The Deadly Trio of Social Dynamics: A Cognitive Arsenal of Dysfunction
These three cognitive patterns form a particularly toxic combination in social and organizational contexts, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of poor decision-making and interpersonal dysfunction. The Pigeonhole Principle: Reductive Categorization Definition : The tendency to oversimplify complex individuals or situations into rigid categories or stereotypes. Manifestations : Reducing people to single characteristics or past actions Assuming all members of a group share identical traits Dismissing nuanced perspectives in favor of binary thinking Creating "us vs. them" mentalities Social Impact : Creates artificial divisions and prevents genuine understanding between individuals and groups. Cherry Picking: Selective Evidence Bias Definition : The practice of selecting only data or examples that support a predetermined conclusion while ignoring contradictory evidence. Manifestations : Highlighting only negative instances of someone's behavior Using isolated inc...