MCAT® ExamPsychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of BehaviorHard
A hospital is implementing a new policy to reduce medical errors. They require all nurses to double-check medication dosages with another nurse before administering them to patients. This policy is designed to counteract which of the following cognitive biases that often contribute to errors?
- AConfirmation bias
- BAnchoring bias
- CAvailability heuristic
- DOverconfidence bias
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Overconfidence bias
Overconfidence bias is the tendency to be overly optimistic about the accuracy of one's own judgments. The double-check policy directly addresses this by requiring a second opinion, thus mitigating the risk that a single nurse's overconfidence might lead them to overlook an error.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Confirmation bias involves seeking out information that confirms existing beliefs and ignoring contradictory evidence.
- B. Anchoring bias refers to relying too heavily on the first piece of information offered (the 'anchor') when making decisions.
- C. Availability heuristic involves making judgments based on how easily examples come to mind.
Overconfidence Bias
A cognitive bias where an individual's subjective confidence in their judgments is greater than the objective accuracy of those judgments.
- Can lead to poor decision-making
- Often results in underestimating risks or errors
- Mitigated by seeking external validation or double-checking
Memory trick: Biased Brains Make Bad Decisions.