Egocentric Bias

Prakash Hegade 4 Comments

It’s April of 2026 and Day 5 of the A to Z challenge. This year, being the tenth, I am doing the theme of “Architecture of Mind“. This years theme explores the mind map of hidden biases. In this journey, we will explore how biases shape our thinking and sometimes lead us away from reality.

Day 05 – Egocentric Bias

Egocentric bias is the tendency to place our own perspective at the center when interpreting situations or evaluating events. It explains why we see things in a way that feels right to us and overlooking how it might appear to others. It works because our experiences, beliefs, and emotions shape what we notice and how we understand it. We assume our view is more accurate, more important, or more common than it actually is. This bias appears in everyday interactions, decisions, and judgments. Example: After a group discussion, we may feel our idea had the biggest impact and similarly others feel equally about their own contributions.

The room had
Five different fives.
Each of the five,
Think they are leading the four.
I know what I think,
And guess what you feel.
I look around for my fame,
Everyone around feels the same.

In the architecture of mind, we are always sure of what is ours. Aren’t we?

Decoy Effect

Prakash Hegade 7 Comments

It’s April of 2026 and Day 4 of the A to Z challenge. This year, being the tenth, I am doing the theme of “Architecture of Mind“. This years theme explores the mind map of hidden biases. In this journey, we will explore how biases shape our thinking and sometimes lead us away from reality.

Day 04 – Decoy Effect

The dictionary meaning of decoy is something or someone used to lure or distract attention, often to mislead or trap. The Decoy Effect explains how the presence of an additional, less attractive option can influence the way we choose between the original ones. This third option is not meant to be selected, but to make one of the other choices appear clearly better in comparison. It works because we do not evaluate options in isolation; we compare them, and the decoy shifts that comparison in a predictable direction. It is widely used in pricing, marketing, and decision design. Example: a basic plan at 100/- and a premium plan at 200/- may seem like two different choices, but introducing a third option at 180/- with fewer features makes the ₹200 plan look like the obvious better deal.

We never judge
A thing alone.
A pivot point,
Value three is thrown.
The expensive, then,
Feels like a steal,
A trap of our own,
Making false feel real.

In the architecture of the mind, how many of your choices were engineered by the shadows of comparison?

Choice-Supportive Bias

Prakash Hegade 8 Comments

It’s April of 2026 and Day 3 of the A to Z challenge. This year, being the tenth, I am doing the theme of “Architecture of Mind“. This years theme explores the mind map of hidden biases. In this journey, we will explore how biases shape our thinking and sometimes lead us away from reality.

Day 03 – Choice-Supportive Bias

Choice-Supportive Bias explains why, after making a decision, we start seeing it as better one than it actually was. Once a choice is ours, we remember it more positively and downplay its flaws. It works because the mind tries to stay consistent and avoid doubt, so it reshapes past details to support what we chose. In a way, it rewrites the idea and story after the decision is made. This bias is common in everyday decisions like buying something, choosing a path, or forming opinions. Instead of evaluating the choice objectively, we adjust our memory to feel confident about it.

I stitch the breaks
To heal the view,
I love the game
I put me through.
I rewrite every
What-if sigh,
You call it bias??
I call it mine.

In the architecture of the mind, how many are flaws you have rewritten to love?

 Barnum Effect

Prakash Hegade 11 Comments

It’s April of 2026 and Day 2 of the A to Z challenge. This year, being the tenth, I am doing the theme of “Architecture of Mind“. This years theme explores the mind map of hidden biases. In this journey, we will explore how biases shape our thinking and sometimes lead us away from reality.

Day 02 – Barnum Effect

The Barnum Effect (also called the fallacy of personal validation) explains why we see ourselves in vague, universal descriptions. Statements like horoscopes or generic personality tests feel personal, even though they could be applied to almost anyone. It works because we accept positive, broad statements and fill gaps with personal experiences. It is widely used in horoscopes, personality tests, marketing, fortune-telling, etc. When we are presented with flattering traits, we accept them making generalized feedback feel uniquely tailored to us.

In every nod of yours,
When you
Were called special,
Between those lines,
You added your truth,
Filled the space
With what you held,
And wrote your name.

In the architecture of the mind, how many of the things you accepted about yourself, would you really choose?

Anchoring Bias

Prakash Hegade 21 Comments

It’s April of 2026 and Day 1 of the A to Z challenge. This year, being the tenth, I am doing the theme of “Architecture of Mind“. This years theme explores the mind map of hidden biases. In this journey, we will explore how biases shape our thinking and sometimes lead us away from reality.

Day 01 – Anchoring Bias

Think of a number between 1 and 1 million. Do you have it? Now think of another number. Do you have the second number? Now, how close are the two numbers you thought of? You had a range of a million numbers to choose from, yet the second number you thought of was influenced by the first. Anchoring Bias is when we depend on the first piece of information we see or use. That first number or idea becomes our reference point, even if it doesn’t matter. For example: you wake up and check your phone. The first message you see is slightly negative. The rest of the day feels a bit off, even when good things happen and though the first message was nothing major.

We circle back,
Where we began.
Everything
Bending around it.
As we move,
Is it still,
Are we still
In the very first?

In the architecture of the mind, are we thinking freely or just following from the first impressions? a little biased?

A to Z Challenge 2026 – Theme Reveal

Prakash Hegade 9 Comments

This is my TENTH year of attempting A to Z Challenge and here is the timeline of themes:

2017: An idiom for an alphabet and 8 line poem to it.

2018: Emotions and expressions for life and 8 line poem to it.

2019: Words and phrases from foreign languages and 8 line poem to it.

2020: Metaphors from movies, idioms, celebrities, paintings, songs, etc and 8 line poem to it.

2021: Around the World and 8 line poem for it.

2022: Wordy Wonders and 8 line poem for it.

2023: A to Z legendary creatures from cultures and folklore and 8 line poem for it.

2024: A to Z moments and 8 line poem for it.

2025: A to Z imperfections and 8 line poem for it.

Here is the theme for 2026:

This year I am doing 26 thoughts on Architecture of Mind. Mind is a complex blueprint of evolutionary shortcuts and we will explore 26 such ideas. We are built for survival. Our mind uses quick shortcuts to make decisions. This challenge explores those hidden biases and how they shape the way we think and see the world.

Will you be doing the A to Z Challenge this year?

Thinking Before Numbers

Prakash Hegade 8 Comments

Do you want to understand AI in the most simplistic terms? AI is nothing without a Human in the Loop. I am writing a series of articles called Vi-Chintan that take you towards the AI journey. These are all the thoughts one must understand while working with AI. The specialty of this article series is that we learn about AI through human-written articles. #NoAIUsed.

Find the first one here: Thinking Before Numbers

It Was All You

Prakash Hegade 5 Comments

Eternity, isn’t a place.
Paradise, isn’t a destination.
Infinity, isn’t somewhere.
Bliss, isn’t found.
Forever, was never a time.

It was all YOU.

A dedication for valentine’s day.

12 Angry Men

Prakash Hegade 7 Comments

I watched the movie 12 Angry men after a decade again and no wonder this is a master piece and must watch. Every watch gives a new perspective.

Let’s break the movie storyline into 10 pieces:


1. Twelve jurors enter the jury room to decide the fate of a boy accused of killing his father

2. An initial vote shows eleven jurors voting “guilty” and one juror voting “not guilty.”

3. The lone juror explains he is not convinced of innocence but wants to discuss the case.

4. Jurors begin reviewing the prosecution’s key witnesses and evidence.

5. Doubts emerge about the credibility of an old man who claimed to hear the murder.

6. Questions arise about a woman who said she saw the crime across train tracks.

7. The murder weapon, believed to be unique, is shown to be common.

8. Personal prejudices and emotional outbursts among jurors are exposed.

9. One by one, jurors change their votes as reasonable doubt grows.

10. The final verdict becomes “not guilty,” affirming the power of careful deliberation.

Here is how I would map it to a system:

What HappensWhy This Role Is Necessary in a System
Jurors assembleA system begins with people who bring varied backgrounds and experiences
Majority quickly votes guiltyShow how systems naturally drift toward easy or dominant choices
One juror dissentsPrevents blind acceptance; introduces critical friction
Case is discussedEnable structured conversation and information flow
Witness credibility questionedTest reliability of inputs
Evidence re-examinedCheck assumptions, logic, and data quality
Knife proven commonShow alternatives through tangible proof
Prejudices exposedReveal hidden distortions inside the system
Votes slowly changeAllow the system to evolve
Not-guilty verdictRepresents outcome of balanced perspectives

This movie is deeper than we think. I can relate this to many social threshold models.

Love, Fiercely.

Prakash Hegade 6 Comments

It’s teaching my heart,
To stand,
On my own light.

Its turning ordinary,
Into a declaration,
Of my own light.

It arrives like a fire,
That burns with devotion,
To my own light.

My love,
Fiercely yours,
My light.

We all must be taught the importance of loving fiercely.