Cognitive

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Cognitive processes do not always function as they should, and can lead to inaccuracies, either because of natural errors associated with cognitive biases or as a result of pathological impairments from cognitive disorders. Cognitive biases are systematic ways in which human thinking deviates from ideal norms of rationality. They are common patterns that affect most people, leading to misinterpretations of reality and suboptimal decisions. Cognitive biases are often caused by heuristics or mental shortcuts, which the brain uses to increase speed and reduce cognitive load. For instance, people typically rely on information that easily comes to mind when assessing a situation while disregarding more relevant information that is harder to retrieve.