When faced with a difficult question, System 1 automatically substitutes an easier question without conscious awareness of the switch.
A venture capitalist evaluating 'Will this startup succeed?' unconsciously substitutes 'Do I like this founder?' The easier question (likeability) replaces the harder question (probability of success), leading to biased investment decisions.
You're consciously aware of what question you're answering—the substitution happens automatically and unconsciously.
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
Fast, automatic, unconscious cognitive processing that operates through pattern recognition and associative memory without deliberate effort.
Fast, automatic, unconscious cognitive processing that operates through pattern recognition and associative memory without deliberate effort.
Letting feelings and emotions guide judgment, substituting 'How do I feel about it?' for 'What do I think about it?'
Letting feelings and emotions guide judgment, substituting 'How do I feel about it?' for 'What do I think about it?'