Aversions and Biases

Abstract

This chapter is about the tendencies of many people to keep better practices from being adopted. As human beings, we see the world, not as it is, but as we perceive it to be. If our eyes and mind could not deceive us then optical illusions would not work.1 To explain the success of optical illusions, there are two basic theories:

• Physiological Illusions: Effects that are based on the manner by which things are sensed, which influences or changes our perceptions.

• Cognitive Illusions: Effects that are based on the manner by which things are judged, thought about, or remembered, which influences or changes our perceptions.