Cognitive Bias
noun /ˈkɒɡnɪtɪv ˈbaɪəs/ — A systematic mental error that shapes how you see the world.
Definition
A pattern of deviation in judgment whereby inferences about situations may be drawn in an illogical fashion; a glitch in thinking that distorts reality.
Beyond the definition
There are over 180 documented cognitive biases. Knowing about them doesn't eliminate them — but it makes them visible. The most dangerous bias is the one you don't know you have.
Origin & history
The concept was developed by psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in their landmark work on heuristics and judgment in the 1970s.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Confirmation bias is the cognitive bias most likely to derail strategy.
Understanding cognitive bias is useful — but it doesn't make you immune to your own.
She started listing the cognitive biases in the pitch deck and ran out of space.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Cognitive Bias” when the meaning fits your context: A pattern of deviation in judgment whereby inferences about situations may be drawn in an illogical fashion; a glitch in thinking that distorts reality.
Synonyms
mental bias, thinking error, logical fallacy, perceptual distortion
Antonyms
rational thinking, objectivity, critical thinking
Related words
Cognitive Bias vs logical fallacy
Cognitive bias is a subconscious error in human thinking processes that shapes perception. A logical fallacy is a flaw in the actual structure of an argument that invalidates its conclusion.
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
The researchers presented two groups with the same job application. The only difference was the name at the top — one traditionally male, one traditionally female. The evaluators rated the identical credentials differently.
When told about the study, most participants assumed they'd been in the control group. The ones who rated the credentials differently.
Cognitive bias is not stupidity. It's the mind using shortcuts developed over millennia to make decisions faster than deliberate reasoning allows. The shortcuts are not always wrong. They are not always fair. Knowing they're there is the beginning.
Questions about this word
What does "Cognitive Bias" mean?
Cognitive Bias is noun meaning: A systematic mental error that shapes how you see the world.. A pattern of deviation in judgment whereby inferences about situations may be drawn in an illogical fashion; a glitch in thinking that distorts reality.
Where does the word "Cognitive Bias" come from?
The concept was developed by psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in their landmark work on heuristics and judgment in the 1970s.