The Good Fight: The Egocentric Bias, the Aversion to Cognitive Dissonance, and the American Criminal Law
Journal of Law and Policy, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 135-145, 2013
Northeastern University School of Law Research Paper No. 174-2014
12 Pages Posted: 8 Feb 2014 Last revised: 12 Feb 2014
Date Written: February 3, 2014
Abstract
The phrase “cognitive bias” often has negative connotations. It is something to be overcome, thwarted, or, at best, circumvented. In this essay, I suggest that two interrelated cognitive biases — the egocentric bias and the aversion to cognitive dissonance — might instead serve as potential assets for a criminal law practitioner in persuading her constituencies.
Keywords: criminal law, cognitive bias, aversion of cognitive dissonance, egocentric bias, self-serving bias
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