You're not so smart - Cognitive BiasesOdair Faléco
We think we are smart, but understanding Cognitive Biases shows how limited is our perception of reality and information around us.
On this presentation I expalin and bring some real examples of the most commom biases used in the market, web and UX.
There are many kinds of cognitive biases that influence individuals differently, but their common characteristic is that they lead to judgment and decision-making that deviates from rational objectivity.
I've discussed the various ways our brain makes illogical judgments and then makes errors in thinking. I've also discussed the difference between logical thought and how the brain thinks automatically. There is some content on logic as seen in animals too.
Here is a special post I've made about the Survivorship bias
https://cognitiontoday.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-success-stories-survivorship-bias/
Here is one on overcoming thinking biases
https://cognitiontoday.com/8-powerful-ways-to-overcome-thinking-errors-and-cognitive-biases/
Here is one on a few more cognitive biases
https://cognitiontoday.com/4-cognitive-biases-you-should-be-aware/
You're not so smart - Cognitive BiasesOdair Faléco
We think we are smart, but understanding Cognitive Biases shows how limited is our perception of reality and information around us.
On this presentation I expalin and bring some real examples of the most commom biases used in the market, web and UX.
There are many kinds of cognitive biases that influence individuals differently, but their common characteristic is that they lead to judgment and decision-making that deviates from rational objectivity.
I've discussed the various ways our brain makes illogical judgments and then makes errors in thinking. I've also discussed the difference between logical thought and how the brain thinks automatically. There is some content on logic as seen in animals too.
Here is a special post I've made about the Survivorship bias
https://cognitiontoday.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-success-stories-survivorship-bias/
Here is one on overcoming thinking biases
https://cognitiontoday.com/8-powerful-ways-to-overcome-thinking-errors-and-cognitive-biases/
Here is one on a few more cognitive biases
https://cognitiontoday.com/4-cognitive-biases-you-should-be-aware/
Cognitive Biases and Effects You Should Know AboutKevlin Henney
Presented at NDC 2011 in Oslo (8th June 2011)
Video available at http://www.everytalk.tv/talks/678-NDC-Cognitive-Biases-and-Effects-You-Should-Know-About
In software development, developers, architects and managers often like to think of themselves as rational and clear thinking, not prone to the chaotic and contradictory thinking they see at home, in politics or in the world of business. Although it is possible to get further from the truth than this, it is not likely.
Those involved in software development are just as human as people in other walks of life, and are just as subject to the cognitive biases and effects that skew, truncate and bypass clear thinking. The effects on rationality affect everything from testing to estimation, from programming to project delivery. It is easier to see and react to these effects in yourself and others when you know what some of them are.
In the past four decades, behavioral economists and cognitive psychologists have discovered many cognitive biases human brains fall prey to when thinking and deciding. Cognitive biases are tendencies to think in certain ways that can lead to systematic deviations from a standard of rationality or good judgment. These biases arise from errors of memory, social attribution, and miscalculations such as statistical errors or a false sense of probability. Some social psychologists believe our cognitive biases help us process information more efficiently, especially in dangerous situations. Still, they lead us to make grave mistakes. We may be prone to such errors in judgment, but at least we can be aware of them.
Bayesian reasoning offers a way to improve on the native human reasoning style. Reasoning naively, we tend not to seek alternative explanations, and sometimes underrate the influence of prior probabilities in Bayes' theorem.
Credits: Wikipedia, LessWrong.org
Cognitive distortions - Depression and anxiety.Koduvayur Anand
A cognitive distortion is an exaggerated or irrational thought pattern involved in the onset and perpetuation of psychopathological states, especially those more influenced by psychosocial factors, such as depression and anxiety.
In this slideshow some most important cognitive distortions are discussed
You can see the video of this in the following link.
Learn CBT Lesson #8 – Cognitive Distortions
https://youtu.be/zK8cLoYtwGY
Before deciding on a course of action, prudent managers evaluate the situation confronting them. Unfortunately, some managers are cautious to a fault – taking costly steps to defend against unlikely outcomes. Others are overconfident – underestimating the range of potential outcomes. And still, others are highly impressionable – allowing memorable events in the past to dictate their view of what might be possible now.
These are just three of the well-documented psychological traps that afflict most managers at some point, assert authors John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney, and Howard Raiffa in their 1998 article. Still, more pitfalls distort reasoning ability or cater to our own biases. Examples of the latter include the tendencies to stick with the status quo, to look for evidence confirming one’s preferences, and to throw good money after bad because it’s hard to admit making a mistake.
Luckily, techniques exist to overcome each one of these problems. For instance, since the way a problem is posed can influence how you think about it, try to reframe the question in various ways and ask yourself how your thinking might change for each version. Even if we can’t eradicate the distortions ingrained in the way our minds work, we can build tests like this into our decision-making processes to improve the quality of the choices we make.
[Type here]Analytical Your Analytical theme challenges TatianaMajor22
[Type here]
Analytical
Your Analytical theme challenges other people: “Prove it. Show me why what you are claiming is true.” In the face of this kind of questioning some will find that their brilliant theories wither and die. For you, this is precisely the point. You do not necessarily want to destroy other people’s ideas, but you do insist that their theories be sound. You see yourself as objective and dispassionate. You like data because they are value free. They have no agenda. Armed with these data, you search for patterns and connections. You want to understand how certain patterns affect one another. How do they combine? What is their outcome? Does this outcome fit with the theory being offered or the situation being confronted? These are your questions. You peel the layers back until, gradually, the root cause or causes are revealed. Others see you as logical and rigorous. Over time they will come to you in order to expose someone’s “wishful thinking” or “clumsy thinking” to your refining mind. It is hoped that your analysis is never delivered too harshly. Otherwise, others may avoid you when that “wishful thinking” is their own.
Responsibility
Your Responsibility theme forces you to take psychological ownership for anything you commit to, and whether large or small, you feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. Your good name depends on it. If for some reason you cannot deliver, you automatically start to look for ways to make it up to the other person. Apologies are not enough. Excuses and rationalizations are totally unacceptable. You will not quite be able to live with yourself until you have made restitution. This conscientiousness, this near obsession for doing things right, and your impeccable ethics, combine to create your reputation: utterly dependable. When assigning new responsibilities, people will look to you first because they know it will get done. When people come to you for help—and they soon will—you must be selective. Your willingness to volunteer may sometimes lead you to take on more than you should.
Self-Assurance
Self-Assurance is similar to self-confidence. In the deepest part of you, you have faith in your strengths. You know that you are able—able to take risks, able to meet new challenges, able to stake claims, and, most important, able to deliver. But Self-Assurance is more than just self-confidence. Blessed with the theme of Self-assurance, you have confidence not only in your abilities but in your judgment. When you look at the world, you know that your perspective is unique and distinct. And because no one sees exactly what you see, you know that no one can make your decisions for you. No one can tell you what to think. They can guide. They can suggest. But you alone have the authority to form conclusions, make decisions, and act. This authority, this final accountability for the living of your life, does not intimidate you. On the contrary, it feels natural to you. No matter what ...
CHAPTER The Benefit and Manner of Asking the Right Quest.docxchristinemaritza
CHAPTER
The Benefit and Manner of
Asking the Right Questions
THE NOISY, CONFUSED WORLD WE LIVE IN
This book encourages you to learn something we think can change your life
for the better. That something is "critical thinking." But there is an imaginary
world that some of us inhabit where there is no need at all for critical think-
ing. In this imaginary world several conditions prevail:
1. We are each allowed the independence to make decisions about reli-
gion, politics, and what we will and will not buy or believe. Advertisers,
marketers, public relations specialists, campaign managers, and advo-
cates of various worldviews will provide us only the information that we
need to make decisions that result in building a life that we choose.
2. Anyone trying to persuade us of anything will always explain the disad-
vantages of what he or she wants us to do.
3. Any time we are confused about one of life's important questions, we
can quickly find a dependable expert, authority, or wise person. Fur-
thermore, these voices of knowledge will all agree with one another. In
short, we need not be anxious about what to do or believe because the
wise ones will have the answer. Our task is simply to locate and listen to
them.
4. Our minds are calm, engaged, reflective, and curious whenever faced
with an important choice.
We hope you realize that the world we actually live in is nothing like the
Never-Never Land, we just described.
1
2 Chapter 1 • The Benefit and Manner of Asking the Right Questions
In the real world, we are assaulted on all sides by others who insist that
we must do what they tell us we should do. They know best. They know
what we should wear, eat, buy, and believe. They claim to possess a truth
that we must accept. They say they want to help us. They will not leave us
alone to form our own understanding of who we should become.
As an illustration, in a 5-minute Internet search we found the following
advice with respect to the relatively simple question: Should we use more tea?
These were all found on web sites urging you to buy more tea.
• Use green tea to ease itching and swelling.
• Use strong tea as a disinfectant on cuts and bruises.
• Use strong tea to treat athlete's foot. Bathe the foot twice a day for ten
minutes for up to several weeks.
• Press rehydrated tealeaves on teeth to reduce the pain of toothache.
• Chewing rehydrated tealeaves cleanses the breath.
• Soak a towel in warm tea, and place the towel on tired eyes to refresh
them.
• Wash the face with warm tea to reduce skin rashes and pimples.
• Rinse washed hair with strong tea for shine and softness.
The people making these claims want us to change our behavior. Planning to
buy more tea?
To make matters worse, those trying to persuade us do not play fair as
they try to shape us. They tell us half-truths at best. The socialist does not
explain the dangers of a large government. The conservative does not explain
...
This presentation is based on research by Anthony Mclean and Allan Pease on what it takes to persuade people ethically, without manipulating of coercing them.
Cognitive Biases and Effects You Should Know AboutKevlin Henney
Presented at NDC 2011 in Oslo (8th June 2011)
Video available at http://www.everytalk.tv/talks/678-NDC-Cognitive-Biases-and-Effects-You-Should-Know-About
In software development, developers, architects and managers often like to think of themselves as rational and clear thinking, not prone to the chaotic and contradictory thinking they see at home, in politics or in the world of business. Although it is possible to get further from the truth than this, it is not likely.
Those involved in software development are just as human as people in other walks of life, and are just as subject to the cognitive biases and effects that skew, truncate and bypass clear thinking. The effects on rationality affect everything from testing to estimation, from programming to project delivery. It is easier to see and react to these effects in yourself and others when you know what some of them are.
In the past four decades, behavioral economists and cognitive psychologists have discovered many cognitive biases human brains fall prey to when thinking and deciding. Cognitive biases are tendencies to think in certain ways that can lead to systematic deviations from a standard of rationality or good judgment. These biases arise from errors of memory, social attribution, and miscalculations such as statistical errors or a false sense of probability. Some social psychologists believe our cognitive biases help us process information more efficiently, especially in dangerous situations. Still, they lead us to make grave mistakes. We may be prone to such errors in judgment, but at least we can be aware of them.
Bayesian reasoning offers a way to improve on the native human reasoning style. Reasoning naively, we tend not to seek alternative explanations, and sometimes underrate the influence of prior probabilities in Bayes' theorem.
Credits: Wikipedia, LessWrong.org
Cognitive distortions - Depression and anxiety.Koduvayur Anand
A cognitive distortion is an exaggerated or irrational thought pattern involved in the onset and perpetuation of psychopathological states, especially those more influenced by psychosocial factors, such as depression and anxiety.
In this slideshow some most important cognitive distortions are discussed
You can see the video of this in the following link.
Learn CBT Lesson #8 – Cognitive Distortions
https://youtu.be/zK8cLoYtwGY
Before deciding on a course of action, prudent managers evaluate the situation confronting them. Unfortunately, some managers are cautious to a fault – taking costly steps to defend against unlikely outcomes. Others are overconfident – underestimating the range of potential outcomes. And still, others are highly impressionable – allowing memorable events in the past to dictate their view of what might be possible now.
These are just three of the well-documented psychological traps that afflict most managers at some point, assert authors John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney, and Howard Raiffa in their 1998 article. Still, more pitfalls distort reasoning ability or cater to our own biases. Examples of the latter include the tendencies to stick with the status quo, to look for evidence confirming one’s preferences, and to throw good money after bad because it’s hard to admit making a mistake.
Luckily, techniques exist to overcome each one of these problems. For instance, since the way a problem is posed can influence how you think about it, try to reframe the question in various ways and ask yourself how your thinking might change for each version. Even if we can’t eradicate the distortions ingrained in the way our minds work, we can build tests like this into our decision-making processes to improve the quality of the choices we make.
[Type here]Analytical Your Analytical theme challenges TatianaMajor22
[Type here]
Analytical
Your Analytical theme challenges other people: “Prove it. Show me why what you are claiming is true.” In the face of this kind of questioning some will find that their brilliant theories wither and die. For you, this is precisely the point. You do not necessarily want to destroy other people’s ideas, but you do insist that their theories be sound. You see yourself as objective and dispassionate. You like data because they are value free. They have no agenda. Armed with these data, you search for patterns and connections. You want to understand how certain patterns affect one another. How do they combine? What is their outcome? Does this outcome fit with the theory being offered or the situation being confronted? These are your questions. You peel the layers back until, gradually, the root cause or causes are revealed. Others see you as logical and rigorous. Over time they will come to you in order to expose someone’s “wishful thinking” or “clumsy thinking” to your refining mind. It is hoped that your analysis is never delivered too harshly. Otherwise, others may avoid you when that “wishful thinking” is their own.
Responsibility
Your Responsibility theme forces you to take psychological ownership for anything you commit to, and whether large or small, you feel emotionally bound to follow it through to completion. Your good name depends on it. If for some reason you cannot deliver, you automatically start to look for ways to make it up to the other person. Apologies are not enough. Excuses and rationalizations are totally unacceptable. You will not quite be able to live with yourself until you have made restitution. This conscientiousness, this near obsession for doing things right, and your impeccable ethics, combine to create your reputation: utterly dependable. When assigning new responsibilities, people will look to you first because they know it will get done. When people come to you for help—and they soon will—you must be selective. Your willingness to volunteer may sometimes lead you to take on more than you should.
Self-Assurance
Self-Assurance is similar to self-confidence. In the deepest part of you, you have faith in your strengths. You know that you are able—able to take risks, able to meet new challenges, able to stake claims, and, most important, able to deliver. But Self-Assurance is more than just self-confidence. Blessed with the theme of Self-assurance, you have confidence not only in your abilities but in your judgment. When you look at the world, you know that your perspective is unique and distinct. And because no one sees exactly what you see, you know that no one can make your decisions for you. No one can tell you what to think. They can guide. They can suggest. But you alone have the authority to form conclusions, make decisions, and act. This authority, this final accountability for the living of your life, does not intimidate you. On the contrary, it feels natural to you. No matter what ...
CHAPTER The Benefit and Manner of Asking the Right Quest.docxchristinemaritza
CHAPTER
The Benefit and Manner of
Asking the Right Questions
THE NOISY, CONFUSED WORLD WE LIVE IN
This book encourages you to learn something we think can change your life
for the better. That something is "critical thinking." But there is an imaginary
world that some of us inhabit where there is no need at all for critical think-
ing. In this imaginary world several conditions prevail:
1. We are each allowed the independence to make decisions about reli-
gion, politics, and what we will and will not buy or believe. Advertisers,
marketers, public relations specialists, campaign managers, and advo-
cates of various worldviews will provide us only the information that we
need to make decisions that result in building a life that we choose.
2. Anyone trying to persuade us of anything will always explain the disad-
vantages of what he or she wants us to do.
3. Any time we are confused about one of life's important questions, we
can quickly find a dependable expert, authority, or wise person. Fur-
thermore, these voices of knowledge will all agree with one another. In
short, we need not be anxious about what to do or believe because the
wise ones will have the answer. Our task is simply to locate and listen to
them.
4. Our minds are calm, engaged, reflective, and curious whenever faced
with an important choice.
We hope you realize that the world we actually live in is nothing like the
Never-Never Land, we just described.
1
2 Chapter 1 • The Benefit and Manner of Asking the Right Questions
In the real world, we are assaulted on all sides by others who insist that
we must do what they tell us we should do. They know best. They know
what we should wear, eat, buy, and believe. They claim to possess a truth
that we must accept. They say they want to help us. They will not leave us
alone to form our own understanding of who we should become.
As an illustration, in a 5-minute Internet search we found the following
advice with respect to the relatively simple question: Should we use more tea?
These were all found on web sites urging you to buy more tea.
• Use green tea to ease itching and swelling.
• Use strong tea as a disinfectant on cuts and bruises.
• Use strong tea to treat athlete's foot. Bathe the foot twice a day for ten
minutes for up to several weeks.
• Press rehydrated tealeaves on teeth to reduce the pain of toothache.
• Chewing rehydrated tealeaves cleanses the breath.
• Soak a towel in warm tea, and place the towel on tired eyes to refresh
them.
• Wash the face with warm tea to reduce skin rashes and pimples.
• Rinse washed hair with strong tea for shine and softness.
The people making these claims want us to change our behavior. Planning to
buy more tea?
To make matters worse, those trying to persuade us do not play fair as
they try to shape us. They tell us half-truths at best. The socialist does not
explain the dangers of a large government. The conservative does not explain
...
This presentation is based on research by Anthony Mclean and Allan Pease on what it takes to persuade people ethically, without manipulating of coercing them.
Persuasion architectures: Nudging People to do the Right ThingUser Vision
Review of some of the most popular commercial and public sector persuasion methodologies. Plus some reasons why they may not work and some criticisms, and a comparison of how supermarkets persuade us, offline.
A first step toward becoming a better analytical thinker and writer is to become more aware of your own thinking processes, building on skills that you already possess, and eliminating habits that get in the way.
Empathy Is a Stress Response - Choose Compassion insteadAlex Clapson
Research shows that empathy is a whole-body experience: We mirror each other’s physiology alongside the emotion. Negative states, whether it is pain, anger, or anxiety, create high activation & arousal in the body, so when you empathize with someone stressed, you become stressed, too. This is why so many caregivers experience burnout.
7 tips to help you become a SupercommunicatorAlex Clapson
Supercommunicators are rarely the most dynamic people in the room. They are the normies who are blessed with the ability to make those around them feel truly understood. The benefits aren’t only altruistic. Supercommunicators are scarily good at getting what they want.
Why people crave feedback - & why we're afraid to give it.pdfAlex Clapson
We all like to think of ourselves as someone who would give someone constructive feedback, but the study suggests that even in a low-cost situation, most people don’t. People overestimate the negative consequences giving feedback for themselves, as well as underestimate the benefits for the other person.
Microsoft recently reported that in the spring of 2022, the number of videoenabled Teams meetings per week more than doubled globally for the average user
since the start of the pandemic. And there was no evidence of a reversal.
That one question — What did you learn? — changed the way that I view my own missteps — with more compassion & understanding — & how I treat others when they make mistakes. As my experience shows, by making psychological safety a priority, leaders set up their teams for success now & long into the future.
"...A Coach is someone who tells you what you don't want to hear so you can see
what you don't want to see so you can be what you always wanted to be."
Stop Asking for Feedback - Ask for advice insteadAlex Clapson
Advice-giving leads one to think about future actions that the person in need of guidance could take. As such, when asked to give advice, people are more likely to think critically & specifically about strategies the person could use to improve.
Why we need to change the language that we use in relation to allegationsAlex Clapson
The key message is that we ought to stop using the word Disclosure,
unless there has been a Finding of Fact hearing carried out by the court.
We risk all our efforts gathering evidence for proceedings to be
disregarded if we (as expert witnesses) continue to use the incorrect
terminology.
Getting comfortable with discomfort, by Professor David ClutterbuckAlex Clapson
Putting the client in control of their own feelings of comfort or discomfort, by making them transparent and adjustable, can provide the confidence boost that allows them to take tentative steps into greater discomfort.
Trust Recovery in the Team by David Clutterbuck.pdfAlex Clapson
Once trust is broken in a team, it is hard to recover. Yet the requirement to collaborate remains as strongly as ever.
If they learn from the breakdown of that relationship, they become a wiser person, better able to trust and be trusted.
Building Psychological Safety is the key to rebuilding trust.
Why Traditional Parenting Logic Doesnt WorkAlex Clapson
Traditional parenting logic is all about rewards and consequences. Good parents use these methods with their children all the time with excellent results. But, what happens when good people are raising a child that has a significant history of trauma?
This brief article offers some practical approaches.
Action Learning focuses on the experience, feelings, & insights of the individual. Rather than jumping to solve a problem as quickly as possible, Action Learning enables deeper enquiry, & results in deeper understanding.
Why walking through the countryside 'tames' our brainAlex Clapson
Exposure to nature decreases amygdala activity & has beneficial effects on stress-related brain regions. This suggests that walking in the countryside buffers the detrimental effects of city life. And, in turn, it potentially acts as a preventive measure against the development of some mental disorders.
Where companies go wrong with Learning & Development by Steve Glaveski -HBRAlex Clapson
Organizations spent $359 billion globally on training in 2016, but was it worth it?
Not only is most of the training in today’s companies ineffective, but the purpose, timing, & content of training is flawed. Want to see eyes glaze over quicker than you can finish this sentence? Mandate that busy employees attend a training session on “business writing skills”, or “conflict resolution”, or some other such course with little alignment to their needs. Like lean manufacturing & the lean start-up before it, lean learning supports the adaptability that gives organizations a competitive advantage in today’s market. It’s about learning the core of what you need to learn, applying it to real-world situations immediately, receiving immediate feedback & refining your understanding, & then repeating the cycle. To begin practicing lean learning, organizations need to move from measuring credits earned to measuring business outcomes created. Lean learning ensures that employees not only learn the right thing, at the right time, & for the right reasons, but also that they retain what they learn.
Negative Mental States Become Negative Neural Traits, by Debbie HamptonAlex Clapson
“Your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences but Teflon for positive ones.” Even though the negativity bias is great for ensuring survival, it’s lousy at promoting happiness, peace, fulfilling relationships, & long-term physical & mental health.
This brief article shares a method to alter the way in which our brain focuses to much on the negative, to the detriment of the positive.
Feedback is a gift that you give to the recipient. If you think that it matters enough to say something about the way in which someone has behaved, then you should be concerned to see that it is both given & received in the best possible way. If you bear the following four points in mind when giving feedback, then they may help to ensure that your message is effectively delivered.
Free Communication Guide - Top Tips by Emma QuinnAlex Clapson
The key skill in communication in any language is to be equally invested in all the participants, and to truly listen as well as getting your own points across.
This guide includes:
1. Section 1 - How to communicate effectively
2. Section 2 - How to communicate well when working remotely
Russian anarchist and anti-war movement in the third year of full-scale warAntti Rautiainen
Anarchist group ANA Regensburg hosted my online-presentation on 16th of May 2024, in which I discussed tactics of anti-war activism in Russia, and reasons why the anti-war movement has not been able to make an impact to change the course of events yet. Cases of anarchists repressed for anti-war activities are presented, as well as strategies of support for political prisoners, and modest successes in supporting their struggles.
Thumbnail picture is by MediaZona, you may read their report on anti-war arson attacks in Russia here: https://en.zona.media/article/2022/10/13/burn-map
Links:
Autonomous Action
http://Avtonom.org
Anarchist Black Cross Moscow
http://Avtonom.org/abc
Solidarity Zone
https://t.me/solidarity_zone
Memorial
https://memopzk.org/, https://t.me/pzk_memorial
OVD-Info
https://en.ovdinfo.org/antiwar-ovd-info-guide
RosUznik
https://rosuznik.org/
Uznik Online
http://uznikonline.tilda.ws/
Russian Reader
https://therussianreader.com/
ABC Irkutsk
https://abc38.noblogs.org/
Send mail to prisoners from abroad:
http://Prisonmail.online
YouTube: https://youtu.be/c5nSOdU48O8
Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/libertarianlifecoach/episodes/Russian-anarchist-and-anti-war-movement-in-the-third-year-of-full-scale-war-e2k8ai4
What is the point of small housing associations.pptxPaul Smith
Given the small scale of housing associations and their relative high cost per home what is the point of them and how do we justify their continued existance
ZGB - The Role of Generative AI in Government transformation.pdfSaeed Al Dhaheri
This keynote was presented during the the 7th edition of the UAE Hackathon 2024. It highlights the role of AI and Generative AI in addressing government transformation to achieve zero government bureaucracy
This session provides a comprehensive overview of the latest updates to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (commonly known as the Uniform Guidance) outlined in the 2 CFR 200.
With a focus on the 2024 revisions issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), participants will gain insight into the key changes affecting federal grant recipients. The session will delve into critical regulatory updates, providing attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate and comply with the evolving landscape of federal grant management.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the rationale behind the 2024 updates to the Uniform Guidance outlined in 2 CFR 200, and their implications for federal grant recipients.
- Identify the key changes and revisions introduced by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the 2024 edition of 2 CFR 200.
- Gain proficiency in applying the updated regulations to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements and avoid potential audit findings.
- Develop strategies for effectively implementing the new guidelines within the grant management processes of their respective organizations, fostering efficiency and accountability in federal grant administration.
Canadian Immigration Tracker March 2024 - Key SlidesAndrew Griffith
Highlights
Permanent Residents decrease along with percentage of TR2PR decline to 52 percent of all Permanent Residents.
March asylum claim data not issued as of May 27 (unusually late). Irregular arrivals remain very small.
Study permit applications experiencing sharp decrease as a result of announced caps over 50 percent compared to February.
Citizenship numbers remain stable.
Slide 3 has the overall numbers and change.
Understanding the Challenges of Street ChildrenSERUDS INDIA
By raising awareness, providing support, advocating for change, and offering assistance to children in need, individuals can play a crucial role in improving the lives of street children and helping them realize their full potential
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-individuals-can-support-street-children-in-india/
#donatefororphan, #donateforhomelesschildren, #childeducation, #ngochildeducation, #donateforeducation, #donationforchildeducation, #sponsorforpoorchild, #sponsororphanage #sponsororphanchild, #donation, #education, #charity, #educationforchild, #seruds, #kurnool, #joyhome
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
Many ways to support street children.pptxSERUDS INDIA
By raising awareness, providing support, advocating for change, and offering assistance to children in need, individuals can play a crucial role in improving the lives of street children and helping them realize their full potential
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-individuals-can-support-street-children-in-india/
#donatefororphan, #donateforhomelesschildren, #childeducation, #ngochildeducation, #donateforeducation, #donationforchildeducation, #sponsorforpoorchild, #sponsororphanage #sponsororphanchild, #donation, #education, #charity, #educationforchild, #seruds, #kurnool, #joyhome
Confirmation Bias - May 2016 Professional Social Work magazine article
1. H
as a colleague ever
offered their views of a
service user in a case
handover? During multi-
agency meetings, are
your opinions shaped by
the appraisals of others? Could advance
information sharing be detrimental to our
objectivity?
The Greek philosopher and scientist
Aristotle is renowned for being a careful,
neutral, empirical scholar, yet some
commentators have criticised his methods.
For example, he’s been accused of selective
use of data and being prepared only to accept
information that reinforced his beliefs.
This is known as confirmation bias – a
psychological phenomenon that explains why
people tend to seek out information that
confirms their existing opinions, while
overlooking, or ignoring, information that
refutes their beliefs.
It is a systematic bias that works
relentlessly, and often subtly, to direct us
towards a desired or pre-existing conclusion.
It can give us a false sense of confidence in
our conclusions because we believe we are
following the available evidence and making
judgments based upon this, when in fact we
are leading the evidence.
Most people think they behave rationally.
However, we are all susceptible to limitations
in thinking, judgement and decision-making,
and for the most part, we are completely
unaware of it. Confirmation bias stems from
several areas of cognition including memory,
perception, feelings and the misapplication of
reasoning.
Where do these biases come from? At
some point in our evolutionary history, biases
were useful responses, helping us to make
decisions with limited information. These
became heuristics – rule of thumb
approaches to problem solving, learning, or
discovery that employ a practical
methodology, not guaranteed to be optimal or
perfect, but sufficient for the immediate goal.
This might be useful if your only task for the
day is survival, and the speed of the decision
is more important than accuracy; If you think
you are going to get eaten by a predator, it is
better to act quickly rather than enter into a
thorough analysis of the situation.
However, in today’s complex world the
opposite is often true. Nowadays in most
cases it is better to be accurate than fast in
our decision-making. Now we need to do
more than just survive, rushed decision-
making can get us into trouble.
SO HOW
BIASED
AREYOU?
Even the great
philosopher Aristotle is
accused of selective use
of data to confirm his
views. Alex Clapson
says it’s vital social
workers honestly examine
their own prejudices to
ensure they make the
best decisions
2. the same restaurant, leisure or entertainment
venue, holiday destination? It’s good to stick
with what we know, isn’t it?
But this approach makes it difficult to let go
of entrenched positions and can prevent us
from seeing something totally new or
important that might shift our perspective.
Humans tend to be heavily influenced by
the first piece of information offered when
making decisions – this is the anchor. Sales
and marketing people know all about this as
they try to manipulate your purchasing
choices. Subsequent choices are made by
adjusting away from the initial anchor
position. Raising our awareness of this
tendency can help us to recognise when this
might be getting in the way of impartiality or
openness to new ideas and information in our
social work practice.
Consider this simple scenario: you attend a
case conference and meet professionals from
other agencies for the first time, only to
discover that everyone else is wearing
business attire while you’re wearing casuals.
On top of this, they observe a stain on your
shirt or on your dress. They may conclude
that your outward appearance indicates a
sloppy approach to your work and therefore
pay less heed to your contributions. They will
look for evidence in your behaviour and
communication that will reinforce their first
impressions of you.
On the other hand, if the people that you
meet see that you are well groomed, dressed
appropriately, and exude confidence, they are
more likely to listen to your viewpoint.
Our brains are great at sifting out patterns
in the available data, and at making meaning
to help us interpret the world. However, we
are also experts at retrofitting information to
support our hypotheses. Once we learn about
confirmation bias, it’s easy to see it in others,
but more challenging to recognise it in
ourselves.
These biases impact upon our ability to
practice. They lead us to miss opportunities to
view situations from other perspectives and
If you’ve recently changed your car, or are
considering doing so, then you might
recognise the following phenomena: a friend
recommends a particular model or
manufacturer to you. You then spend the
evening reading up about it and browsing
pictures. You’ve now got an idea of the look
and style of your chosen car. The following
day driving to work, you see not one, but two,
three, four, or five of the same model car
travelling the other way.
Who’d have thought there would be so
many of these vehicles on the road at the
same time? Of course, they were on the road
the day before and the day before that and so
on, but you didn’t see them. Why might that
be? Because yesterday you weren’t looking
for them, they were just pieces of data
whizzing by. But today they are relevant and
interesting to you, so you take notice of them.
Imagine presenting evidence in court and
the service user’s attorney commences a
series of questions to examine the
perspective from which you made your
assessment of their client. Might they
reasonably ask what efforts were made to
explore the more positive aspects of their
client’s case in addition to the negative
features?
Because confirmation bias compels us to
ignore data that goes against our first
impressions, we’re extremely sensitive to
signs or indicators that support our initial take
on situations. If we are looking for bad
behaviour, we will find it. Conversely, if we
look for positive traits, invariably we will find
they are present too.
We are hard-wired to defend our
suppositions. The tendency to over-simplify is
deep grained in the human psyche. Why
might we do this when our training has taught
us to tease out the truth, to examine all sides
of an argument, to walk a few paces in
another’s shoes, and to empathise from their
viewpoint?
We like things that align with our view of the
world and we like people who are like us and
share our interests to the extent that we
search out things that agree with us, whilst
ignoring conflicting information. We know it is
possible for two people to interpret the same
information differently depending on their
world-view – fitting the terrain to the map
rather than the other way around.
It is a short circuit way to stay away from
things that may cause us harm. After all, if
things are similar to things we already know
and like then they are probably okay, right?
How many of us return over and over again to
therefore create flawed assessments.
Confirmation bias can be used to your
advantage and the advantage of those whom
you advocate for. For example, the knowledge
that people’s views can be easily shaped,
particularly by first impressions, might
heighten your awareness of the importance of
focusing upon your early interactions with
them, taking more time to consider the
outcome you’re looking for and to plan the
method and nature of your interventions.
So, now we know a little more about
confirmation bias, are we less likely to be
drawn in by fixed or limited amounts of
information? Well, not necessarily. Knowing
about the phenomena does not mean that
you will be able to spot it all the time, but it
does help.
One effective method in tackling potential
biases is called the reverse brainstorm: If an
accurate, thorough assessment is required in
one of your cases, then ask yourself the
question, “What do I need to do to ensure
that my assessment is completely inaccurate,
flawed and biased?”
A detailed response to this question will
help you to explicitly call out the pitfalls to
ensure that you are not being misled in your
information gathering towards your
assessment. Numerous Serious Case
Reviews have highlighted the need for social
workers to ask the awkward questions and
always be thinking the unthinkable.
Don’t rush – when we are under time
pressures to make decisions, we are more
likely to suppress the available evidence and
fall back into our biases. Ensuring we have
time to consider and test our viewpoints will
help to reduce the impact of unconscious
biases. Asking another professional to read
our assessments and challenge our thinking
can provide us with this opportunity.
We see new situations with the biases of
past experiences. Only when we are open to
viewpoints that do not fit our mental models
can we make room for new learning and more
effective practice. In order to test our
suppositions, and challenge our assessments,
we must take account of all the available
evidence and differing perspectives to see if
they stand-up. Practicing in this way will help
to continually improve our practice, and
create a culture of making assessments
robust enough to withstand the rigours of
cross-examination.
feature
We like things that align
with our view of the world
and we like people who
are like us and share our
interests
Alex Clapson is is a freelance trainer, facilitator,
consultant, coach and independent social worker
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