Are you biased? Good news: you can use it to your advantage

In the 70s, Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky demonstrated that we are not able to analyze things objectively in all situations. On the contrary, we make mistakes quite often! These two brilliant researchers played a decisive role in understanding our human cognitive functioning by introducing the concept of “systematic cognitive biases.”

#Qu Is it a cognitive bias?

Between the plane and the train, what mode of transport do you find the least risky? If you think it's the second, you're doing a mental shortcut: you use the few things you have in mind (the latest high-profile accidents for example) and you think that their frequency is representative (of the risk of crashing into a plane). It's the representativeness bias. In reality, The plane is statistically safer than the train...

Biases are”systematic deviations in logical thinking“, in the sense that in some situations, you don't really take the time (and resources) to think. These mental biases or shortcuts allow us to avoid cognitive overload, and to take action quickly. They influence how we think and act subconsciously. And it's the same for everyone because we (humans) are literally “wired” to function that way.

#Pourquoi is our operation biased?

An explanatory hypothesis of this functioning is put forward by evolutionary theories. Our prehistoric ancestors had to deal with the dangerous context that surrounded them: nature in the wild, full of constraints. To survive in different situations, the speed of action was decisive : they did not have time to weigh the pros and cons, and often acted according to their “instincts” (and their past experiences).

Here is an example to help you understand: Imagine a prehistoric man in the wild, who has known for several days that a bear is prowling around in search of food (and, of course, he is afraid to encounter it). All of a sudden, he sees a bush that is moving slightly. In theory, it could be the bear hunting you or simply the effect of the wind in the leaves. In this situation, how is he going to act? He will certainly adopt a static behavior, thinking that the bear is hiding in the grove (instead of weighing the pros and cons). In fact, it will use confirmation bias by overestimating the probability that the movement is due to the presence of the bear and acting accordingly (right or wrong, but quickly).

Humans would have “retained” these instinctive mechanisms throughout history, since they ensured survival (in the previous example, it is better to be too careful than not careful enough!). These famous mechanisms (which we now call biases) would then have occurred transmitted in the genes through the succession of generations... up to ours.

As explained just before, we still use these shortcuts and other cognitive biases in our daily lives. However, today's (Western) world has evolved a lot: on a daily basis, these mechanisms no longer serve directly to perpetuate the species, but to save our cognitive system, that is to say, to avoid reasoning - more expensive in energy - (wrongly, or right!).

Let's say you have a meeting tomorrow at 7 p.m. with more than six people, on a topic that is ancillary to your main tasks. Obviously, you don't really want to go there thinking that your presence will be useless but you were told that we were counting on you... So you decide to go to the meeting. By leaving this one, you are likely to think that you were right, and that your participation was not necessary. But maybe you have been influenced by confirmation! Indeed, it is possible that throughout the meeting, you only took into account information that confirmed what you already thought (i.e. that going to this meeting was a waste of time).

#Les nudges rely on this biased functioning

Fortunately, this inherited functioning alone does not constitute our thought system: we are also able to reason, understand these cognitive distortions and even exploit them! This is the idea of Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein who theorize “Nudge” as a gentle method to inspire the right decision. Nudge is a small boost, which uses our cognitive biases to guide us towards “the decision that is best for us.”

We must admit that our actions do not necessarily go in the direction of our intentions (especially when it is necessary to make an effort). We are full of great projects, good resolutions, motivations to change... and yet it is so difficult to take action for real! And it's not just a matter of will, since you now know we are quite often influenced by our systematic cognitive biases (most often subconsciously).

Nudges are based precisely on this biased functioning. By slightly modifying an element of the context at a given moment, they help to adopt a certain behavior. You have to keep in mind that nudge is only a inducement, always optional insofar as the individual is never forced to act and necessarily” winning ” (Hence the name “boost”; -).

Here is an example from the current context: following COVID, many businesses have set up a direction of movement in their premises with a marking on the ground (most often, they are arrows). This system makes it possible to encourage travel in one direction rather than another and meets the definition of Nudge very well: the individual is oriented towards a behavior that is favorable to him, and at a lower cognitive cost (i.e. without the need to think about the safest route).

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Fifty's e-doing solution is also based on this behavioral science principle to support the development of employee skills. Fifty recommends personalized micro-actions to be carried out in the field and encourages them to take action with relevant nudges. Stop talking. Start doing!

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Ariely, D., & Jones, S. (2008). Predictably irrational. New York, NY: Harper Audio.

Kahneman, D. (2012). System 1/System 2: The two speeds of thought. Flammarion.

Thaler, R.H., & Sunstein, C.R. (2017). Nudge: the gentle way to inspire the right decision. Vuibert.

Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. science, 185 (4157), 1124—1131.

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