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The brain relies on shortcuts for efficiency from "summary" of Your Brain Is Playing Tricks on You by Albert Moukheiber
Our brains are incredible organs, capable of processing an immense amount of information in a short period of time. However, this processing power comes with a cost - our brains need to be efficient in order to function properly. To achieve this efficiency, our brains rely on shortcuts, or heuristics, to quickly make sense of the world around us. These shortcuts allow us to make decisions rapidly, without having to carefully consider every piece of information available to us. While this can be incredibly helpful in certain situations, it can also lead to errors in judgment and decision-making. This is because our brains often rely on these shortcuts even when they may not be the most appropriate or accurate way to approach a situation. One common shortcut our brains use is known as the availability heuristic. This heuristic causes us to overestimate the likelihood of events based on how easily we can recall examples of them. For example, if we see a news story about a plane crash, we may start to believe that plane crashes are a common occurrence, even though statistically they are quite rare. Another shortcut our brains often rely on is the representativeness heuristic. This heuristic causes us to make judgments about the likelihood of an event based on how closely it resembles a stereotypical example. For instance, if we meet someone who fits our idea of what a successful businessperson looks like, we may automatically assume that they are indeed successful, without considering other factors that may influence their success.- We can become more aware of when these shortcuts may be leading us astray. This awareness can help us make more informed decisions and avoid common cognitive biases that can impact our judgment. Ultimately, by recognizing the ways in which our brains rely on shortcuts for efficiency, we can learn to think more critically and make better choices in our daily lives.
