Case file
Naive Realism
- Filed under
- Too Much Information
- Also recorded as
- Naïve realism
The charge
We experience our own view as a direct reading of reality, not as an interpretation. So people who disagree seem uninformed, irrational, or biased rather than merely different in perspective.
How it operates
Perception feels transparent from the inside, which hides the role of assumptions, frames, and incentives. That makes alternative views look like distortions rather than legitimate interpretations.
Logged incidents
- Incident 01
Two product leaders read the same user data and each treats the other as not data-driven.
- Incident 02
A board member assumes dissenters on strategy just do not see the facts clearly.
- Incident 03
Cross-functional teams escalate conflict because each side thinks it is the only one being objective.
What to watch for
Ask yourself: 'What would an intelligent, informed person have to be seeing for their view to make sense?'
Recommended action
Use viewpoint swapping, double crux, and adversarial collaboration to surface hidden assumptions. Explicitly map how different priors could lead to different conclusions from the same facts.
Known associates
- Bias Blind SpotWe can see cognitive biases in other people more easily than in ourselves.
- Naive CynicismWe assume people who disagree with us are driven by selfish motives, hidden agendas, or bias more than they…
- Availability HeuristicWe judge how likely or common something is by how easily examples come to mind, not by actual frequency.
- Attentional BiasWe selectively notice certain kinds of information while overlooking the rest, especially information tied to…
- Illusory Truth EffectRepeated statements start to feel true simply because they feel familiar.
- Mere-Exposure EffectWe tend to like things more after repeated exposure, even when the repetition provides no new value.
Source of record