
Cognitive Biases: A Library of How We Think, Distort, and Decide
Explore the mental shortcuts that shape perception, judgment, and behavior—often without us realizing it.
Your brain is not designed to be objective. It’s designed to survive. And that means it takes shortcuts; shortcuts we call cognitive biases. This library explores the most common distortions that shape our decisions, relationships, and self-perception. Each entry unpacks a single bias, shows how it shows up in everyday life, and offers tools for seeing through it.
Confirmation Bias: Why We Find What We’re Looking For
Confirmation bias is the mental shortcut that makes us believe we’re being objective—when we’re really just reinforcing what we already think. It shapes what we read, what we remember, and even what we ignore. Explore how this common bias warps perception, deepens division, and blocks intellectual growth—and how to break free from its grip.
Attribution Bias: Why We Misjudge Why People Do What They Do
Attribution bias makes us misread people’s motives—blaming character when things go wrong for others, and blaming circumstance when it’s us. From work to parenting to relationships, this bias skews how we assign responsibility. Learn how to recognize the fundamental attribution error, self-serving bias, and actor-observer distortion in real time.
Naive Realism: Why We Think We're Seeing Things as They Really Are
Naive realism is the belief that we see the world as it truly is—and that others would too if they were rational. It’s a silent driver of conflict, making us believe disagreement signals ignorance or bias. Learn how this bias distorts objectivity, inflates our certainty, and quietly fuels polarization in our relationships and beliefs.
Selective Perception: Why We Only See What Confirms Our Beliefs
Selective perception distorts reality by filtering what we see through the lens of what we already believe. From politics and relationships to race and reputation, this bias leads us to notice only what supports our views—and miss what challenges them. Learn how to catch it in real time and broaden your awareness.
Horn Effect: Why One Bad Trait Pollutes Everything Else
The horn effect tricks us into judging people harshly based on one negative trait. A single bad impression—lateness, awkwardness, disagreement—can distort how we see someone’s entire character. Learn how this bias sneaks into work, relationships, and leadership, and how to break the cycle of unfair assumptions.
Halo Effect: Why One Good Trait Colors Everything Else
The halo effect tricks us into thinking one good trait means someone is good overall. A charming speaker, a polished résumé, or an attractive appearance can blind us to reality. This entry explores how that glow distorts perception—and offers tools to judge more fairly, clearly, and accurately.
Emotional Reasoning: When Feelings Pretend to Be Facts
Emotional reasoning tricks us into believing that feelings are facts. If we feel anxious, we assume danger. If we feel unworthy, we believe we are. This bias quietly overrides logic and hijacks perception. Learn how to separate what you feel from what’s real—and how to break the cycle of reactive thinking.
Stereotyping & Social Labels: How Our Minds Sort, Simplify, and Misjudge People
Stereotyping and social labeling are fast, automatic judgments that shape how we see others—and how we treat them. This entry unpacks three interconnected distortions: stereotypes, ingroup/outgroup bias, and the false consensus effect. Learn how they influence our thinking and how to challenge them.
Bias Blind Spot: Why We See Everyone’s Bias but Our Own
Bias blind spot is the belief that other people are biased—but we’re not. It clouds self-awareness, inflates our sense of objectivity, and shuts down real learning. This entry explores how bias hides in plain sight, why intelligence can make it worse, and how to uncover what we’d rather not see.
Hindsight Bias: Why We Always Knew It All Along
Hindsight bias tricks us into believing we knew how things would turn out—even when we didn’t. It reshapes the past to make the present feel obvious, which distorts memory, inflates confidence, and shuts down real reflection. Learn how this common thinking error works—and how to see beyond it.
Cognitive Dissonance: Why We Rewrite Reality to Stay Comfortable
Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort we feel when our actions contradict our values—so we rewrite the story to make it fit. It’s not always conscious, but it shapes how we justify bad choices, avoid hard truths, and protect our sense of self. Learn how this bias works and how to recognize it.
Memory Distortions: Why Our Minds Rewrite the Past
Memory feels reliable—but it’s not. From primacy and recency to mood and misattribution, our minds constantly reshape the past. These distortions color how we view ourselves, others, and the truth itself. Learn how memory gets edited, and what you can do to stay grounded in what actually happened.
Dunning–Kruger Effect: Why Incompetence Feels Like Confidence
The Dunning–Kruger Effect explains why the least competent are often the most confident—and why real experts second-guess themselves. When we don’t know enough to recognize our own ignorance, we mistake ease for expertise. Explore how this bias shapes conversations, decisions, and leadership.
Anchoring Bias: Why the First Number You Hear Can Hijack Your Judgment
Anchoring bias makes the first number you hear feel like truth. Whether you're negotiating salary, comparing prices, or estimating time, that initial figure skews your judgment more than you realize. Learn how this subtle bias shapes your choices—and how to regain control.
Negativity Bias: Why the Bad Always Feels Bigger Than the Good
Negativity bias explains why one criticism outweighs ten compliments. Our brains are wired to react more strongly to bad news, harsh feedback, and painful memories—often distorting our perception. Learn how to spot this bias, and what it takes to give the good its rightful weight.
Just-World Hypothesis: Why We Pretend Life Is Fair (Even When It’s Not)
The Just-World Hypothesis is the comforting belief that people get what they deserve. But this illusion of fairness can lead to blame, denial, and distance. Learn how this bias shapes your sense of justice—and how to trade false security for real empathy.
Loss Aversion: Why Losing Hurts More Than Winning Feels Good
Loss aversion is the reason we cling to what's familiar—even when something better is within reach. The pain of losing feels stronger than the pleasure of gaining, and it distorts how we evaluate risk. Learn how this deep-rooted bias shapes your decisions—and how to move forward with more clarity.
Framing Effect: Why the Way Something Is Said Changes What We Hear
The framing effect skews how we make decisions—not by changing the facts, but by changing how they're presented. From health choices to political beliefs, the words around the data shape our perception of truth. Learn how to spot persuasive framing before it shapes your behavior.
Sunk Cost Fallacy: Why We Keep Investing in What’s Already Failing
The sunk cost fallacy keeps us clinging to things that no longer serve us—just because we've already invested time, money, or energy. From doomed projects to draining relationships, we mistake commitment for value. Learn why we double down on bad decisions and how to recognize when it’s time to let go.
Projection Bias: Why We Assume Others Feel What We Feel
Projection bias leads us to assume others feel what we feel—or that our future selves will feel how we feel now. It distorts planning, misguides empathy, and creates misunderstandings in relationships. Learn how this subtle bias tricks your brain into misreading the emotional room and overcommitting in the moment.