Attention and Perception Biases
Expectation bias
Seeing what you expect to see.
What Is Expectation bias?
Expectation bias is a thinking trap where seeing what you expect to see.
How It Tricks You
It can make what stands out feel like the whole picture.
Real-World Example
A teacher expects one student to excel and notices their strengths more.
Seen Online As
- The fast interpretation is doing more work than the evidence.
- The claim feels obvious before the check question is asked.
- A shortcut is making the judgment feel more certain than it is.
What To Ask Instead
What would surprise me here?
Related Thinking Traps
Common Situations
Quick FAQ
What is Expectation bias?
Seeing what you expect to see.
What is an example of Expectation bias?
A teacher expects one student to excel and notices their strengths more.
How do I spot Expectation bias?
What would surprise me here?