Cognitive biases can be described as systematic errors in thinking that affect the way we perceive reality. Our brains, unfortunately, are not impartial processors of information. Instead, the brain takes shortcuts, drawing conclusions based on incomplete or distorted information. While these mental shortcuts can be useful to make decisions, they can lead to false judgments.
Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, pioneers in cognitive psychology, demonstrated that what some people believe is intuition is often fallible precisely because it is shaped by these biases. Their research in behavioural economics and psychology revealed numerous ways in which perspective coloured by cognitive bias - and perceived as intuition, can lead us astray.
Some of the most common cognitive biases include:
- Confirmation Bias: Our tendency to seek out or interpret information in ways that confirm what we already believe.
- Availability Heuristic: Judging the probability of an event based on how easily we can recall similar instances.
- Hindsight Bias: The inclination to see past events as having been predictable after they have occurred.
- Overconfidence Bias: The tendency to overestimate the accuracy of our own beliefs and judgments.
How Cognitive Biases Can Affect Intuition
If intuition is, at least in part, a function of unconscious pattern recognition, then it is inevitably susceptible to cognitive biases. When we feel we "just know" something, we may in fact be experiencing the effects of ingrained beliefs arising from our past or current psychological states rather than genuine insight. For example, someone who has been unlucky in relationships may intuitively feel that a promising new partner is likely to betray them. In cases such as this, which can be seen in the therapy room, intuition is not the voice of wisdom, but rather the echo of past wounds. Disastrous decisions can be made on the misplaced basis of intuition.
When Can Intuition Be Trusted?
Despite these concerns, intuition is not entirely unreliable. If applied with skill, here are some circumstances when intuition can be trusted:
- When it is Informed by Expertise – Experts in a specific field develop highly refined insight through years of experience. This is what is seen when a seasoned chess player can intuitively recognise the best move for them because their unconscious mind had absorbed countless patterns of play. Research such as by psychologist Gary Klein have shown how professionals such as health workers, police officers, firefighters, and elite athletes cultivate intuitive abilities over their careers.
- When it is Unclouded by Strong Emotion – Intuition is more trustworthy when it is not shaped by fear, anger, or deep-seated biases. Knowing and understanding our past can help us identify when strong emotions are stirred within us, which may be biasing our insightful judgement.
- When it is Used in Combination with Reason – Intuition should not replace rational thought but rather complement it. Testing intuitive insights with logic and evidence can lead to better decisions. A fleeting ‘gut feeling’ is more likely to arise out of impulsive factors rather than from accumulated wisdom.