EffectAttention & information · Cognitive Bias · Entry 110
Ostrich Effect – when you ignore a problem, hoping it will go away
Do you avoid checking your bank balance because you’re afraid of what you’ll see? That’s Ostrich Effect – the tendency to ignore negative information to avoid discomfort.
Where it can show up
- Finances – investors avoid looking at their portfolio during downturns to escape seeing losses.
- Health – people delay doctor visits despite alarming symptoms.
- Work & problems – difficult conversations get postponed in the hope that issues resolve themselves.
A practical countermeasure
- Problems don’t disappear when ignored – in fact, they usually get worse.
- The sooner you face reality, the more options you have – avoidance limits your ability to act.
- Ask yourself: ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ – often, the truth is less scary than imagined.