Test your awareness of common mental shortcuts that affect our decisions
You bought a stock at $100. It dropped to $80, then rose to $90. What do you do?
You've been watching your portfolio daily. The $20 dip stressed you out, and now that it's recovered to $90, you feel relieved.
You decide to hold the stock because...
A mental shortcut that usually helps but sometimes fools you — like trusting the first price you see (anchoring) or only noticing evidence you agree with (confirmation bias). Everyone has them; the advantage goes to people who can catch their own.
Absolutely — kids as young as ten enjoy catching biases in themselves and (especially) in their parents. Naming the shortcut is the first step to thinking past it, and the quiz makes it a game rather than a lecture.
Free, no signup, a few minutes long. Take it as a family and compare which shortcuts each of you leans on.
Cognitive biases are mental shortcuts that usually help us but can lead to errors. This test shows kids that everyone has biases—not because they're "stupid," but because our brains are designed to take mental shortcuts. Discuss real-world examples together: when have they caught themselves falling for a bias? How did it feel to be wrong? Building awareness of these patterns helps kids become more thoughtful decision-makers.
Get the free Decision Traps Guide and learn five common ways kids get stuck when making choices — plus simple prompts that make everyday decisions easier to practice.
Get the Free Decision Traps Guide