Cognitive bias results from emotional or intellectual predisposition toward a certain judgment.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes true
• D. Depends on context

Answer: (B)

Cognitive biases come from the way the mind processes information under time, cognitive load, and imperfect memory. They are systematic errors that arise because we rely on mental shortcuts and simplified rules of thumb to judge and decide quickly. Saying biases result from an emotional or intellectual predisposition toward a specific judgment suggests a fixed orientation toward one outcome. In practice, biases are not simply about having a preexisting preference; they emerge from how information is attended to, encoded, and recalled, as well as how problems are framed and what information is readily available.

Emotions can influence how strong a bias feels or how easily it is triggered, but the core idea is that biases are patterns of thinking tied to automatic processing and contextual cues rather than a fixed predisposition to a particular conclusion. For example, anchoring pulls judgments toward an initial piece of information, and availability makes us overestimate what’s most memorable or recent. These illustrate processing tendencies, not just a personal predisposition toward one end of the judgment.