Chapter 63
Taming our Biases
In our introduction to Cognitive Biases, we found that while biases served various evolutionary functions for early humans, they can be maladaptive in today’s generally benign world. Let’s use the example of the Availability Heuristic. With this bias, your judgments are influenced by what springs most readily to mind because of how recent, emotionally powerful, or unusual an event is. This bias helped primitive humans avoid dangerous situations.
Five
hundred thousand years ago, Jon’s adventurous friend Ham was killed by a jaguar
in a nearby jungle. Jon never ventured close to that area without fear and
hesitation. Because of his natural inclination to stay safe, he lived to father
children, and this trait of caution and fear was passed on. Recently, Jon’s
descendant Tom read about a horrible plane crash in Portugal and now refuses to
consider a European vacation with his wife despite the fact that the likelihood
of a crash is remote. Even the thought of the trip leaves him in a cold sweat.
Consequently, Tom’s life shrinks, and he lives with a disgruntled spouse. The
situations Jon and Tom faced were statistically dissimilar. Yet the biological
reactions were identical. So how do we manage (tame) biases in our own
experience to minimize the harm they may do to us or those we love?
Before
answering that question, let’s circle back to the Cognitive Bias
self-reflection questionnaire you may have completed. Did you detect what I
assume are occasional stumbles caused by your biases? If you didn’t do the
exercise, no worries. Here is a relatively easy self-assessment you can do the
next time you are in a busy public space to see if you are prone to the Group
Attribution Error. At a grocery store, for example, stand inconspicuously off
to the side near a major aisle. Next, pick up a can or jar and pretend you are
studying the label. Now, occasionally glance at people as they bustle by you.
Observe your own mental and emotional reactions to what you see. I am confident
that, without effort, you will make snap judgments and draw quick conclusions about each of these people. No need to confirm or refute your assessments
by speaking with them. The point is that you are almost instantaneously drawing
conclusions. You may be correct for some.
But I’ll guarantee you won’t be able to imagine what brought them to
this store today, what they are thinking or worrying about, and what they were
doing three years ago. What if you had to make a snap decision about whether to
trust them with your wallet, purse, or, for that matter, your life in the next
few moments?
Taming
our cognitive biases isn’t about eliminating them all together. As humans we
are incapable of that. Cognitive Biases are not by definition, a bad thing.
They don’t have to lead to harmful results. But they can.
It is important we learn how to recognize and
manage them, so they don’t cloud our judgments when judgments matter.
Here are some practical management techniques you can try.
1.
Increase Self-Awareness
- Learn about the most common biases (like
confirmation, anchoring, and availability).
- Reflect on how they might be influencing your
thoughts or decisions.
- Ask: “Am I being objective—or just confirming what I already believe?”
2.
Slow Down Your Thinking
- Most biases come from fast, intuitive thinking
(what Kahneman calls "System 1").
- Try to engage deliberate, rational thought
("System 2").
- Strategy: Take a pause before reacting, especially in emotionally charged situations.
3.
Seek Diverse Perspectives
- Talk to people with different viewpoints to
challenge your assumptions.
- This weakens confirmation bias and groupthink.
- Practice asking: “What would someone who disagrees with me say?”
4.
Use Checklists or Decision Frameworks
- Tools like pros and cons lists, SWOT analysis, or
the pre-mortem technique help reduce bias by forcing you to think more
critically.
- Write out your reasoning to make it visible—and easier to question.
5.
Play Devil’s Advocate (or Ask One)
- Deliberately argue against your own view to expose
flaws or blind spots.
- Even better: ask a friend or colleague to challenge your reasoning constructively.
6.
Track Your Decisions and Outcomes
- Keep a decision journal to review what influenced
your choices.
- Over time, patterns emerge that show where biases may be skewing your judgment.
7.
Focus on Data, Not Just Stories
- Personal anecdotes can trigger the availability
bias or emotional reasoning.
- Make a habit of looking for objective evidence, not just what feels compelling.
8.
Practice Mindfulness
- Being present and aware helps reduce automatic
reactions and emotional triggers.
- Even a few minutes a day can improve your mental clarity and self-regulation.