 75, 353–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.06.006
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