How Cognitive Biases Shape Characters and Stories
Mental shortcuts our brains use to quickly process information.
As writers, we’re always looking for ways to make our characters believable. Cognitive biases add depth to our characters and create unexpected twists in our narratives.
Cognitive biases are shortcuts our brains use to process information quickly. They’re glitches in our thinking that lead us to make irrational decisions or draw incorrect conclusions. We all have them. They influence how we perceive the world.
They offer a way to create realistic characters and plots that feel true to life. Real people don’t always see situations clearly. Our characters shouldn’t either.
Cognitive biases shape our characters. The last time you created a character, did you consider how their thinking might be skewed by biases?
Confirmation bias is our tendency to seek out information that confirms what we believe and ignore evidence that contradicts it. A character with strong confirmation bias might stubbornly cling to their beliefs, even in the face of overwhelming evidence. This can create conflict and…
