News

Society

Science

Health

Culture

Subscribe

Nobel Prize winner reveals 21 ‘mind trap’ thinking errors that could be holding you back

Once you see the traps they are much easier to avoid.

By

Erik Barnes

By  Erik Barnes
Add to Google News
mind traps, logical fallacies, anxiety, mental health, critical thinking
Photo credit: Canva – Mind traps could be interfering with your day-to-day critical thinking.

Hate to break it to you, but you’re not always in complete control of your thinking. Your decisions and thoughts are constantly influenced by outside forces and biases deep within your brain, or that are just hardwired through life experience, evolution, and so on. We don’t always think about how we’re thinking, and it could get us stuck in life.

Fortunately, the folks at Escaping Ordinary have cooked up an extensive list of the most common “mind traps” that have been taken from the Nobel Prize-winning behavioral psychologist Daniel Kahneman and his book Thinking, Fast and Slow. They have found 21 fallacies, biases, and other concepts that could interfere with logical, thoughtful thinking. We’re only going to go over ten of them—and note you may not be able to control them all—but recognizing them could help you make better decisions.

thoughts, psychology, mind, mind traps, questions
Analyzing how you think could help you think better overall. Photo credit: Canva

1. Cognitive Dissonance

Have you ever tried to build IKEA furniture and quit midway saying it was junk anyway? This is Cognitive Dissonance, a belief (“This IKEA bookcase would be great!”) versus a new belief (“Meh, that bookcase sucked anyway.”). Instead of acknowledging your limitations and improving upon them (furniture assembly, in this case), you write it off as worthless and don’t improve.

2. The Halo Effect

The Halo Effect makes us cling to the first piece of information rather than the entire sum, especially when it’s positive. Positive first impressions influence the rest of our thinking, making objectively bad ideas or people seem better or trustworthy. It’s why many people stay in toxic romantic relationships—they remember and cling to the initial attractive qualities instead of stepping back to analyze the entire personality of their partner.

3. Confirmation Bias

Confirmation Bias is when you have an existing belief and try to find evidence to enforce that belief while unintentionally discarding any evidence that conflicts with that belief. Our egos keep us from wanting ourselves to think we’d believe in something false for so long. Hence, confirmation bias often keeps us from expanding our knowledge and has us filter the information we pay attention to. Even smart people make this mistake instead of retesting theories and asking bigger questions.

4. The Spotlight Effect

Ever go to a party thinking everyone notices that pimple on your cheek? The Spotlight Effect is when people determine that others are observing them more than they are. In reality, very few people or no one actually notices, and if they do notice, they don’t really care. So, just have fun, don’t be anxious, and don’t worry about the blemish.

5. The Anchoring Effect

When you’re entering an auto dealership, you’re entering a world of the Anchoring Effect. Have you ever seen the ridiculously expensive sticker price on a car then a slash over it with a new, lower price? It looks like a much better deal, but is it really? The dealer is actually using your “anchors” of price expectations to make it seem better when the “deal” is the profitable price they wanted you to pay in the first place.

6. The Baader-Meinhoff Phenomenon

Continuing from the previous entry, let’s say you didn’t fall for the Anchoring Effect at the dealership and bought a Nissan Cube. You never noticed it before, but all of a sudden you start seeing Nissan Cubes at the grocery store parking lot, in your neighborhood, and everywhere. This is the Baader-Meinhoff Phenomenon. It’s an illusion that something appears more often, but it was always there. You just hadn’t bothered to notice it before.

7. The Contrast Effect

This is another one that can apply to shopping. Paying $699.00 for wheels for a Mac Pro computer seems incredibly expensive and you’d probably look for cheaper options if you were buying the wheels alone for a computer tower. However, your brain might think it’s not so bad if you’re buying them alongside a new $6,999.00 Mac Pro. It’s best to check yourself to make sure you’re not getting upsold through comparison and contrast.

8. The Zeigarnik Effect

If you’re a person who hyper focuses on incomplete tasks to the point in which it’s causing anxiety and you’re ignoring all that you did finish or accomplish, you’re a victim of the Zeigarnik Effect. Psychologists say the best method to combat the negative impact is to handwrite your tasks down on a note pad to not only remind you of what is unfinished and needs to be checked off, but also to have a written history about all that you have accomplished once you complete those tasks so you can be kinder to yourself.

9. The Paradox of Choice

If you’re subscribed to Netflix or some other streaming service, it’s because they offer hundreds of different movies and TV shows, right? But how many times do you spend long periods of time scrolling through them all, feeling fatigued, and doing something else instead? This situation is the Paradox of Choice. We tire ourselves out because there are so many options in front of us that we end up choosing nothing out of mental paralysis. If presented with a smaller size of potential picks, it’s easier for our brains to weigh pros and cons while also feeling good about the final decision, since there is less chance of missing out on something better.

10. Gambler’s Fallacy

Ever see a gambler who thinks that, since the roulette wheel landed on black three times, it’s best to bet on red? Or did you take a multiple-choice test and pick option C even though B felt like the right answer because you had already chosen B in the previous two questions? It feels like it should change, even though statistically everything is the same. That’s the root of the Gambler’s Fallacy. It’s best to remember that there’s no “balancing force” behind guesses, choices, and chance.

Knowing and recognizing all of these may help you better understand how your brain works, and, hopefully, lead to better decisions in the long term. If you want to know about other cognitive concepts that could be hindering your progress or interfering with your day-to-day life, you can learn about the 11 other mind traps in Escaping Obscurity’s video below.

Add to Google News

Tags

advertisement

More for You

  • How to be grateful to someone – even when you really don’t want to
    Photo credit: Focus Pixel Art/Moment via Getty Images – At times, feeling personally grateful to someone can feel like a big ask – but there are other forms of gratitude.
    ,

    How to be grateful to someone – even when you really don’t want to

    A change in perspective can make gratitude easier.

    Good Partner

    Mark Schroeder

    Mark Schroeder

    There are few greater feelings than the sense of heartfelt gratitude to another human being who has done you a solid. Sincere thanks and reciprocation are part of the glue that binds us in human relationships.

    But sometimes you’re just not feeling it. You know that you have benefited from what someone has done for you, but you don’t really feel grateful to them for doing it. Most teenagers go through this period with their parents. Maybe you take your partner or colleague for granted.

    For me, 14 years ago, it was my mother-in-law. She had upended her life to move from South Dakota to California to live with my wife and me to assist with childcare after our daughter was born; no other source of childcare fit with our demanding work schedules and my commute. She made a huge sacrifice that transformed our lives, but there were moments when I really struggled to feel grateful.

    Since that time, I’ve come to devote much of my research as a philosopher to studying how the way that we interpret each other as people shapes our relationships. That work has helped me to understand why I struggled to be grateful – and taught me a little bit about how to do better.

    Personal gratitude

    I’ve found that the hardest part of feeling grateful to someone is the “to” part. It is one thing to be impersonally grateful that something happened and another thing to be personally grateful to someone for doing it. These are not the same.

    Both forms of gratitude require seeing something as a benefit. And they both require a humble recognition of how easily things could have been otherwise. When the rain ends a drought, an atheist can feel grateful that the tomatoes will survive. But the atheist isn’t grateful “to” anyone for the rain.

    A line of around a dozen men wearing white sarongs stand in waist-high water, holding their hands up in prayer.
    Priests offer prayers to Varuna, the Hindu god of rain, as they stand in the Osman Sagar on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India, on July 16, 2013. AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A

    Personal gratitude requires more than impersonal gratitude. It is an example of what the philosopher Peter Strawson calls a “participant” attitude: an attitude that we have toward people, but not toward things. And a large theme in my work is that participant attitudes such as gratitude involve giving someone credit for what the attitude responds to.

    But which benefits we give people credit for is complicated. As philosophers such as Tony Manela have argued, actions motivated primarily by money, self-interest or insecurity don’t merit personal gratitude, even when they benefit you. Actions motivated by love, generosity or concern, on the other hand – or other “pro-social” motives – do.

    Sometimes people fail to feel gratitude because they take someone for granted, not noticing how easily they could have done otherwise. This wasn’t my problem with my mother-in-law. It was obvious that she didn’t have to move across the country to live with us.

    But it was hard to avoid noticing that she had always wanted to live in California. Sometimes it is hard to feel grateful because of how we interpret someone’s motives. They could have done otherwise, but we don’t think their action was really “about us.”

    Bad motives are easy to find

    Sometimes ungenerous motives can help people to be generous. Your child’s kindergarten teacher isn’t a volunteer. They may be a naturally generous person – but still, they probably wouldn’t be working with your child on spelling, arithmetic and handling adversity if they weren’t getting a paycheck.

    It’s still appropriate to be grateful to them. Their financial incentive to show up for work enables their generosity, rather than competing with it.

    A row of young children sit on the floor, clapping, as they face a seated teacher in a striped yellow shirt.
    Your child’s teacher might be generous, but their job enables them to act on that generosity every day. svetikd/E+ via Getty Images

    Elementary school teachers are not alone. After all, people’s decisions are often driven by many factors: some that merit gratitude and others that don’t. So if you go looking for selfish motives, you are bound to find some.

    Take your partner, for example. They do something that benefits you: buying you flowers, filling your tank with gas or finally taking their turn to wash the dishes. They are partly motivated by generosity, love or communal spirit. But, as in any close relationship, sometimes they may be hoping to get something out of it: reciprocation, maybe, or getting you off their back.

    It matters which of these you interpret as their “true” motive: Seeing it one way opens you up to gratitude, while the other precludes it.

    What are ‘true’ motives?

    The distinction between someone’s “true” motive and the other motives that enable it looks like the distinction between causes and enabling conditions. For example, when you drop a wine glass, the fragility of the glass enables the drop to cause the break, but it isn’t itself a cause of the break – the drop is.

    In the case of the falling glass, there’s a clear, objective answer to what caused the break and what merely enabled it. But I believe that relating to people is deeply different than understanding physical things.

    The key question in whether to be grateful to someone isn’t about which motives count as “causes.” It is about which cause we need to bring into focus in order to see the other person more clearly for who they are.

    See it their way

    In other words, it’s at least partly a matter of perspective. If someone does you a favor, but you know they’re hoping for something in return, you can see that as their “true” motive. But you don’t have to see it that way. Instead, you could see that motive as the condition they need for their generosity to thrive.

    Shifting perspectives isn’t easy. When you’re doubting someone’s motives, their lack of generosity can feel obvious. But it helps to remember that people tend to believe they’re acting generously. If you want to respond with gratitude, try seeing them as they see themselves.

    What if that doesn’t work?

    Well, the next best thing to being grateful to someone is being grateful for them. Starting there is a good way to remind yourself of why you value this relations

    This article originally appeared on The Conversation. You can read it here.

    Keep Reading →
  • Men were stunned when asked the same types of career questions women regularly face
    Photo credit: Canva – Uncomfortable man gets questions women often face during a job interview.
    ,

    Men were stunned when asked the same types of career questions women regularly face

    Questions many women recognize instantly.

    Mark Wales

    “How much do you think your looks helped you get promoted to your position?” Unfortunately for many women, this isn’t a shocking question. Interviews, performance reviews, and typical professional interactions can reveal a double standard and workplace bias.

    In a social-experiment-style reel by lifestyle creator @bol.lifestyle, these questions were instead asked of men. Their discomfort and disbelief reveal why the standards women face regarding credibility are impossible to ignore.

    An experiment to reveal a double standard

    In the video, men are placed in an interview-style setup and asked a series of questions. Hearing these skewed questions for the first time, their expressions shift quickly from curious to confused and uncomfortable.

    Host: Have you ever been asked to just smile and look pretty or smile and say nothing in a meeting with a customer?

    One man appears somewhat shocked and uncomfortable. He quickly responds, almost dismissive at even being asked the question, “No.”

    Host: Do you think that your looks helped you getting promoted or moving up to your current position?

    Another man reflects and appears unable to answer the question.

    Host: Looking so good. By the way, I do love the shoes. Are these designer or your particular brand that you really like?

    A third man awkwardly smiles and vents some air, almost as if the ridiculous question doesn’t feel fitting at all. He doesn’t answer.

    Host: Do your hormones sometimes get in the way?

    A fourth man responds, “Hormones?” He awkwardly laughs and adds, “I don’t, I don’t know.”

    Host: Do you sometimes wonder whether you’ve been chosen for this position because you’re a man?

    Man 2 responds definitively, “No, not because I was a man.”

    Host: How do you handle in your job being assertive without being perceived as aggressive or bitchy?

    Man 1 tilts his head back and reflects on the question. “That’s uh, that’s a question that I find it very hard to relate to.” He then adds, “Because it’s not a situation I’ve been in.”

    women, career questions, role reversal, double standards
    Many microphones are held in front of a man.
    Photo credit Canva

    Real questions women face

    After this first series of questions, the video presents titles claiming: These were real questions asked to our female leaders throughout their careers.

    The host goes on to ask the men how they feel about this particular line of questioning. Their response is predictable.

    “It really, really, really feels uncomfortable. And I also feel it in my body,” said Man 3.

    “When hearing these things still happen, it makes me also feel that, hey, maybe I am more privileged than I thought I was,” added Man 1.

    At the end of the interview, the men seemed a little upset and surprised by the double standard. They collectively hoped for change, and some suggested they themselves were responsible for helping things get better.

    change, equality, career advancement, bias
    A man writes the word “change.”
    Photo credit Canva

    People advocate for change

    People seemed to really respond to the video. With over 6,000 comments, there was a consensus confirming the experience and advocating for change.

    “Men, our male privilege is real. How we use it is up to us, and hopefully we use it to protect and improve the experience of the women in our workplace.”

    “If you have sons, please prepare them to improve the way the world treats women.”

    “The man that felt it in his body… welcome to the life of a woman”

    “Perhaps the greatest privilege is never having to notice your own privilege.”

    “Oh my God. I have heard ALL of these questions. And more.”

    “Well done. We have to show a different way and we can do it with grace! We have to do it different.”

    “It’s not what we perceive , it’s what is .”

    “THIS experiment should be undertaken in workplaces all over the world…”

    perspective shift, workplace culture, office bias, normalized
    Women and men working together.
    Photo credit Canva

    It’s not about finger-pointing

    It can be easy to get lost in finger-pointing. Although at times the comments might feel like a pile-on, the success of the video lies in its simple setup. It takes a familiar experience and shifts the perspective so that people might hear it a little differently.

    Certain assumptions or expectations can become so normalized that people, maybe mostly men, stop noticing them altogether. Is it possible for workplace conversations to be more thoughtful, fair, and aware than they have been or, in some circumstances, still are?

    The intent of the video seemed less about provoking a fight. It demonstrated that some basic reflection and small shifts of awareness can lead to better experiences for everyone. There’s a familiar proverb that comes to mind: walk a mile in my shoes. These men seemed to gain some real perspective from the opportunity.

    Keep Reading →
  • Young boy struggles through painful stutter until his singing videos change everything 
    Photo credit: WQAD News 8/YouTube – Lando sings.
    ,

    Young boy struggles through painful stutter until his singing videos change everything 

    “One kids courage to show up, speak up, and sing his voice free.”

    Mark Wales

    A boy named Lando is gaining attention online after people started sharing and liking the two very different kinds of videos he creates. In one, he candidly speaks with a severe stutter. In the other, he sings smoothly, without the same pauses and repetitions that appear when he talks.

    Perhaps it’s the dramatic contrast that has people liking and clicking. For whatever reason, as Lando shares on his website, #stutterfreelando, he’s created an awareness movement around stuttering “born from one kid’s courage to show up, speak up, and sing his voice free.”

    The young entertainer is easy to like

    Finding a young person navigating his speech difficulties so charismatically and confidently is admirable. He’s not wavering under the spotlight. He’s shining.

    His family shares about their experience and the methods they’ve found helpful with his stutter on their website:

    “This is a family journey. We’re one of millions of families around the world navigating stuttering to learn what works, what doesn’t, and figuring it out as we go. Some of what we share helps Lando. Some might not. We’re learning that every stutterer is different. No more hiding.”

    Facing a severe stutter can be more complicated than practicing with a speech therapist.

    “Traditional therapy hasn’t given us the breakthroughs we need. Therapists are trying. We are trying. But we refuse to sit quietly and hope it clicks. So we built this, a movement where our family shares what we’re learning out loud. Real strategies. Real techniques. Lando’s good days and the hard ones. Not a highlight reel. Not a gofund me. Real life.”

    It feels good to join a winning team

    After watching any of his videos, it’s clear why so many people keep coming back.

    In one clip, Lando talks about reaching 50,000 followers on Instagram and an upcoming interview with a local news outlet. The message expressed with gratitude and happiness is simple, but it takes time for him to get there. That process draws people in.

    “Congratulations on your followers, add one more”

    “Great work buddy!”

    “Ah Lando, I’m really enjoying your videos”

    “That excitement is so cute! I love how supportive everyone has been!”

    “Great job little man keep it going. You inspire a lot of people with the same problem.”

    “thankyou for sharing, your super cool.”

    Singing allows his words to come out in a continuous flow

    The difference isn’t subtle. In speech, words can stall and be difficult to get out. In song, they move by the rhythm that reduces stops. These are some of the comments you can find on just one of his singing videos posted above:

    “GOD BLESS YOU LANDO!!!!! YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!!”

    “The eyebrows at the end was fire.”

    “You are an inspiration”

    “Brilliant buddy”

    “… sounding smooth.”

    “Lando with the great voice!!!”

    “Now … this kid has charisma!!!”

    A courageous little showman

    Lando’s videos stand out not just for singing or stuttering, but because both are available, openly shared, without one being hidden or edited out of view. There’s no attempt to turn it all into a single narrative of struggle or success. Instead, what people see is a boy using his voice as it is.

    There is something instinctive about the way people rally around a kid like Lando. Sharing the hard parts and the moments that come more easily gives everyone a clear way to respond. Cheering him on, leaving a positive comment, or even just watching and listening allows each of us to take a small part in that effort.

    It’s less about celebrating the win and more about recognizing the work and the courage to keep going. Lando is talking and singing it out loud.

    Keep Reading →

advertisement

children, social media, mental health, laws
Work

New York passes SAFE for Kids Act to protect children from social media addiction

aging, lifespan, science, discovery
Research

New Russian research suggests that the human lifespan could be up to 156 years

midnight chef, social media, cooking, late night snack
Internet

Woman documents her nephew’s late night culinary quests as the viral ‘Midnight Chef’

medical debt, debt relief, economy, government
Money Culture

Millions of Illinois residents wake up to find that $2.6 billion of their medical debt has been eliminated

firefighters, kidney donation, health, kindness
Local

Arizona firefighter donates her kidney to a fellow firefighter—her husband

Sign Up for the Daily Good!

By subscribing, you accept beehiiv's Terms of Use & Privacy Policy. Our site's Privacy Policy applies.

Advertisement

Explore More Ideas Stories

See All
At times, feeling personally grateful to someone can feel like a big ask – but there are other forms of gratitude.
Ideas

How to be grateful to someone – even when you really don’t want to

Good Partner
gender, Instagram, career, workplace bias, social experiment
Impact

Men were stunned when asked the same types of career questions women regularly face

Mark Wales
TikTok, Instagram, Viral video, stutter, singing, community, speech therapy
Voices

Young boy struggles through painful stutter until his singing videos change everything 

Mark Wales
cleaning hack, ice cubes, bathroom cleaning, toilet cleaning
Ideas

Homeowners swear by this simple ice cold hack that thoroughly makes your toilets cleaner

Erik Barnes