Thinking in the Courtroom
Even though we all try to make rational, fair and unbiased decisions and judgments, our thinking processes are often influenced by strong and powerful unconscious factors. However, once we understand how these factors work, we can craft our message to our audience much more effectively and we can protect ourselves from being victims of those biases.
- Anchor effects: It is a human tendency to rely too heavily on information stated in the beginning of a discourse. E.g. the first number stated in a negotiation or bargaining situation will have a significant effect on the final outcome.
- Contrast effects: Options or proposals are evaluated against alternatives. If you provide an alternative that is similar but inferior to your offer, it will increase the perceived attractiveness of your offer
- Framing effects: People are generally risk averse in the domain of gains and risk seeking in the domain of losses. Taking this asymmetry into account will help you to communicate more efficiently with your clients or with your counterpart in a negotiation.
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