The Role of Cognitive Biases in Human Decision-Making Human decision-making is often affected by cognitive biases, which are systematic errors in thinking that influence judgments and decisions. One common bias is the confirmation bias, where individuals favor information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs while disregarding evidence to the contrary. Another well-known bias is the availability heuristic, which causes people to overestimate the importance of information that is easily recalled, often because it is recent or emotionally striking. Cognitive science explores how these biases emerge from the brain's need to process vast amounts of information efficiently. By relying on heuristics or mental shortcuts, the brain often sacrifices accuracy for speed, leading to biased outcomes. Understanding these processes helps psychologists and cognitive scientists develop strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of biases, particularly in areas like medicine, finance, and law, where decision-making is critical.