Encyclopedia of Cognitive Biases
The Psychology behind Distorted Perceptions and Irrational Behavior
Encyclopedia of Cognitive Biases
The Psychology behind Distorted Perceptions and Irrational Behavior
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Description
Most people pride themselves on being logical, rational individuals, but we all fall prey to cognitive biases - errors in reasoning, perception, memory, and decision-making.
Even though we may not know them by name, cognitive biases and other psychological phenomena impact everything from what we buy and how we vote to the ways we prejudge others and resolve conflicts. These mental shortcuts can be beneficial in some situations and harmful in others. These biases can be exploited by businesses and individuals to encourage us to act in particular ways. For example, anchoring is the tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information we receive when making a decision. Marketers can use anchoring to their advantage by listing an artificially high price for an item, making a lower sale price seem like a deal that's too good to ignore.
These biases have an enormous impact on our daily lives, from which products we decide to buy to how we interact with others. This book examines 150 of these psychological phenomena, allowing readers to better understand themselves and the people around them. Readers will discover what cognitive biases are, how they arise, and what can be done to lessen their effects. In addition to providing a clear explanation of the psychological principles behind these cognitive biases, the text offers relatable real-world examples that bring the material to life. Entries are organized into thematic sections, but an alphabetical entry list enables readers to quickly find specific material. The book's introduction creates a useful conceptual framework for readers, while further readings following each section serve as gateways to additional study.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Judgment Under Uncertainty, Probability, & Statistics
Introduction
Ambiguity Aversion
Anchoring and Adjustment
Availability Heuristic
Base Rate Neglect
Catastrophe Bias
Certainty Effect
Conjunction Fallacy
Conservatism Bias
Extension Neglect
Gambler's Fallacy
Hot Hand Fallacy
Insensitivity to Sample Size
Normalcy Bias
Optimism Bias
Outcome Bias
Pessimism Bias
Planning Fallacy
Probability Neglect
Pseudocertainty Effect
Regression Fallacy
Representativeness Heuristic
Risk Aversion
Scope Insensitivity
Subadditivity Effect
Survivorship Bias
Unit Bias
Zero-risk Bias
Zero-sum Heuristic
Section Further Reading
Decision-Making, Choice, & Economic Behavior
Introduction
Algorithm Aversion
Automation Bias
Choice Overload
Choice-supportive Bias
Decoy Effect
Default Effect
Denomination Effect
Endowment Effect
Ikea Effect
Loss Aversion
Mental Accounting
Naïve Allocation
Omission Bias
Ostrich Effect
Parkinson's Law
Present Bias
Query Theory
Restraint Bias
Status Quo Bias
Sunk Cost Effect
Section Further Reading
Memory, Attention, & Cognitive Processing
Introduction
Bizarreness Effect
Frequency Illusion
Functional Fixedness
Google Effect
Irrelevant Speech Effect
Mere Exposure Effect
Novelty Effect
Primacy Effect
Priming
Processing Fluency Effect
Recency Effect
Retroactive Interference
Salience Effect
Self-Reference Effect
Telescoping Effect
Von Restorff Effect
Zeigarnik Effect
Section Further Reading
Self, Identity, Motivation, & Self-Evaluation
Introduction
Bias Blind Spot
Dunning–Kruger Effect
Egocentric Bias
Galatea Effect
Illusion of Control
Illusory Superiority
Imposter Syndrome
Moral Licensing
Name-letter and Birthday-number Effects
Overconfidence Effect
Overjustification Effect
Ovsiankina Effect
Positive Illusions
Projection Bias
Rosy Retrospection
Self-fulfilling Prophecy
Self-serving Bias
Spotlight Effect
Tamagotchi Effect
Section Further Reading
Social Influence, Norms, & Collective Behavior
Introduction
Authority Bias
Balance Theory
Bandwagon Effect
Bystander Effect
Demand Effect
Descriptive Social Norms Effects
Emperor's New Clothes Effect
Experimenter-expectancy Effect
Golem Effect
Hawthorne Effect
Herding Effect
Pluralistic Ignorance
Pygmalion Effect
Reciprocity Bias
Ringelmann Effect
Snob Effect
Social Contagion
Underdog Effect
Section Further Reading
Attribution, Social Perception, & Intergroup Bias
Introduction
Actor–Observer Asymmetry
Cheerleader Effect
Cross-race Effect
False Consensus Bias
False Uniqueness Bias
Fundamental Attribution Error
Halo Effect
Hostile Media Effect
Illusion of Transparency
In-group Bias
Intergroup Counter-Empathy
Intergroup Empathy Gap
Just-world Fallacy
Observational Interpretation Fallacy
Outgroup Homogeneity Bias
Person-Positivity Bias
Pratfall Effect
Seer–Sucker Illusion
Stigma by Association
Section Further Reading
Belief Formation, Information, & Misinformation
Introduction
Backfire Effect
Barnum Effect
Biased Credulity
Confirmation Bias
Genetic Fallacy
Hindsight Bias
Illusory Correlation
Illusory Truth
Machine Heuristic
Misinformation Effect
Naïve Realism
Naturalness Bias
Political Bias
Rhyme-as-Reason Effect
Semmelweis Reflex
Sleeper Effect
Section Further Reading
Affect, Visceral States, & Contextual Biases
Introduction
Affect Heuristic
Expectancy Effects
Hot-Cold Empathy Gap
Identifiable Victim Effect
Ironic Rebound Effect
Negativity Bias
Nocebo Effect
Partitioning Effects
Placebo Effect
Positivity Bias
Scarcity Mindset
Thought Suppression
Weapons Effect
Section Further Reading
Endnotes
Index
About the Authors
Product details
| Published | Nov 12 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Ebook (Epub & Mobi) |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 288 |
| ISBN | 9798765132135 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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