Cognitive Biases

[Audio] Good morning everyone! I would like to start this presentation today by discussing the important topic of cognitive biases. We all know how our minds can work and how our thought processes can sometimes be misguided. We will discuss the different types of cognitive biases that can affect our judgement and how they can influence our decisions and behaviour. Please join me as we investigate the complexities of cognitive biases and find ways to ensure that our thoughts and choices are based on reason..

[Audio] Recent years have seen a rise in contesting norms, great power competition, and rapid technological change that necessitates effective competition in the information environment. In order to do this, competent communication must be achieved considering the complexity of the situation, time limitations, and our own cognitive abilities. To enable more effective processing, humans have developed mental shortcuts that may lead to biases becoming entrenched in our thought processes and communications. Despite this, it is essential to realize our human limitations to form accurate judgements and restrict misguided decisions..

[Audio] We are exploring cognitive biases, mental errors caused by simplified information processing strategies resulting in incorrect conclusions in certain situations. Human beings use two types of information processing: logical reasoning, and heuristic-based processing which is influenced by emotions, morality, and social influences. Heuristic-based processing is adaptive, allowing us to process large amounts of information quickly. However, cognitive biases can reinforce each other in communication, leading us to jump to incorrect conclusions about others and ultimately communicate less effectively..

[Audio] We all make decisions by processing information using our own strategies, but this can lead to wrong conclusions in certain circumstances. This phenomenon is referred to as cognitive bias. It can be caused through various stages of communication, including the way information is initially gathered and the way it is encoded and decoded, by using heuristics or other shortcuts to simplify the decision-making process. This can result in a distorted or inaccurate message, leading to inaccurate judgments and decisions. We should be conscious of this as it has an influence on our lives..

[Audio] Cognitive biases are errors in our thinking which are caused by the way we process information. These can be divided into categories such as distortion of message on encoding/decoding, information search, presentation, interpretation, and authority bias. Examples of cognitive biases include availability bias, negativity bias, optimism bias, belief in a just world, false consensus effect, framing effect, hostile bias, and ultimate attribution error. Being aware of these cognitive biases can help us to recognize them and make better decisions..

[Audio] Cognitive biases are mental errors caused by our simplified information processing strategies, resulting in incorrect conclusions. There are 38 types listed in Table 1. Intentionality plays a role in cognitive bias, as it affects the point at which message distortion can occur. To determine the likelihood of cognitive bias, one must understand the objective of communication - is it to inform or to persuade? Communication that attempts to inform should aim to avoid cognitive biases, however it may unintentionally do so, while communication that attempts to persuade may use cognitive biases to influence the target..

[Audio] Cognitive biases are mental errors that result from our streamlined ways of processing information. Studies have demonstrated that we often use shortcuts when making decisions, although this can lead to inaccurate results under specific conditions. This slide emphasizes recognizing the distinction between merely receiving information and interpreting it. Awareness of our own biases and application of critical thinking are essential to accurately interpreting the input we get..

[Audio] Examining the slide titled "Cognitive biases are mental errors caused by our simplified information processing strategies that lead us to draw incorrect conclusions in certain situations," we can see how cognitive biases can influence the way information is encoded by the sender of a message. The availability bias can narrow the range of inputs used to craft a message, and cognitive bias can also distort information presentation. This can lead to compounded effects when several biases occur together. It is important to be aware of these potential biases and actively work to counteract them in order to prevent their distorting our information gathering and comprehension processes..

[Audio] Cognitive biases are mental mistakes that cause us to draw wrong conclusions in certain circumstances. We should be aware of certain biases that particularly influence how we look for information, such as confirmation bias, which leads us to prioritize and give more importance to evidence that supports our pre-existing opinions, and negativity bias, which makes us more sensitive to negative information. The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias where people who possess more knowledge find it hard to think from the viewpoint of someone with less knowledge. Other biases that can affect our thinking include optimism bias and naive realism. It is essential to recognize these biases and their triggers to reduce their influence on the way we communicate..

[Audio] Cognitive biases are mental errors that impede us from making sound decisions. They are caused by our simplified information processing strategies and may lead us to draw incorrect conclusions in certain situations. Even when a message is transmitted and decoded as intended, cognitive biases can still affect how information is weighted and interpreted. An example of this is the focusing effect, which causes us to pay too much attention to one aspect of an issue, thus neglecting other important information. This is especially the case when it comes to affective forecasting, which is our judgement of how we will feel in the future. To avoid miscommunication and inaccuracy, it is important to be aware of these cognitive biases and take steps to counter them..

[Audio] We often resort to cognitive biases when making decisions. The focusing effect implies that people are likely to concentrate solely on one part of a message, disregarding the other parts. This phenomenon is observable in policy decisions, health advice, and requests for cooperation, and some international adversaries are taking advantage of it by making false promises such as “no strings attached” investments. On the other hand, authority bias causes people to accept the opinion of a reliable source, rendering messages even more believable. Finally, the mere exposure effect reveals that people are more inclined to favor something if they are exposed to it frequently. This is especially useful for advertisers or marketers measuring message delivery with target ratings points. Being aware of these cognitive biases helps us both send and interpret information more efficiently..

[Audio] Cognitive bias can be important in terms of information operations. Anchoring and adjustment bias is a form of cognitive bias where decisions and judgements are made mostly from the first piece of information gathered. Hostile attribution bias occurs when information provided by a certain actor is ignored, as it is seen as having an unwelcome purpose. Additionally, belief perseverance is an essential bias, which is when a person's prior beliefs remain even when presented with new information. To successfully communicate with one's audience, it is crucial to be aware of these cognitive biases..

[Audio] Cognitive biases are a result of our simplified methods for processing information. These errors can lead to faulty conclusions in certain scenarios. We tend to rely on mental shortcuts, known as heuristics, when making decisions in order to quickly process data. Studies have proven that these cognitive biases can lead to mistakes in judgment and decision-making, and notably impact our problem-solving skills. Therefore, it is essential to become familiar with the different types of cognitive biases and recognise how they can affect our judgements. For additional information on cognitive biases and their consequences, various online resources are accessible..

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