27 Quotes by Thomas Gilovich

We may be particularly inclined to acquire and retain beliefs that make us feel good.

Because so much disagreement remains hidden, our beliefs are not properly shaped by healthy scrutiny and debate. The absence of such argument also leads us to exaggerate the extent to which other people believe the way we do.

When we prefer to believe something, we may approach the relevant evidence by asking ourselves,"what evidence is there to support this belief?"...Note that this question is not unbiased: It directs our attention to supportive evidence and away from information that might contradict the desired conclusion. Because it is almost always possible to uncover some supportive evidence, the asymmetrical way we frame the question makes us overly likely to become convinced of what we hope to be true.

We must recognize that our view of the world is just that - a view that has been shaped by our own vantage point, history, and idiosyncratic knowledge.

We are the sum total of our experiences.

What we believe is heavily influenced by what we think others believe.

People will always prefer black-and-white over shades of grey, and so there will always be the temptation to hold overly-simplified beliefs and to hold them with excessive confidence.

We must recognize that our view of the world is just that – a view that has been shaped by our own vantage point, history, and idiosyncratic knowledge.

Our motivations thus influence our beliefs through the subtle ways we choose a comforting pattern from the fabric of evidence.