Mind Games: How Biases Impact Your Thinking

Ever noticed how you can make a decision or have an opinion without even really thinking about it? That’s your internal biases, and for better or worse, we all have them. But are yours holding you back?

- Claire Soong

We’ve heard how biases can affect “big-picture” decisions like hiring or even dating, but without even realising it, this form of decision-making could be impacting your more day-to-day decisions.

Biases are basically shortcuts. “They’re formed as quick ways of making sense of a lot of information,” says psychologist Euodia Chua. They aren’t always bad, though – like shortcuts, they help us save time. “When they work, they help us make decisions rapidly with as much information as we can digest,” says Euodia. But the downside is they can also lead us to judge a situation (or person) too quickly.

Being aware of your own biases is half the battle won. Once you know them, it’s easier to view a situation more objectively and apply more logic to it. Here are some of the most common biases practiced on the daily.

Confirmation bias