Blind Spot Bias

What is it?

Blind spot bias is the cognitive blind spot in recognizing our own cognitive biases. Research shows that people readily identify biases in others while rating themselves as less susceptible. This "bias about biases" is particularly pernicious because it undermines efforts at self-improvement: if you don't believe you're biased, you won't try to correct for it. The asymmetry exists because we have direct access to our own thought processes (which feel logical and well-reasoned to us) but can only observe others' behavior (which may seem biased). We also motivate ourselves to see ourselves favorably. Ironically, learning about biases can increase blind spot bias—we may think our knowledge protects us while still falling victim to the same biases. Even intelligence doesn't protect against blind spot bias; some research suggests more intelligent people may be even more susceptible because they're better at rationalizing their biased conclusions. The antidote requires genuine intellectual humility, systematically seeking external perspectives, creating checklists and procedures that don't rely on self-assessment, and assuming you're at least as biased as those around you.