THE COGNITIVE BIAS CODEX

We store memories differently based

We notice things already primed in
on how they were experienced
memory or repeated often
What Should We We reduce events and lists Bizarre, funny, visually striking, or Too Much

Tip of the tongue phenomenon

to their key elements anthropomorphic things stick out more

s
ry bia
Levels

e non
Remember? than non-bizarre/unfunny things
Information

getting
memo

nom
ct
Availability heuristic
–of–pr
Absent–

osure effe
effect
Next–in–line

ent for
Seria

f Phe
Part

Attentional bias

n
Frequ congruent
o
ocessin

Google effect

t effect
–set

Testing eff

Baad ncy illusi

Illusory truth
l–po ing effe t

o
We discard specifics

minded ct

epend

ei nh

ct
Me odali egle t

cy
R

Mere–exp
Suffix ffect

Pic Res ffect ect

as
c

ffe
sitio
ece
Prim

alla
We notice when something has changed

Om thy ga
ue
to form generalities

mo

M
Le

n bi

t
Contex

ity nce ity e

g effe
Du
M

Vo mor e ss eff

Ne lf–re supe effec

effect
Mi g an eak

Lis

t
Cue–d
–

–
ncy ffect

c
te f
ve

e
Se

ry i y effe t

n e ct

Mood

r
ness
acy bition
rat gth ffec

e
sin

e
effec

issio
ect
t–le ecall effec g

r
lin

bia eff
ria atio pen ule

rio
a

e ra
n
ion

ene
for sh nd

Se ture torff
effe

Emp
h
l

e
n

i
r
m

s
t

Bas
n

arr
c
d

a
P

ga l e v
Fa Ne

Biz
eff

c
n

Hu
e
di ga re al b pes

n
t
c
ec

tiv
r

Fr cu ct t ef m
–e
ng ti
We edit and reinforce

D nt erv g

b t
Fo istin ras atis

c
Co ns rin

am si ion fe
g ef ias
af vity dic as

t
St lici

i
Im

Co cho
fe

n
t
Im

er t s

fe c t
some memories after the fact

ct b ia e
p

e o te
pl

ef fe
An
P
ic

bi s

ct
w

ty re
it on er la

as
pi ot

in ng
ju i
as i

c y
so s n
Sp ci illu ch tio
n
a at e y Fe i as z a
Su cin io on r– n
b
s ali We are drawn to details
Fa g g
ge ef n M ebe t io bia tion as
Mi l s s f a e ra bi
sa So Cry e m tibi ect W
f irm enc ase ive t that confirm our own existing beliefs
ttr rt ec
ibu urce ptom em lity n u h
Co ngr purc ppo ptio y eff
n
tio o
n o conf nes ry Co st– –su erce tanc
We favor simple–looking options Le
ss– f m usi ia Po oice ve p pec ias
is– em on Ch lecti er–ex r's b
ory
and complete information over O
be
tte Se serv ente ct
c r
Co
nju cam' effec Ob erim r effe s
complex, ambiguous options nc sr t p
Ex serve on bi
a
Bik Law tion f azor Ob ecta ect t i
e–s of T allac ff tion
Rhy
me– heddin rivialit y Exp rich e valida e ffec
t
t e e
as–
reas g effec
y Os jectiv enc
on e t u b d i nflu x We notice flaws in others
S e refle
Beli ffect tinu
Infor e Con elweis
mati f bias Sem
m more easily than we
Amb on b
iguity ias l ind s
pot
notice flaws in ourselves
bias s b
To avoid mistakes, Bia ism
Status a ï v e cynic
N
Social c qu realism
we aim to preserve autonomy omparis o bias Naïve
on effec
t
and group status, and avoid Decoy eff tion
ect Confabula
usion
Reactance Clustering ill
irreversible decisions Reverse psycholo
gy Insensitivity to sam
ple size
System justification Neglect of probability
Anecdotal fallacy
Backfire effect Illusion of validity
Masked–man falla
We tend to find stories and
Endowment effect cy
ifficulty effec
t Recency illu
sion patterns even when looking
Processing d e c t Gambler'
rtainty eff s fallacy
Pseudoce ct Hot–han at sparse data
ion effe d fallac
Disposit ia s Illusor y
isk b y corre
Zero–r i s
a Pareid lation
Unit b t Anth
olia
effec ropo
To get things done, we tend IKEA morp
sion hism
s s aver ct Gro
Lo effe t u
to complete things we've a tion en Ulti p attrib
e r mat utio
Gen ommitm ion Ste e at n er
ror
invested time and energy in n of c scalat cy Ess
reo
typ
trib
u tion
i o e a i n
alat nal st fall Fun ential g erro
Esc t i o
Irra nk co c t ism r
Mo ion
Su ect Ju ral cr l fixe
a
eff lty st– dn
m e
v icti nove ng Ar d
gu worl entia ess
ble to nti Au me d h l ef
n t ifia peal cou Au thor nt fr ypot fect
Ide Ap ic dis ffe n
ct Ba tom ity b om f hesis
o l e all
rb an sati on
o Pl ndw atio ias ac
y pe z m n i ac a nb y
H lt e at s eb go
n e ias We fill in characteristics from
Pe omp tific bia is Ou o
To stay focused, we favor the c us n s Cr t–g ef
fe ffec
i sk rt j iptio the rror o
In s ro ct t stereotypes, generalities,
R ffo cr po e ity –g s– up
immediate, relatable thing E as hy on ior r
ro ac h
i and prior histories
l

H ee ivit nte val ad

r
ait tion ibut pe up e om
rn vin r b ro

al r
in front of us r
Fo um g b ias

Ch it
Ba ser rve ont

T fa eff og

o le y ef d h ati effe
u tt r s u
E pti rer ff as

Po t in ive led
b

ef ad fe ere on
tri l a ory vo ec en
lf– se f c

fe er ct
La nin goc mis eff ect

No ac rav
rit t
i

t ei

s
Se –ob n o

a a

ct
t s ty
Wo –Kru ntri bia ct

Re ell–t
is
ive men Illu m bi
o

m e
be ge c b s

W
e
to si

s as

v
n
rd– one effe s
Ac Illu

fe nda

e
ia

ef
ns easy effe t

Me pea cy bi w
e
c
r

fe
Fu
t

D Ap
c

ct
nta to
pe sus e ffect

No rphy

d e
n e fect

Mu sum ip b

e
enc ity bia t

Ze vivors ity ef

r
r

l a pro
fec

m
s

Su
e

u
t

Sub omina
f

cc
ro
O

al
ffec

Den agica

ro
f

r
s

The

ou abi
s
g

Res ncy bia

ation ias

Illusi

's L ias
a
t bia

bias

Curs
ee

n
bias

Spotl
rso
g

ddi
cy

Extrins

tin lity f
n

Illusion
il

Illusion of

b
m

as
Declinism
ion b

Telescoping effect
Moral luck

Rosy retrospection
Outcome bias
Hindsight bias
e

rco sirab

ism bia

a
Impact bia

b
g falla

g
h
on o

tiv
a

train
n

ct
We imagine things and people
e of k ect
H

g
Du
ke

co

ight e
te
rd–

nfid

t
savin
t
de

i
nsis

o
ic ince

f tran

ias
lse

Proje

n ef er 7 ± 2
l nu

we're familiar with or fond of

of exter
Th

all
Plannin
nnov

Pessim

To act, we must be confident we

l

n
cia

f
Fa

ac
ff
owle
–co

Time–

asymmetr

ct
fec
mb
Ove

spar
So

can make an impact and feel what as better

ntive e
Pro–i
Self

t
dge
nal age

ency

we do is important
rror
ic insight

Need To Not Enough

ncy

We simplify probabilities and numbers

to make them easier to think about
Act Fast We think we know what
Meaning
We project our current mindset and
assumptions onto the past and future other people are thinking