{"id":59755,"date":"2022-02-12T14:17:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-12T18:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=59755"},"modified":"2022-02-14T12:02:29","modified_gmt":"2022-02-14T16:02:29","slug":"alternative-blindness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/alternative-blindness\/","title":{"rendered":"Alternative Blindness and Decision-Making"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is alternative blindness? How does alternative blindness affect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/methods-of-decision-making-crucial-conversations\/\">decision-making<\/a>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternative blindness is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/biases-in-decision-making\/\">decision-making bias<\/a> where you hone in on two options, neglecting alternatives. This bias can manipulate you to follow other people\u2019s plans. It makes Option A seem like your only choice when a different option could actually suit you better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to learn about alternative blindness bias, why it happens, and how to overcome it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-counter-alternative-blindness-bias\">How to Counter <strong>Alternative Blindness Bias<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternative blindness is where people hone in on two options\u2014where Option A is \u201cstandard\u201d and Option B is terrible\u2014to the exclusion of every other option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To counter alternative bias, Dobelli recommends <strong>looking at underrepresented options.<\/strong> Often, a more moderate third option may fit your situation better than the extremes of Options A and B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, many people feel pressured to attend college. The situation is presented as Option A: Go to college and get a good job, vs. Option B: Don\u2019t go to college and don\u2019t get a good job. However, there are other options, including Option C: Go to trade school and get a good job, or Option D: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apprenticeship.gov\/career-seekers\">Complete an<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jamesgmartin.center\/2018\/01\/arent-apprentices-america\/#:~:text=Still%2C%20apprenticeship%20is%20becoming%20more,level%20or%20by%20individual%20states.\">apprenticeship <\/a>and get a good job. Option A is considered \u201cstandard\u201d, but high tuition can make college a hindrance rather than a help. <strong>Looking at the underrepresented options can provide a more fulfilling and profitable experience than falling for alternative bias.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-overcoming-alternative-bias-through-perspective\"><strong>Overcoming Alternative Bias Through Perspective<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dobelli presents the solution to alternative bias as needing to expand your horizons and look to less conventional options. However, others argue that looking at more options isn\u2019t enough to combat the bias. You can feel just as trapped choosing between three or four options as two, they point out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To overcome this bias, instead of merely increasing the number of options available to you, consider both broadening your horizons <em>and<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-change-your-perspective\/\">changing your perspective<\/a> to assess each option logically. Here are a few <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/persuasion-bias-and-choice\/201812\/how-change-perspective-can-improve-your-decisions\">ways to change your perspective<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Consider what you have.<\/strong> For instance, Option A: College assumes you can afford tuition. Challenge those assumptions; see where you stand and how that affects your choice.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Consider the gains and losses.<\/strong> A loss in one option (for instance, trade school doesn\u2019t have great job mobility) may be a gain in the other (college degrees provide greater job mobility).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Consider <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-do-you-care-about\/\">what\u2019s most important to you<\/a>.<\/strong> All decisions are somewhat uncertain. Determine what\u2019s important enough that it must be certain, and consider that first when deciding.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is alternative blindness? How does alternative blindness affect decision-making? Alternative blindness is a decision-making bias where you hone in on two options, neglecting alternatives. This bias can manipulate you to follow other people\u2019s plans. It makes Option A seem like your only choice when a different option could actually suit you better. Keep reading to learn about alternative blindness bias, why it happens, and how to overcome it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":54184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,160],"tags":[576],"class_list":["post-59755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","category-science","tag-the-art-of-thinking-clearly","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Alternative Blindness and Decision-Making - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Alternative blindness is when you hone in on two options while neglecting every other option. 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