However, this 'efficiency' can affect the objectiveness and rationality of thoughts.Īlthough some shortcuts can be accurate, others can lead to cognitive errors that may impact how you communicate with others or interact with the world.

As there are limitations to the brain's attention and processing, the brain often seeks shortcuts to become more efficient. How Cognitive Biases Can Distort RealityĪ cognitive bias or distortion is an error in thinking that occurs while people process and interpret information from the world around them. However, they may use logical thinking to reframe the worry to believe the people may be laughing at a joke or something between them. It may make them feel self-conscious or anxious initially. For example, someone walking through a crowded shopping area may hear two people laughing and assume they're laughing at them. Some people might be able to shake a nagging idea of reference by rationally thinking about the situation. For example, someone walking into an unfamiliar situation like a party might believe everyone is looking at them. When someone believes their thoughts, actions, or presence caused an event to occur, they are experiencing this cognitive distortion. Ideas of reference are false beliefs that random or irrelevant occurrences in the world directly relate to oneself.

Magical thinking examples