Cognitive Bias: Applications to Organizations and Implications for Further Research.

Abstract

Understanding these biases plays an integral role in understanding effective decision- making. This paper focuses broadly on the various aspects of the human decision-making and judgement process, placing a focus on the origination of cognitive bias and ways to counteract them. The theories that explain decision making - and critiques of those theories -properly frame the discussion surrounding the presence of bias in organizations, and provide a clearer explanation of how much they can impact organizational decisions. The medical field is also prone to cognitive bias due to the conditions under which medical professionals need to make decisions and determine diagnosis. The research on the applications of cognitive bias in medicine is largely similar to research pertaining to organizations, and therefore each sheds light on a better understanding of the other, making it worthy of discussion in this paper.