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Introduction

• Introduction

1. Cognitive Biases and Human Reasoning

• Overview of the Course

2. What is a Cognitive Bias?

• What is a Cognitive Bias?

• "Biased" Does Not Mean "Prejudiced" or "Bigoted"

• An Example: The Gambler's Fallacy

• The Most Important Discovery of Modern Psychology

3. Cognitive Biases and Their Importance For Critical Thinking

• A Central Aim of Critical Thinking

• "Mindware": Tools For Smart Thinking

4. Why Are So Many Industries Offering Cognitive Bias Training?

• Why is Everyone Talking About Cognitive Biases?

• Reason 1: Avoiding Disasters

• Reason 2: Improving Performance

• Reason 3: Promoting Social Justice

• All of This is Just Applied Critical Thinking

5. A Gentle Introduction to Cognitive Biases

• There are HUNDREDS of Cognitive Biases

• We'll Look at FOUR in Detail

6. Confirmation Bias

• What is Confirmation Bias?

• Biased Memory and the Lunar Effect

• Biased Search for Information (I): Interviews and Framing Effects

• Biased Search for Information (II): How Questions Can Manipulate Memory

• Biased Interpretation of Information: Mulder, Scully, and Giant Alien Spiders

Interlude: Early Podcast Episodes on Cognitive Biases

• Introduction

• Confirmation Bias and the Evolution of Reason

7. Pattern Seeking

• We're Very Good at Seeing Patterns ... Maybe Too Good

• We See Faces Everywhere. Why?

• Cognitive Biases and Adaptive Shortcuts

• Stairway to Heaven, Britney Spears and Backmasking

• Looking for Meaning in German Carpet Bombing Patterns

8. The Anchoring Effect

• What is the Anchoring Effect?

• How Much is This Jacket Really Worth?

• The Basic Shortcut: “Anchor and Adjust”

• Irrelevant Anchors: Judges Literally Roll Dice on Damages

• How to Use Anchoring to Manipulate Public Opinion

9. Hindsight Bias

• What is Hindsight Bias?

• How Hindsight Bias is Demonstrated

• Hindsight Bias, 9-11 and Earthquake Prediction

10. Introduction to Debiasing Strategies

• Debiasing Strategies: Overview

• What is Debiasing?

• Debiasing the Decision-Maker

• Debiasing the Environment (or “How to Make You Stop Littering”)

11. Why Businesses Often Resist Debiasing

• Five Reasons Why Businesses May Resist Debiasing

• We have a BLIND SPOT When it Comes to Our Own Biases

12. Debiasing Strategies That Work

• The General Problem: Narrow Thinking

• Consider the Opposite

• Make People Accountable

• Pre-Mortem Analysis

• The Value of Checklists

• The Benefits and Risks of Group Decision-Making

• The Debiasing Effects of Diversity

• How to Get the Most Out of Brainstorming