Know thy platypus: The insidiousness of cognitive bias

Med Teach. 2020 Jun;42(6):708-709. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2019.1657820. Epub 2019 Sep 5.

Abstract

Cognitive biases are omnipresent in medical practice. The danger of such biases rests largely on the fact that they are difficult to recognize and, by their nature, are positively reinforcing. This paper describes a real experience in which I discovered a classic example of cognitive bias to which I had fallen victim and the lengths I went to in order to preserve the bias. The paper concludes with some cautionary advice and mitigation strategies for educators and practitioners.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bias
  • Cognition
  • Humans
  • Platypus*