Vision IQ

  Abstract: I collaborated with five enthusiastic students, school counsellors Ms. Payal Khanna, Ms. Neha Kakkar and Ms. Anju Srivastava, the Student-Life Coordinator of Shri Ram Centennial School, Dehradun to create a peer support group to address various aspects of students' lives. This venture was inspired by the belief that students often prefer confiding in peers. Guided by principles like active listening and empathy, our peer support group underwent rigorous training with the expectation that it will reduce the stigma around seeking help and redefine how students approach guidance. This journey illustrates the power of student-driven collaboration, reinforcing our commitment to a compassionate and empathetic school community that prioritises every student's well-being.   In the ever-evolving education landscape, prioritising our students' holistic well-being is imperative. As the head of the school, I undertook a journey to introduce a peer support group within our

Blind Spot Bias Few phenomena in human psychology are as intriguing and paradoxical as the blind spot bias. This cognitive quirk, where individuals easily spot biases in others but fail to see them in themselves, offers a unique window into the human psyche's complexities. Exploring this bias enriches our understanding of self-perception and challenges us to confront our subconscious prejudices. Researchers Emily Pronin, Daniel Y. Lin, and Lee Ross brought blind spot bias into the limelight in their groundbreaking 2002 study, "The Bias Blind Spot: Perceptions of Bias in Self Versus Others." This study revealed a fundamental irony in self-assessment: while people quickly detect biases in others, they often have a blind spot for their own. This bias highlights a critical barrier to self-awareness and the human tendency to exempt oneself from the judgment one applies to others. Explanation: Blind Spot Bias refers to the cognitive bias in which individuals can identify and re

Dunning-Kruger Effect Explanation: The Dunning-Kruger Effect manifests when individuals possessing limited proficiency in a particular field overestimate their competence. Essentially, they lack the awareness to measure their skills accurately. The Story of the Dunning-Kruger Effect: In the curious annals of human behaviour, there exists a chapter that is best described as "The Curious Case of McArthur Wheeler." McArthur, you see, believed in the power of invisibility. His chosen instrument for this fantastical transformation was not a wizard's cloak or a superpower but something you might find in your kitchen – lemon juice. Yes, you read that right, lemon juice. McArthur had a cunning plan. He figured that since lemon juice could be used as invisible ink, it would render him invisible to surveillance cameras. Armed with this slightly baffling belief, he embarked on a mission. And what was that mission, you ask? Not one, but two bank robberies. As you might have guessed,

Self-Serving Bias Explanation: Self-serving bias is a cognitive bias that involves individuals attributing positive events and successes to their character, abilities, or efforts while attributing negative events or failures to external factors beyond their control. In simpler terms, people tend to take credit for their successes but deflect blame for their failures. Example:   Imagine a teacher whose students perform exceptionally well on an exam. The teacher might attribute this success to his outstanding teaching skills, taking credit for it. However, if the same teacher's students perform poorly on another exam, he may shift the blame to factors like a challenging curriculum or unmotivated students, absolving themselves of responsibility. The Lance Armstrong Saga: A Pedaling Paradox Imagine a world-famous cyclist renowned for conquering the gruelling Tour de France not once but seven times. That was Lance Armstrong, a name synonymous with excellence on two wheels. Yet, lurking

Negativity Bias Explanation: Negativity bias is a cognitive tendency where we place greater importance on negative information or experiences than positive ones. This means we tend to remember and focus more on negative events or feedback, even when positive aspects are present. Example: Consider a teacher who devotes a disproportionate amount of time dwelling on a single student's disruptive behaviour in the classroom while neglecting to appreciate the positive contributions of the rest of the students. Fukushima Nuclear Disaster (2011) The Fukushima nuclear disaster was a major event with extensive negative consequences. However, in this context, the Negativity Bias relates to how it influenced global perceptions of nuclear energy. The media's extensive and often sensationalised coverage of the Fukushima disaster contributed to an amplified perception of nuclear power's dangers. While it's essential to cover such events thoroughly, this intense focus on the negative a

  Fundamental Attribution Error Explanation: The Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE), also known as the correspondence bias, refers to a cognitive bias in human psychology. It involves our tendency to attribute the behaviours of others to their internal characteristics, such as personality traits or dispositions, while underestimating the influence of external situational factors. In other words, when we observe someone's actions, we often overemphasize the role of their inherent qualities and underestimate the significance of the surrounding context in explaining why they acted the way they did. Example: If a student arrives late to class, we can readily explain their delay as being due to traffic, a situational factor beyond their control (external attribution). However, when another student is late, we might jump to the conclusion that they are lazy or lack punctuality as a character trait (internal attribution). Let us see another example,  if a student rarely participates in d

In-Group Bias Explanation: In-group bias is a psychological inclination where individuals tend to show favouritism towards their social group over others. It's a cognitive bias that occurs when we unconsciously prioritise people who belong to the same group as us, whether due to shared interests, backgrounds, or affiliations. Example: This bias can manifest when teachers unconsciously favour colleagues they have known (the "in-group") for a long time, possibly because they share teaching philosophies or have built a history of collaboration. This favouritism can inadvertently lead to challenges in working effectively with newer staff members (the "out-group") who may feel excluded or less valued. The Ford Pinto Case: The Ford Pinto is a well-known example of in-group bias in a management context. In the 1970s, Ford Motor Company introduced the Pinto, a compact car designed to compete with foreign imports. However, during the development of the Pinto, engineers d