Functional Fixedness - Loss of Childhood Flexibility From Age 5 to 7
Functional fixedness originated in Gestalt psychology as a mental block against using an object in a new way required to solve a problem. We all have certain mental blocks limiting our ability to use components in new ways because we cannot move past the original purpose.
Confirmation Bias as Necessary Evil for Theory Stability
Confirmation bias is when the brain likes clues that match what it already believes. It’s a way to hold on to good idea without getting lost in too many confusing facts.
Law of Instrument - When All You Have Is Hammer Everything Looks Like Nail
Abraham Maslow’s famous line captures this law: “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” It describes bias where a tool you know well becomes the lens through which you view every problem regardless of whether it fits.
Naive Realism - Believing We See Objectively While Others Are Biased
We tend to believe our eyes a lot. What else is more proof than seeing thing with your own eyes? To our horror, it has been proved many times over that we don’t all see the same reality because what we see goes through lens of our mental interpretation.
Motivated Reasoning - Brain as Lawyer Not Scientist
Imagine your brain is like little lawyer living inside your head. This lawyer doesn’t always try to find truth. Instead, it tries to protect you and make you look good. That’s your brain being lawyer and not scientist—working for you, not for truth.