How Strong Is Your Cognitive Bias? [Self-Assessment Test]

Have you ever been in a situation where someone has a different perspective than you and you just can’t wrap your head around their point of view?

Maybe you didn’t understand why they were so passionate about a task or just couldn’t see how they could be so blind to what seemed so clear to you.

This is where cognitive bias comes into play.

Cognitive bias is a subconscious, ingrained way of thinking that can influence how we perceive information, and ultimately, lead to flawed judgments, choices, and decisions.

Some biases develop from past experiences, others from our environment or upbringing, and others from internalized beliefs and values. While cognitive biases are a natural part of the human condition, they can impact work performance, relationships with colleagues and clients, and project outcomes.

As you can imagine, understanding and identifying our own cognitive biases is critical in any work environment. It is a key skill for you, as a professional, to be able to remain impartial, open-minded, and objective as you work towards common goals.

For example, have you ever been in a meeting where you were so convinced of your idea that you ignored or dismissed other opinions?

Or perhaps, you made assumptions about a colleague’s work style based on your previous experience with them, without considering their individuality?

In both cases, cognitive bias hindered the decision-making process and blocked opportunities for innovation and collaboration.

This is why we have created a self-assessment test to help you identify and address your biases.

It will provide you with insights and actionable steps on how to recognize and manage your cognitive biases in the workplace.

Are you ready to take the test and gain a deeper understanding of your cognitive biases?

Self Assessment Test

To conduct the self-assessment, simply answer all questions, and click the calculate results button at the end.

Interpreting Your Results

0 - 20 Points

Your score between 0-20 points suggests that cognitive biases significantly affect your decision-making process. You may find yourself making judgments based on your beliefs, emotions, or preconceptions rather than facts or evidence. It’s crucial to recognize these biases and try to become more aware of them while making decisions. You may benefit from seeking outside opinions, gathering more information, and using logic and rationale to reduce the influence of biases on your reasoning. With some effort, you can improve your critical thinking skills and make better-informed decisions in the future.

21 - 40 Points

Your score between 21-40 points indicates that you may have some cognitive biases that affect your decision-making process. While you tend to approach situations and data with some objectivity, sometimes you may let your beliefs or emotions influence your judgment. It’s necessary to be aware of these biases and learn to monitor them objectively while making important decisions. With some practice, you can develop better critical thinking skills and make more rational decisions in the future.

41 - 60 Points

Congratulations on scoring between 41-60 points! Your score suggests that you have minimal to no cognitive biases affecting your decision-making process. You tend to approach situations and data objectively and logically, without being influenced by your beliefs, emotions, or preconceptions. It’s important to recognize the value of this skill and continue to apply it in your personal and professional life.

5 Tips to Overcome Cognitive Bias

Acknowledging and addressing cognitive biases is the first step to becoming more aware and better equipped to make objective decisions.

In this section, we will provide 5 quick tips to help you become better at overcoming cognitive bias.

1. Acknowledge Your Biases

The first and most crucial step to address cognitive bias is to acknowledge that you may have biases. Everyone has biases, and they can stem from various factors such as upbringing, culture, and personal experience. Knowing your biases will help you become aware of how they might affect your decision-making process.

2. Be Open to New Information

One of the common effects of cognitive bias is that it can make you reject new information that conflicts with your existing beliefs. To overcome this, you need to be open to new information, even if it challenges your current views. Consider all sides of the argument, and don’t dismiss information that doesn’t seem to fit with your pre-existing beliefs.

3. Rationalize Your Decision-Making Process

To overcome cognitive biases, you need to evaluate your decision-making process critically. List down your underlying assumptions, beliefs or values that could be impacted by your cognitive bias. By identifying these factors, you’ll be able to approach your decision-making process in a more impartial and transparent manner.

4. Seek Feedback from Others

Seeking feedback from others is a great way to challenge your cognitive biases. A fresh perspective can often provide insights that you may have missed. By listening to others’ opinions on a matter, you can challenge your cognitive biases and be open to alternative viewpoints.

5. Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness can help you overcome cognitive biases by improving your self-awareness. Take a few minutes each day to check in with yourself and understand your mental state. This can help you to understand your emotions, thoughts and physical feelings, which can help you to be more conscious of any biases that may be affecting you.

Remember, overcoming cognitive biases is not an overnight fix.

It takes patience and practice to unlearn biases and view the world objectively.

The more you practice becoming aware of your biases and strive to address them, the better equipped you will become to make clear, well-informed decisions.