Cognitive Bias
Cognitive bias refers to systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, whereby inferences about other people and situations may be drawn in an illogical fashion. These biases often arise from the brain's attempt to simplify information processing, leading to perceptual distortion, inaccurate judgment, or illogical interpretation. They are studied in psychology and behavioral economics to understand human decision-making flaws.
Developers should learn about cognitive biases to improve software design, user experience, and team collaboration by recognizing and mitigating irrational thinking patterns. For example, understanding confirmation bias helps in code reviews to avoid favoring familiar solutions, while awareness of the Dunning-Kruger effect can foster humility in estimating project timelines. This knowledge is crucial in fields like AI ethics, user research, and agile methodologies to create more objective and effective systems.