If you think about what the “burden of proof” means for a minute (or you look it up), it makes perfect sense. This is something that you probably face in one form or another every day. While the concept of “the burden of proof” is commonly used in law, it also plays a critical role … Read more
“Because that’s how we’ve always done it.” When I was working in my first position in child welfare at an agency that had been around for decades, this is the response I frequently received when questioning why certain processes were in place. As a recent graduate from a master’s program in social work, I was … Read more
Do you remember when “Because my mom said so” was a valid argument? Back in the days when our parents were the ultimate authority on all topics and if a grownup said it was true, there were no further questions. But, with age and experience, this argument lost its power as we recognized that our … Read more
What would happen if you dropped a mirror and it broke? Well, aside from having to buy a new mirror, you would probably expect seven years of bad luck to be ahead of you. But, if you think back to our article on the Post Hoc Logical Fallacies, you know this popular belief stems from … Read more
One common thing I hear people say (and I tend to believe myself) is, “No news is good news.” I was recently proven wrong by this saying when I spoke with a good friend of mine for the first time in several weeks. It’s not that we had lost touch–we are just both so busy … Read more
When you’re trying to make an argument for (or against) something, you need to construct a claim to get your listeners to believe what you’re saying. And there are few better ways to do this than to say something that your listeners already believe to be true. Like other cognitive biases, we often rely on … Read more
When I was 28, I got laid off from my favorite full-time job. I left work that day in tears, thinking my professional life was over. I felt betrayed by my colleagues, with whom I had become extremely close. My boss, a big sister of sorts, all of a sudden felt like a stranger. I … Read more
I have a good friend who recently gave birth to her fourth child, a baby boy. She and her husband waited until he was born to find out the sex of the baby, and the results came as a surprise to friends and family, as many had bet on their final child being a girl. … Read more
Think about the last time you listened to someone talk who was really angry. Whether they were venting to you or they were speaking to a crowd, I’m willing to bet that they sounded very convinced that their opinion or feelings represented some kind of truth. I’m also willing to bet that they were trying … Read more
What was your first impression of your current best friend? What about your partner? Your boss? Did these initial assumptions end up being spot on? Maybe, but I know several people whose first impressions of the person they ended up marrying was NOT one that had them imagining the future. But others, the moment they … Read more