Behind the curtain of free will. A reality you’ve never known.
Have you ever wanted to choose but felt pulled to another? Sometimes, your mind tricks you. These tricks, called cognitive errors, lead us to decisions that aren’t rational.
Our decision-making system is a fascinating and intricate process. It operates beneath our conscious awareness and influences our decisions against our deepest desires.
This article aims to define ‘cognitive biases’ and explain their workings in a way that enhances our understanding of decision-making. By doing so, we can improve our decisions and create the best-controlled choice in games.
An illusion of choice occurs when you have many options, but these options are limited in some way. Another party controls the choices, creating misleading options. It may happen when we select a snack, a movie, or what to buy.
For example, at the superstore, you might come across a large number of products, but they are all owned by the same company.
The illusion means presenting things that seem or appear real but are, in fact, not true. It is like when someone tries to trick us into believing things that are not true. Understanding these illusions can help us lead healthier lives.
Example: A notice of something on sale that says “50% off” might encourage you to consider that you are getting a super deal. The regular selling price might have been raised to make the discounted price seem larger. This makes the item appear to be a good deal for you to buy, which you may not need.
Heuristics are mental shortcuts for quick decisions. Our brains deceive themselves, resulting in mistaken perceptions of reality.
Biases trick us into thinking we’re making decisions by offering different options. Understanding these biases is crucial as it empowers us to make better choices by showing when our options are limited.
“You can do what you decide to do—but you cannot decide what you will decide to do.”
Biases often affect our decisions without us knowing. For instance, at a restaurant, seeing “Chef’s Special” might make you think it’s the best dish. It is an example of “authority bias,” where we trust expert choices.
Biases affect our daily choices, like what to wear or watch. Seeing many people enjoy a TV show might make you want to watch it, too. This effect is called the bandwagon effect.
Sometimes, we stick to brands we see in commercials. It is “familiarity bias.” Our minds prefer the familiar, avoiding the unknown and the risk of failure.
Emotions in decision-making can either amplify these biases or counteract them, influencing our perception of choice in ways we may not even realize.
The concept of decision illusion refers to the state of choosing while being influenced by unseen factors. Due to these unseen biases, our brains can commit to choices without us realising them. By becoming aware of these hidden influences, we can make better decisions.
We often think that we need a lot of options, but this makes it more challenging to make decisions. People know this phenomenon as the Choice Overload Phenomenon. If there are too many options, it seems impossible to make a choice and decide not to choose at all.
A picture shows a child standing in front of a store with many types of candy on display. You might think, “Wow! I can’t imagine how many candies they have!” At first, having so many choices seems interesting, but it can also be confusing. It makes it hard to decide. All of a sudden, it changes from being exciting to being complicated.
When we have too many alternatives, our brains slow down and become exhausted. We might also not make any choice, partly because it is challenging.
This overwhelming decision-making process reflects aspects of Information Processing Theory, which details how we manage large amounts of data. Additionally, Cognitive Evaluation Theory suggests that external factors, like an overload of options, can impact our intrinsic motivation to make a decision.
Too much choice can alter how we decide. Sometimes, when we come into the demands of choice overload, we take the easy way out. We choose the first option: conform to majority votes or surrender. As a result, we make wrong decisions or otherwise opt for no decision at all.
To cope with cognitive overload, advertisers want to avoid confusing us. They fear it will raise our anxiety.
We often create a sense of free choice, even in the little things, such as in our daily lives. On occasion, individuals make their own decisions, whereas others exert influence over them.
When you are at the grocery store, searching for cereal. You spot many brands and have plenty of options.
Yet, here is the trap. All those brands may be the same one or two big companies’ subsidiaries! So, despite many options, you can only choose those that the companies want you to buy.
Let’s now discuss real versus fake freedom. True freedom means being able to choose. It allows people to follow or ignore their desires without limits.
“We are condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, we are responsible for everything we do.”
What we see as freedom often oppresses others. We have many options, yet our choices usually depend on what others think. Take smartphones, for example. Many options are available.
However, each phone shares standard features, and a few companies dominate these features. Their products are often alike. This situation might seem accessible, but it actually presents a deception of choices.
Walter Mischel’s research into willpower and delayed gratification sheds light on how self-control and external factors influence our decisions, even when we think we’re acting freely.
A false choice, or perceived choice, is when options appear to exist, but none of them lead to the same outcome.
Political ads that only show two parties as options could be a good example. This tactic is likely to give the impression that people are choosing from a range of options. In contrast, in reality, they are only allowed to pick one of the pre-selected ones.
Daniel Kahneman’s work on decision-making biases highlights how we often make choices based on limited information, even when we think we have full control.
Let’s debate whether it is ethical to mislead people about the options. Does any company or person have a legitimate reason for our decisions to be made secretly? Or is it the issue of our rights that we ought to address?
Many people believe that directing buyers toward the products they feel are the best choices is cheating. A company can make you think that you are buying the top product, whereas you are not, and you are being exploited. They drop options that will place you under their control. Instead of offering choices, they force you to go with their own. You have no absolute freedom in your choice.
Quality is about giving customers transparency and a variety of options. Buyers need detailed information to make their own informed choices. So, transparency is essential for accurate decision-making.
Choice-making also impacts a person’s feelings. Having choices has a possible negative effect on the mind. Health-wise, it elevates anxiety, which is stressful and tires a person.
When we have many options, we are likely to get confused or even have a mental block. It is called “decision fatigue. “For example, choices may overwhelm us when choosing food to eat in the morning or even at other times of the day.
“A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.”
Technology can make managing our daily lives confusing and stressful. In doing so, it can make us tired or anxious and harm our mental health.
Reduce the odds to free your mind from many options and make better decisions. For instance, decide on what to cook a day before or follow a dress code for an entire day. It will reduce responsibilities that bother you and help you feel more secure and calm every day.
The important thing is to see the mistakes and use them as a source of empowerment. It will assist us in finding our way and, therefore, in living the best of our lives. Thus, we can now decide to alter our situation. We need to be the ones in charge of the process.
At the outset, discern the choice illusion once it happens. Be more mindful of situations involving choices and the possibility of making any decision. Your options may be minimal in such a case. For example, a store may offer only a few brands, or a website may show you products based on your past behaviour.
Ask yourself this: Do I have only these two options, or can you suggest some more?
Pay attention to the illusion that happens when you disregard a quick decision that makes you feel uneasy. If alternatives seem more important, others may want you to choose a specific option. Seek out your true intentions by examining below the surface.
It is important for you to make the choices under control.
Understanding that the options we select may not always be as clear-cut as they seem can help us make wiser choices. Many things can impact our decisions. By figuring out what we desire, we become able to determine what the right decision is. Taking time to think about alternatives is a prerequisite for decision-making.
Our choices may not be as available as they seem to be, which empowers us to be masters of our destiny. It is always very important to ask God for the right decision in any circumstances. Always choose what feels true to you, and remember that you don’t have to limit yourself to one option.