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Cognitive Bias

Survivorship Bias

Alternative names: survivorship bias, sample bias, selection bias

Definition

The tendency to focus on successful cases and ignore the unsuccessful ones, leading to faulty conclusions. We only see the 'survivors' and know nothing about all those who failed with the same strategy.

Example usage

"Steve Jobs never graduated and succeeded — college is therefore unnecessary." (Ignores the millions of uneducated people who did not succeed.)
Source
https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selekční_zkreslení

Related techniques

Cognitive Bias

Dunning-Kruger Effect

People with limited knowledge in a certain area often overestimate their abilities, while true experts tend to underestimate their knowledge...

Also: Dunning-Kruger effect, overconfidence of the uninformed

Cognitive Bias

Dunning-Kruger Effect

People with limited knowledge in a certain area often overestimate their abilities, while true experts tend to underestimate their knowledge. A beginner does not see the gaps in their understanding because they would need the very knowledge they lack to recognize them.

Example usage
After reading one article about vaccination, someone feels more capable of debating with an immunologist who has been studying the topic for 30 years.

Also: Dunning-Kruger effect, overconfidence of the uninformed

Full detail Source
Cognitive Bias

Halo Effect

The tendency to let one positive trait (appearance, charisma, fame) influence the evaluation of all other characteristics of the same person...

Also: halo effect, aureole effect, first impression

Cognitive Bias

Halo Effect

The tendency to let one positive trait (appearance, charisma, fame) influence the evaluation of all other characteristics of the same person. Attractive people are intuitively rated as smarter, more honest, more capable — without evidence.

Example usage
A politician looks trustworthy and has a pleasant voice, so people assume his economic proposals will be reasonable without studying them.

Also: halo effect, aureole effect, first impression

Full detail Source
Cognitive Bias

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms our existing beliefs. We ignore or downplay information that c...

Also: confirmation bias, selective perception, confirmation distortion

Cognitive Bias

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms our existing beliefs. We ignore or downplay information that contradicts them.

Example usage
A conspiracy theory supporter reads only websites that confirm their views and claims that "there's evidence everywhere," while labeling critical sources as "mainstream."

Also: confirmation bias, selective perception, confirmation distortion

Full detail Source
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