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Cognitive biases rank ordered in terms of prevalence

  • Writer: Derek Cabrera
    Derek Cabrera
  • Mar 6
  • 3 min read

Updated: May 25


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Can you spot the bias?DSRP is a form of bias inoculation. In the table below, biases are ranked in order of how fundamental and common they are and therefore their impact on cognition. Although most biases will be the result of failures across all four DSRP patterns of organization, the predominant or initial pattern that influences the bias has been identified. Generally speaking this means that by making DSRP more explicit (along with awareness of the specific bias itself) the tendency toward the bias can be remedied.

Rank in Terms of Prevalence

Bias Name

Bias Description

Predominant DSRP Pattern

1

Reality Bias

The tendency to believe one's perception of reality is the 'true' reality, ignoring the limitations and distortions of one's mental models.

P (Perspective-driven distortion of reality)

2

Confirmation Bias

Favoring information that confirms preexisting beliefs.

R (Strengthening relationships that confirm existing beliefs)

3

Anchoring Bias

Relying too heavily on the first piece of information encountered.

D (Fixation on an initial distinction)

4

Availability Heuristic

Overestimating the importance of information that is readily available.

R (Over-reliance on a relationship with recent information)

5

Base Rate Fallacy

Ignoring general statistical information in favor of specific anecdotes.

S (Ignoring systemic statistical information)

6

Framing Effect

Drawing different conclusions based on how the same information is presented.

P (Perspective-dependent decision-making)

7

Hindsight Bias

Seeing past events as more predictable than they actually were.

P (Reframing past events through a new perspective)

8

Overconfidence Bias

Overestimating one's abilities or knowledge.

D (Overestimating one’s own distinction of knowledge)

9

Gambler’s Fallacy

Believing that past random events influence future probabilities.

R (Perceived but false relationships in random events)

10

Loss Aversion

Preferring to avoid losses rather than acquiring equivalent gains.

D (Strong distinction between losses and gains)

11

False Memory

Recalling events that did not actually occur.

S (Reconstructing memory through added/removed parts)

12

Misinformation Effect

Memory distortion due to post-event information.

R (Relationships formed with incorrect post-event data)

13

Serial Position Effect

Remembering the first and last items in a sequence better than those in the middle.

S (Systematic memory processing for first and last items)

14

Rosy Retrospection

Remembering past events more positively than they actually were.

P (Perspective shifts memory towards positivity)

15

Self-Serving Bias

Attributing success to oneself but failures to external factors.

P (Perspective bias in attributing success/failure)

16

Change Blindness

Failing to notice changes in a visual scene.

D (Failure to distinguish changes in environment)

17

Inattentional Blindness

Failing to perceive objects that are not the focus of attention.

D (Ignoring distinctions not in focal attention)

18

Contrast Effect

Perceiving something as better or worse depending on what it is compared to.

D (Strong differentiation due to juxtaposition)

19

Illusory Correlation

Seeing a relationship between two variables when none exists.

R (Perceived but nonexistent relationship between variables)

20

Actor-Observer Bias

Attributing others’ behaviors to their character but one’s own to situational factors.

P (Perspective shift between self and others)

21

Fundamental Attribution Error

Overemphasizing personality traits and underestimating situational factors.

P (Perspective bias overemphasizing personality)

22

Halo Effect

Allowing one positive trait to influence overall perception.

R (Generalizing positive traits across relationships)

23

Groupthink

Prioritizing group cohesion over rational decision-making.

S (Systemic pressure towards consensus)

24

Stereotyping

Generalizing characteristics to an entire group of people.

D (Rigid distinctions applied to groups)

25

Optimism Bias

Believing one is less likely to experience negative outcomes.

P (Perspective-based expectation of positive outcomes)

26

Negativity Bias

Giving more weight to negative experiences than positive ones.

P (Perspective bias favoring negative experiences)

27

Status Quo Bias

Preferring things to remain the same rather than change.

S (Resistance to systemic change)

28

Endowment Effect

Overvaluing things simply because one owns them.

R (Stronger relationship with owned objects)

29

Cognitive Dissonance

Adjusting beliefs to resolve internal inconsistencies.

S (Restructuring belief system to resolve tension)

30

Dunning-Kruger Effect

People with low competence overestimate their abilities.

D (Distorted self-assessment of ability)

31

Illusion of Control

Overestimating one’s influence over external events.

R (Perceived relationship between actions and outcomes)

32

Belief Perseverance

Holding onto beliefs despite contradictory evidence.

S (Rigid belief structures resisting change)

33

Choice-Supportive Bias

Remembering past choices as better than they were.

P (Perspective-driven justification of past decisions)


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