MEM Cast Episode 152: Cognitive Bias
5 snips
Mar 4, 2023 
Dr. Cooper, an Acute Medical Consultant and Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, explores cognitive biases that affect medical diagnoses. He discusses how quick, intuitive thinking can lead to diagnostic errors, contrasting it with more reflective reasoning. The podcast delves into real-life clinical cases, highlighting the significance of bias awareness in improving patient outcomes. Dr. Cooper emphasizes the roles of critical thinking and metacognitive skills in overcoming biases like anchoring and confirmation, ultimately enhancing diagnostic accuracy.
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Understanding Dual Thinking Systems
- Two thinking systems guide human decision-making: fast, automatic (System 1) and slow, deliberate (System 2).
- Experts mainly use fast System 1 thinking, which is accurate but can lead to errors when shortcuts fail.
Bat and Ball Cognitive Bias Example
- Most people intuitively say the ball in the bat and ball problem costs 10p, which is incorrect.
- The correct answer is 5p for the ball and £1.05 for the bat, revealing how intuition can mislead.
Case of Cognitive Bias in Diagnosis
- A 75-year-old oncology patient repeatedly diagnosed with breathlessness from anemia, despite unchanged hemoglobin and normal tests.
- Cognitive biases like anchoring, confirmation bias, and diagnostic momentum influenced multiple doctors' assessments in this case.
