Recency Bias: Impacting your Decisions

Have you ever made a decision based on what has happened most recently?

If so, then you have fallen victim to recency bias. This is a powerful psychological phenomenon that affects our everyday lives.

There are countless examples of recency bias in our society, and it can be very difficult to resist its influence. In this blog post, we will discuss the definition of recency bias, explore some of its key manifestations, and offer tips for overcoming its effects.
 

Recency bias is defined as the tendency to give more weight to recent information when making decisions.

This bias can lead us to make suboptimal choices, as we often place too much importance on recent events and neglect other important factors. For example, imagine that you are considering investing in a new company. If the company has had strong performance in the past few months, you may be more likely to invest in it than if its performance has been more mixed.

However, recent performance is not always a good predictor of future success, and you may be overlooking other important factors such as the company's long-term track record or its financial stability.

Recency bias can also lead us to underestimate the likelihood of future events. For example, imagine that you are planning a trip to a foreign country. If you have just read about a terrorist attack in that country, you may be more likely to cancel your trip than if you had not read about the attack. However, the chances of being a victim of terrorism are actually quite low, and you may be letting your fears get the best of you.
 
There are many ways to overcome recency bias. One approach is to take a step back and consider all of the relevant information before making a decision. If you are considering investing in a new company, look at its long-term performance, financial stability, and other important factors. If you are planning a trip to a foreign country, research the risks of terrorism and other potential dangers. By taking the time to consider all of the relevant information, you can make more informed decisions that are not influenced by recency bias.
 
Another approach is to seek out diverse opinions before making a decision. If you are considering investing in a new company, talk to people with different investment strategies and see what they think. If you are planning a trip to a foreign country, read travel blogs from people who have been there recently. By hearing diverse perspectives, you can get a more well-rounded view of the situation and resist the effects of recency bias.
 
Recency bias is a powerful psychological phenomenon that can have a significant impact on our lives. By taking the time to understand it and overcome its effects, we can make better decisions in all areas of our lives. Thanks for reading! I hope this was informative. :)

Have you ever bought a new car and since purchasing that car you see it everywhere? What are other examples of decency bias you have experienced?
 

References

Recency Bias Definition, Investopedia, https://www.investopedia.com/recency-availability-bias-5206686