Complexity Bias - why we rather believe something is complicated than simple

Hi there!

Do you ever feel like there are too many constraints in your life to make progress?

Today, let's explore a bias that contributes to the "this will never work" mindset. Recognizing this bias could help you break free and move forward with confidence.

What is Complexity Bias?

Complexity bias refers to our tendency to prefer complicated explanations over simple versions.

Ironic, I know.

In short, it is a flight response. By labelling a problem as complex, it means we don’t have to try to understand it or get started. For example, someone who feels sick all the time might insist on doing a dozens of health assessments and ignore the fact that their work is creating stress.

Cognitive bias are known commonly to help us save energy through shortcuts. In this case, the short cut is to avoid it completely.

The Pigeon Experiment

One experiment on pigeons proved the preference for complex solutions.

B.F. Skinner was researching on the effects of random rewards on pigeons. He had hungry pigeons in cages fitted with a random-food-delivery mechanism.

Over time, the pigeons started to believe that their behavior affected the food delivery. One bird spun in counterclockwise circles. Another butted its head against a corner of the cage. Others moved their heads in specific ways.

In fact, their behaviours had nothing to do with when the food was dispensed.

What’s next?

Rather than trying to eliminate this bias, being mindful about how this happens in our lives can go a long way.

Try Occam’s Razor: The general rule of thumb is when faced with two possible explanations for the same evidence, the one that requires the fewest assumptions is most likely to be true.

Had the pigeons known about Occam’s Razor, they would have come to conclude that their behaviors have completely no impact on when food was delivered. Multiple assumptions would need to be true for their behaviors to have influenced the food delivery.

If you have a number of hypothesis a problem you have, what is the simplest conclusion for that?

Stay Courageous,

Joping

Have you been putting off something and then hate the feeling of procrastination? I can help you:

👉 Clarify and strengthen your intentions

👉 Unpack what’s holding you back

👉 Stay accountable and supported on your action plan

Hit reply to chat more!

Joping is a Certified Self-Leadership Coach and a solopreneur in the making. I write about everything in between intention and action, and believe courage makes the biggest difference.