5 main stereotypes of the subconscious leading to wrong decisions

Speed ​​preserves time and energy, but sometimes such a reflex reaction leads to bad consequences. In this article, Norma Montague, Associate Professor of Accounting at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, will tell you how to avoid the negative consequences of an instant decision.

Daily prejudice influences the reasoning process, but few of us suspect their existence.
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"The word" bias "has a negative connotation. But most often this involuntary phenomenon is simply the result of heuristics. Prejudices are mental simplifications that allow people to make quick and effective decisions. Usually the result of their use is the right actions, but this is not always the case, ”says Norma.

Prejudices perform their role remarkably well, since they are usually systemic and predictable. Problems arise when people habitually rely on this method of decision making, excluding or ignoring additional information (we recommend reading a useful article on how to work and not forget, while living ).

Montague's research on this topic was published in the Journal of Accountancy ^★ . In it, she gives an example of a person living in New York: “There are many one-way streets, and residents who are accustomed to traffic flow are quicker if they look only to the right before crossing the street. But if we move such a person to London, where the movement is on the left side, mental simplifications can play a cruel joke with him. ”

Despite the fact that Montague's research is aimed at bias in accounting, her findings are relevant to any profession. She revealed 5 preconceptions that affect thoughts, and told how to avoid wrong decisions based on them.

1) Availability

If, when making a decision, you rely on the most easily accessible information, you can miss key facts or advice, Montague notes.

People tend to make decisions based on the most superficial information. Problems arise when making a choice, because their knowledge or concepts may differ.

Addiction to accessibility is particularly badly misled if the information is subjective. If you are asked, for example, to evaluate the attitude of your productivity to the productivity of other people, the majority will recognize their contribution as more significant, since it is the easiest to get information about yourself.

Avoid this stereotype. This will help the regular use of "feedback" before making a decision.

2) Anchor

If you assess a situation with an anchor fact, you can come to the wrong conclusion. Montague checked this bias by giving an arbitrary numeric value of 300 to one half of the class and 3000 to the other. Then she asked the students to estimate the length of the Mississippi. The average answer for those who got the anchor “300” was 800 miles, and those who received “3000” called an average of 2,800 miles.

Anchors, according to Montague, are popular sellers tactics. “When you, for example, buy a car, sellers deliberately give out an anchor number, because they know that the majority of people are unlikely to deviate from it,” she said.

Avoid this prejudice by verifying the facts obtained.

If you want to take advantage of the negotiations, be the first to anchor.

3) Arrogance

Despite the fact that arrogance is very common among top managers, she, according to Montague, can cause habits that lead to rash actions. For example, to impracticable promises.

Decision-makers are able to overestimate their ability to perform tasks. If you are arrogant, but fail, then let your team or company fail. What is interesting, some consider it a good habit!

To get rid of such a behavioral pattern, it is worth making a habit of some delay in making a decision (within a reasonable time frame!) And getting advice from employees. This will make sure that your promises are fulfilled.

4) Confirmation

People looking only for evidence of the truth of their hopes or expectations will make decisions under the influence of bias.

“This stereotype is often found in disputes when facts are needed that support the desired conclusion. The problem arises if there are data that protect the opposite point of view and weaken your position, ”Montague explains.

Get rid of prejudice by testing your decisions with professional skepticism!

Look at the situation from a different angle or explain why your inner judgment may be incorrect. Such a tactic will force you to take a time out and carefully consider the shortcomings of the chosen solution.

5) haste

A strong desire to make a decision right now, without losing time, can lead to an error. But hurrying people often do not consider it necessary to weigh all possible data before making a choice. Montague notes that external factors usually lead to the haste of people — financial or time constraints.

If you are in a hurry, you are more likely to become a victim of other biases.

Avoid this tendency by stretching the decision making process whenever possible. Awareness is the first step to prudence.

PS We recommend another article on the topic - Five misconceptions about productivity, which we inspire .

Translated by Vyacheslav Davidenko, founder of MBA Consult