So, I was thinking about how we make decisions, you know? Like, why do we choose one thing over another? It’s not always as straightforward as we think. I decided to look into this whole thing about biases in thinking and how they mess with our decision-making. This is all from the angle of IB psychology, by the way.
I started by just reading up on what biases actually are. Turns out, they’re like these mental shortcuts our brain takes to make decisions faster. But these shortcuts aren’t always the best route. They can lead us down some weird paths. It’s kind of like, you know, your brain just being lazy. And, I started to recognize these in my life all the time.
Then, I got into specific types of biases. There are tons, but I focused on two big ones: anchoring bias and the peak-end rule.
- Anchoring bias is basically when you get fixated on the first piece of information you get. Like, if you see a shirt for $100 and then find one for $50, you might think $50 is a great deal, even if it’s still a bit pricey. I started to do some experiments on myself and it blew my mind.
- The peak-end rule is where you judge an experience based on how you felt at its most intense moment and at the end, rather than the whole thing. So, a vacation with a few amazing moments and a good ending might seem better than it actually was overall. It is just not reasonable sometimes.
I started noticing these biases everywhere, like in ads, news, even in my own thoughts. It’s crazy how much they influence us without us even realizing it. Like I was being controlled by those biases! I even wrote down examples whenever I caught myself or others falling for these biases. My notebook’s full of this stuff now.
But I didn’t just want to know about these biases, I wanted to, like, fight back. I read that just being aware of them is a huge step. So, I started actively questioning my decisions. “Am I just going with this because it was the first option I saw? Am I judging this whole thing based on just the best part and the end?” It is like you are arguing with yourself in your brain.
I also tried to get more perspectives before making big decisions. Talking to people, reading different articles, just trying not to jump to conclusions. It’s more work, for sure, but I feel like I’m making better choices now. I even tried to explain these biases to my friends so we could keep each other in check.
It’s a work in progress, but I feel like I’m getting somewhere. It’s not about never being biased—that’s probably impossible. It’s more about recognizing when it’s happening and trying to be a bit more objective. And, it’s kind of fun, in a nerdy way, to catch these biases in action and try to outsmart them.
So, yeah, that’s what I’ve been up to. Thinking about thinking. It’s a wild ride, but I think it’s making me a bit wiser. Or at least, a bit more aware of how easily our brains can trick us. I do believe there are more to explore.
