Moral, Political, and Workplace Biases
Central tendency bias
Avoiding high or low ratings by clustering everyone in the middle.
What Is Central tendency bias?
Central tendency bias is a thinking trap where avoiding high or low ratings by clustering everyone in the middle.
How It Tricks You
It can turn partial social evidence into a confident judgment about people, motives, or groups.
Real-World Example
A manager gives nearly everyone a middle score.
Seen Online As
- It feels familiar, so I assume I have learned it.
- The feedback feels clear before I test what it means.
- Confidence is getting ahead of demonstrated understanding.
What To Ask Instead
Am I distinguishing performance clearly?
Related Thinking Traps
Common Situations
Quick FAQ
What is Central tendency bias?
Avoiding high or low ratings by clustering everyone in the middle.
What is an example of Central tendency bias?
A manager gives nearly everyone a middle score.
How do I spot Central tendency bias?
Am I distinguishing performance clearly?