Your Brain is Flawed!

yep see a lot of that around here from the broad audience, and in other groups, also biases against others beliefs and characters which like many biases i suppose are not driven by fact, that is actual fact.

take care

len

 

Here is a simple puzzle. Don't try to solve it but listen to your intuition:

A bat and ball cost $1.10
The bat costs one dollar more than the ball
How much does the ball cost?

 

1. Confirmation Bias

I try to read other viewpoints on subjects, even ones that I have already formed an opinion about. However, I do have a bias when information is of an obviously slanted nature. I guess I'd be more gullible to information that seemed impartial than to information transmitted with over/undertones.

2. Ingroup Bias

I tend towards solitude, so I have no idea about this one.

3. Gambler's Fallacy

Nope, unless repeatedly trying to get a plant to sprout from seed(in this case, Lavandula angustifolia and Symphytum officinale) after successive failures is part of this(It took 70+ comfrey seeds and an awful lot of lavender seeds before I finally got some seedlings)? Note: get root cuttings of comfrey instead of seeds, and don't try to grow plants that, well, don't grow in your region unless you want failures or just like to experiment like I do.

4. Post-Purchase Rationalization

I usually have buyer's remorse.

5. Neglecting Probability

I don't like flying in planes and prefer driving because I'm in control of the car, not because of the probabilities of dying...I guess I'm a limited control freak. I also hate being a passenger in a vehicle...I like to be the one driving.

6. Observational Selection Bias

While I was awaiting the birth of my daughter, I "noticed more diaper commercials", but I also understood it for what it was.

7. Status-Quo Bias

I hate this one personally. When people tell me "If it ain't broke....", I just want to slap them sometimes. Change is a constant occurrence, therefor we must be willing to change.

8. Negativity Bias

I'm indifferent about this unless I've had a slew of bad news, then I don't really feel like hearing more. I can always listen to good news, since it's apparently a rare thing if you watch the news on television.

9. Bandwagon Effect

Another one that I strongly object to. Usually, if the crowd is going for something I suspect that there is something inherently stupid about it(I'm a believer in people are generally good, unless they're in a group, then they're probably stupid).

10. Projection Bias

Nope. Since most people don't listen to me, I assume that most people do not think like I do(this is from a work perspective, though it may just be laziness on their part too..it's difficult to judge intentions).

11. The Current Moment Bias

Yes, I can dig this one to a certain extent.

12. Anchoring Effect

If I like it, I'll buy it(unless it's outrageously expensive). On Sale! items don't really thrill me, and if the price is still too high, I won't buy it. However, I tend to find items on the cheap side of the menu if someone else is buying.

 

The ball costs 5 cents.

 

The ball costs .10 cents? No idea; I hate those puzzle things probably because I am no good at them! LOL

 

My mind went straight to the higher amount($1.05, though at first my brain said "$0.95", either way I focused on the larger amount), but that might be because of long hours I've been working these last 7 days.

 

The correct mathematical answer is 5 cents - but 85% of people give the answer 10 c. So don't worry mouse - you are 'normal'! Even university graduates get it wrong most of the time. It's a classic psychological test designed by Dr Daniel Kahneman to illustrate how we easily jump to the first conclusion and can't see that we have made an error. Even when it is pointed out to you that it is wrong, it takes some time to get your head around the fact.

And that's just a silly old maths question! How many of our major beliefs about the world are just like this?

 

Darn it!