WHAT IS NEWS ILLUSION AND WHY YOU SHOULDN’T READ THE NEWS ‘Earthquake in Sumatra.’ ‘Plane crash in Russia.’ ‘Man holds daughter captive in cellar for thirty years.’ ‘Heidi Klum separates from Seal.’ ‘Record salaries at Bank of America.’ ‘Attack in Pakistan.’ ‘Resignation of Mali’s president’. ‘ New world record in… Read More »What is News Illusion?
WHAT IS INTENTION-TO-TREAT ERROR AND HOW SPEED DEMONS MAKE SAFE DRIVERS You’ll find it hard to believe, but speed demons drive more safely than so-called ‘careful’ drivers. Why? Well, consider this: the distance from Miami to West Palm Beach is around 75 miles. Drivers who cover the distance in an… Read More »What is Intention-To-Treat Error?
What is Fallacy of the Single Cause? And the stone-age hunt for scapegoats Consider the following example: Chris Matthews is one of MSNBC’s top journalists. In his news show, so-called political experts are wheeled on one after the other and interviewed. I’ve never understood what a political expert is, or… Read More »What is Fallacy of the Single Cause?
What is Cherry-Picking? And drawing the bullseye around the arrow On their websites, hotels present themselves in the very best light. They carefully select each photo, and only beautiful, majestic images make the cut. They sweep unflattering angles, dripping pipes and drab breakfast rooms under the tattered carpet. Of course,… Read More »What is Cherry-picking?
What is Feature-Positive Effect? And why checklists deceive you Two series of numbers: The first, series A, consists of: 724, 947, 421, 843, 394, 411, 054, 646. What do these numbers have in common? Don’t read on until you have an answer. It’s simpler than you think: the number four… Read More »What is Feature-Positive Effect?
WHAT IS ILLUSION OF SKILL AND WHY THE BOAT MATTERS MORE THAN THE ROWING Why are there so few serial entrepreneurs – business people who start successful companies one after the other? Of course, there’s Steve Jobs and Richard Branson, but they represent a tiny minority. Serial entrepreneurs account for… Read More »What is Illusion of Skill?
WHAT IS ZEIGARNIK EFFECT AND ACCOMPLISHING YOUR MISSIONS Berlin, 1927: a group of university students and professors visit a restaurant. The waiter takes order upon order, including special requests, but does not bother to write anything down. This is going to end badly, they think. But, after a short wait,… Read More »What is Zeigarnik Effect?
What is Deformation Professionnelle? And why those wielding hammers see only nails A man takes out a loan, starts a company, and goes bankrupt shortly afterward. He falls into a depression and commits suicide. What do you make of this story? As a business analyst, you want to understand why… Read More »What is Déformation Professionnelle?
WHAT IS PLANNING FALLACY AND WHY YOU TAKE ON TOO MUCH Every morning, you compile a to-do list. How often does it happen that everything is checked off by the end of the day? Always? Every other day? Maybe once a week? If you are like most people, you will… Read More »What is Planning Fallacy?
WHAT IS OVERTHINKING AND WHERE’S THE OFF SWITCH? There was once an intelligent centipede. Sitting on the edge of a table, he looked over and saw a tasty grain of sugar across the room. Clever as he was, he started to weigh up the best route: which table leg should… Read More »What is Overthinking?
