Association Bias
Associations serve us a function of mental shortcut to become an efficient decision maker. However often conditioned by non-causal relationships. So we fail. This sketch was possible thanks to Drew Strojny and his well-written article about association and conditioning:Â http://drewstrojny.com/avoid-association-bias-business/ â As humans, we like to associate because our memory uses association to function. This mental shortcut helps us operate more efficiently, but it can be influenced by conditioning. Conditioning comes in two flavors: classical and operant. Classical conditioning is repeated simultaneous exposure to potent stimuli (like food) and neutral stimuli (like a ringing bell). The two previously unconnected stimuli quickly become linked in the associative memory and elicit an automatic physiological response. Think Pavlovâs dog. Operant conditioning is controlled through rewards and punishments. Think teaching a mouse to navigate a maze using food rewards. Because associate memory is weaved tightly into how you think, it has a strong influence over your decision making. If you donât train yourself to acknowledge association bias and conditioning, it could cause you to make bad decisions.â In the article, he writes about how associations gave us confidence to make hard decisions even direct causality for success is unknown in hiring, releasing new products and Investing. I hope you enjoy reading about the mental models that donât change with time. If you find this material interesting, share it with relevant people from your circles. Thank you for your time!













