Do you think you’re thinking? You might want to rethink that!
Much of what passes for thinking consists of unconscious, rather than conscious, mental processes.
Our comforting conviction that the world makes sense rests on a secure foundation: our almost unlimited ability to ignore our ignorance. —Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow
The desire to be right and to feel certain is a built-in biological drive, not a character flaw. When we think we’re right and when we feel certain, we experience a sense of cognitive ease. The world makes sense to us. And that puts us in a good mood.
We can’t worry when we’re happy. But because we’re less vigilant when in a good mood, we’re more prone to making logical errors.
Cognitive ease feels good, but it gives us a false sense of security by leading us to believe we understand far more than we actually do. It affects the way we take in information and how we decide what to accept and what to reject, as a result of which, we are most likely to believe:
What Is Familiar
Information that feels familiar is easier to absorb and believe than information that is unfamiliar. It could be familiar because it’s associated with other beliefs we have or it could come from a trusted source. It could simply be something we’ve come across before—especially if we’ve come across it multiple times. Frequent repetition can be enough to convince people to believe things that are not true because familiarity generates a sense of cognitive ease. It’s called the mere-exposure effect. Advertisers make use of it, but they aren’t the only ones.
What Is Easy
Information that is easy to understand also gives us a sense of cognitive ease. Information that is difficult to understand requires more cognitive effort to process, and our brain’s preference is to slack off. Let’s say you’re faced with choosing between two concepts, ideas, or explanations. Idea A is easy to understand, while Idea B is more difficult. Statistically speaking, you’re much more likely to accept Idea A instead of Idea B simply because Idea A is easier for you to swallow.
What Validates Our Preexisting Beliefs
Information that confirms what we already believe to be true makes us feel right and certain, so we’re likely to accept it uncritically. On the other hand, we’re more likely to reject information that is inconsistent with what we already believe or at least we hold inconsistent information up to greater scrutiny. We have different standards for evaluating information depending on the level of cognitive ease it generates.
Evidence has precious little impact on us if it conflicts with what we believe simply because the cognitive strain of processing it is too great.
No Thinking Required
Cognitive biases are a shortcut method for understanding the world without having to use System 2 (conscious) thinking. To have a human brain is to be subject to cognitive biases. Since they require no cognitive effort, we aren’t forced to reevaluate our existing beliefs. That means we routinely form quick impressions, make snap judgments, and—yes, we all do it—stereotype others.
Cognitive biases are by definition distortions or errors in thinking that actually decrease our understanding while giving us that feel-good sense of cognitive ease.
This is generally just fine with the conscious part of our brain, which is slow and kind of lazy. It’s happy to let the unconscious handle as much of the load as possible. And because cognitive biases operate at the unconscious level, unless we make an effort to recognize them, we aren’t aware of them and will even deny we have them. Of course, cognitive biases are much easier to spot in other people than in ourselves. Here are three to be on the lookout for:
Confirmation Bias
The easy acceptance of information that validates what we already believe is a result of confirmation bias. Confirmation bias causes us to selectively notice and pay attention to what confirms our beliefs and to ignore what doesn’t. it underlies the discomfort we feel around people who disagree with us and the ease we feel around people who share our beliefs. Example: People who favor gun control pay more attention to stories about injuries and deaths resulting from gun use; people who are against gun control pay more attention to stories about people using guns to defend themselves.
The Halo Effect
The tendency to view other people as all good (or all bad) is the result of what’s called the halo effect. When we consider someone to be a good person, we find it easier to excuse or ignore behavior that is inconsistent with being a good person. Good people can do no wrong. On the other hand, if we consider someone to be a bad person, we find it hard to accept that he or she has any positive qualities. Bad people can do no good. In either case, we ignore evidence that contradicts our general impression of the person. Example: People tend to have a completely positive view of the political party they support and a completely negative view of the political party they don’t support.
Negativity Bias
Our brain is wired to notice negative events more than positive events, which is why we give them more attention. This leads us to believe that more negative events are taking place than positive events. It also leads us to give more credence to negative claims about people with whom we disagree. Negativity bias is responsible for some of the fears we have that are disproportionate to the likelihood of their occurrence. Bad stuff seems to have more of an impact on us than good stuff, and we are quicker to react to it. This bias can make us susceptible to fear-mongering. Examples: (1) The news. (2) People tend to pay more attention—and give more weight—to critical comments than to praise.
Cognitive biases provide us with a sense of cognitive ease; however, doing something about them requires thinking—critical thinking—which can be difficult and sometimes unpleasant.
Extraordinary people are not extraordinary because they are invulnerable to unconscious biases. They are extraordinary because they choose to do something about it. —Shankar Vedantam. The Hidden Brain
If you want to find out more:
- …and you’re comfortable being labeled a nerd, check out The Cognitive Science of Kirk and Spock
- …or this Scientific American article on why people “Fly from Facts”
- …or this short (under two minutes) video primer on critical thinking
Then learn how you can become more aware of when you’re thinking—and when you only think are—at the next Monthly Meeting of the Mind (& Brain).