When we assess ourselves for biases, we tend to engage in elaborate introspection. The problem with the introspection approach is that the driving forces behind biases remain largely invisible to self-analysis and t is also impermeable to intelligence.

The root causes of our irrationality

<ul>
<li>People who are aware of their own biases are not better able to overcome them. Our intuitive thinking is just as prone to overconfidence, extreme predictions, and the planning fallacy.</li>
<li>According to scientists, intelligent people have a larger bias blind spot. They can spot systematic flaws in others, but not in themselves. They will excuse their own minds but harshly judge the minds of other people. </li>
</ul>

Biases and human intelligence

We’re not nearly as rational as we like to believe. When we face an uncertain situation, we fail to evaluate the information or to look up relevant statistics carefully. Instead, we depend on our mental shortcuts which may lead us to make rash decisions.

Mental shortcuts

We often assume that intelligence guards against bias. Its why those with higher S.A.T. scores think they are less likely to make universal thinking mistakes.
However, smarter people are more vulnerable to these thinking errors.

Smart people and biases

Editors' Note: The introductory paragraphs of this post appeared in similar form in an October, 2011, column by Jonah Lehrer for the Wall Street Journal. We regret the duplication of material. Here's a simple arithmetic question: A bat and ball cost a dollar and ten cents.

Biases and human intelligence

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